《No longer a pushover (Noelle and Cedric)》


 Chapter 1

    "Noelle, are you going to admit your mistake or not?"


    Noelle Liddell''s mouth and nose were both submerged in water while her throat burned from the choking sensation.


    On the brink of death, she opened her eyes and saw her second brother, Frank Liddell, on the edge of the swimming pool. She also spotted her fourth brother, ke Liddell, holding Xenia Quigley in his arms. A sh of disbelief crossed her eyes. This scene was so familiar.


    Hadn''t she died already?


    Could it be that she had been reborn back to three years ago, on the very day Xenia was officially adopted by the Liddell family?


    Xenia had deliberately framed Noelle at the banquet, making everyone believe that thetter had pushed her into the pool.


    ke was the first to discover them, but he only saved Xenia. He left Noelle, who also couldn''t swim, to struggle in the water.


    Meanwhile, Frank even pressured her to admit that it was her fault, seemingly refusing to save her unless she confessed.


    Desperate and terrified, Noelle begged and forcibly admitted to it, pleading for her brothers to save her. She was only pulled out of the water when she was on the brink of death.


    After that, she no longer dared to provoke Xenia and went to great lengths to appease her brothers. But that ultimately didn''t get her anything.


    Xenia stole Noelle''s graduation thesis, but Frank testified for Xenia instead. Noelle wasbeled a giarist and expelled from school.


    When Xenia needed a kidney transnt due to her poor health, her third brother, Carl Liddell, immediately took her to the operating room and performed the surgery himself. Xenia had to participate in an internationalpetition to boost her credentials, so ke, Wyatt, and Lucas kicked Noelle out of their team without hesitation.


    When Noelle found evidence of Xenia''s giarism and falsified medical records, she took it to her eldest brother, hoping to expose Xenia.


    Instead, she incurred the wrath of the entire family. No one believed her. No one even looked at the evidence.


    Her eldest brother, Donovan Liddell, threw her out of the family and ordered her to reflect on her actions.


    Ended up homeless and penniless, Noelle went through unimaginable suffering.


    Past memories surged like a tide. She stopped struggling and allowed herself to sink to the bottom of the pool. Her eyes were wide open despite her stoic expression as if she had died.


    Looking at her brothers surrounding Xenia on the shore, she felt a sharp pain in her chest-even though she had experienced this before.


    She thought it was absurd. She was their biological sister, yet she meant less to them than an outsider.


    All of Frank''s attention had been dedicated to Xenia. Realizing that the sounds of Noelle putting up a fight had ceased, he swerved around and noticed that she had sunk to the bottom of the pool. He paled instantly. "Noelle!" Without hesitation, he dove into the pool. Xenia''s eyes glinted as she saw the scene before her. She felt that it would be better if Noelle died.


    Pretending to be meek, she tugged at ke''s sleeve and said weakly, "ke, I want to save Noelle too. It''s my fault that she fell in the water."


    ke was equally concerned. Hearing this, he reassured her, "Don''t be silly. Frank''s help is more than enough. Noelle is just reaping what she sowed. She won''t die." As he turned to look at the pool, his expression grewplicated.


    Underwater, Noelle saw Frank swimming toward her. He seemed genuinely worried even though just moments ago, he had forced her to apologize and watched her drown. This time, she didn''t want his help. Mockery crossed her eyes as she turned and swam to the surface.


    After the near-drowning incident in her past life, Frank forced her and Xenia to learn to swim. She had been traumatized, but she overcame her fear and learned how to swim to please her brother. Yet, in the end, he only praised Xenia''s bravery in curbing her phobia. No one cared about thesting trauma Noelle endured-even a minute of neglect under the waters had left her scarred for life. Everyone only cared about Xenia, not her.


    "Noelle, what kind of stunt are you pulling now?" Frank blocked her path. "Do you think pretending to drown can undo the damage?"


    He noticed something different about her. He wondered when she had learned how to swim.


    Noelle met his gaze. Once, he had been her favorite brother. Donovon had always been strict, but Frank was always close to her. Now, however, only disgust and impatience filled his eyes. "Frank, don''t me Noelle," Xenia interrupted weakly. "I know she''s always disliked me joining the Liddell family. It''s my fault for being greedy and wanting a family. You''re all important to me."


    ke glowered at Noelle as Xenia sobbed. He bellowed, "Happy now? She wouldn''t have be an orphan if her father didn''t die to save you! He should''ve let you die instead of saving an ungrateful wretch like you!"


    Frank frowned. "Noelle, you should be grateful. We should treat Xenia as part of the family. It''s what our family owes her. It''s what you owe her. Got it?"


    "An ingrate like her wouldn''t understand," ke hissed. "If she could have, she wouldn''t have pushed Xenia into the water. Even saving an animal is more worthwhile than saving her!"


    Noelle froze. She would''ve preferred not being saved at all if she had a choice. Enduring the searing pain in her lungs, she rasped, "You''re right. It''s my fault. It won''t happen again."


    She would never do something so foolish again. Since they wanted Xenia as their sister, she would quit being theirs.


    "Noelle, so you really did it on purpose? Don''t you realize that Xenia can''t swim? She could''ve died!" Waves of disappointment washed through Frank. He had simply thought it was an ident but hadn''t expected Noelle to push Xenia into the pool deliberately. He wondered when she had be so ruthless.


    Just then, the family doctor arrived.


    ke spun toward Noelle and snarled, "You''d better pray Xenia is fine. Otherwise, you''re doomed once Donovan is back."


    Frank trailed after them, but he hesitated and turned back to look at Noelle. He felt bad for her as he saw her alone with her soaked clothes, looking pale.


    "Go back to your room and change your clothes," he urged. "The banquet is starting soon."


    Noelle didn''t respond. Soon, she was the only one left. She waited until everyone had left before she bent over and hacked violently as though she was coughing her lungs out.


    Swallowing the blood surging in her throat, she stumbled back to her room. Shey in the bathtub and closed her eyes, recalling how she had turned vengeful after she ended up homeless. She tried to kill Xenia but failed.


    Consequently, Donovan locked her up in a mental hospital, where she was tortured to death by caretakers arranged by Xenia. Noelle sped her hands on her face and cackled, her voice carrying an eerie chill. "Very well," she thought. Her gaze was cold when she opened her eyes again.


    Noelle got dressed and looked around her bedroom, feeling a sense of unfamiliarity. In her previous life, this room had been given to Xenia while she was relegated to thetter''s small room.


    She noticed a family portrait on the desk. In it, a young couple held a baby in their arms while being surrounded by six boys.


    Unfortunately, her parents had tragically died in a car ident not long after she was born. The driver had saved her first. When he returned to rescue her parents, the car exploded, killing him as well.


    Xenia was the driver''s only child, who was born frail and sickly. Donovan brought her to the Liddell residence after the ident and raised her alongside Noelle.


    Everything changed from the moment Xenia showed up. The brothers Noelle once adored all turned their attention to the new addition of the Liddell residence. "Xenia isn''t in great health, so I hired a chef to make meals suited to her needs. Noelle, make sure she eats properly."


    "Noelle, Xenia wants to learn painting too. You''ve learned enough. Let her have your lessons instead."


    "Noelle, drop out of thispetition and let Xenia represent the school instead. Although she came in second, she had been preparing for a long time."


    "Noelle, Xenia''s grades aren''t great, but you should attend the same college to look after her.


    Noelle clutched her head as a dull ache throbbed in her chest. She took shallow breaths, forcing the pain to subside. She was determined to cut all ties with the Liddell family this time. She put the photo away and began packing her belongings. Not long after, a maid knocked on the door. "Ms. Liddell, the banquet has begun. Mr. Frank requested that you head downstairs after you''ve changed."


    "Got it."


    Noelle opened the door and strode toward the lively banquet urring outside.


    Widening her eyes in shock, the maid muttered, "What on earth is she wearing? Has she lost her mind from the trauma?"


    Outside, the banquet was in full swing.


    Xenia was dressed in an elegant white gown, her dark locks cascading over her shoulders. She looked angelic. Frank and ke nked her on both sides, gazing at her with overflowing affection. It was a heartwarming scene, indeed. But Frank couldn''t help but think of Noelle. He had hoped for her to be this obedient and sensible. Instead, she had grown increasingly unruly and arrogant over the years.


    "Noelle''s here!" someone announced.

 Chapter 2

    All eyes turned to Noelle as soon as she showed up. Despite the crowd''s attention, she remained indifferent.


    She wore a simple T-shirt, but an exquisite antique tiara sat on her head. An emerald ne adorned her neck, while diamond and gold bracelets decorated her wrist. Her finger also bore arge pink diamond ring. Laughter erupted from the crowd.


    "Look at how tacky she is! How could she pile on all her essories like that? She''s like a mboyant nouveau riche!"


    "I bet she''s doing this on purpose to show off and make Xenia look bad."


    Unfazed, Noelle swaggered up to Xenia and said, "Congrattions. You''ve finally be a part of the Liddell family."


    In her previous life, her nightmare began the day Xenia joined her family. No matter how much she tried to please everyone or how obedient she was, her brothers all still sided with Xenia. Frank had even once said that he wished Xenia were their biological sister. This time, she wouldn''t yearn for some stupid familial love.


    Jealousy filled Xenia''s chest as she saw how manyvish essories Noelle had. Nevertheless, she kept herposure.


    She shrunk back slightly and tentatively said, "Noelle, I know you''re upset, but don''t worry. I won''tpete with you for your brothers'' affection.


    "I''ll always be an outsider. You''re their real sister. How could I possiblypare to you?"


    Her eyes reddened as she spoke, looking pitifully fragile.


    Noelle sneered. With that wless act of hers, Xenia was indeed a remarkable actress. In her previous life, she had been a victim of Xenia''s facade. She only saw thetter''s true colors before her death.


    Seeing this, ke quickly intervened, "Don''t cry, Xenia. You''re not an outsider. From now on, you''re my real sister."


    Xenia dropped her gaze, a hint of smugness flickering in her eyes. Just then, Frank handed her a box. "Xenia, this is a gift for you."


    Looking surprised, Xenia eximed, "Frank, wasn''t this gift meant for Noelle? How could I possibly ept it?"


    Noelle was not surprised when she saw the limited-edition figurine in the box. In her previous life, Frank had also "kindly" taken it upon himself to give the figurine she had waited for so long to Xenia as a form of apology. "Take it," Frank urged. "She owes you this."


    Visibly upset, ke chimed in, "Noelle, even though Xenia doesn''t hold a grudge about you pushing her into the water, and Frank has also given her a gift on your behalf, where''s your gift for her?"


    Noelle nodded. "I''m aware of that. That''s why I''ve prepared a heartfelt apology gift." She began removing the essories she wore, cing them one by one on a tray.


    "Donovan gave me this antique tiara and this emerald ne was from Frank.


    "This century-old Ginrex herb was from Carl, and ke gave this rare pink diamond ring.


    "Wyatt gave this emerald bracelet, and finally, this gold trophy was from Lucas."


    After cing everything on the tray, Noelle continued, "These are all very important to me. As a token of apology, I believe that giving these represents my utmost sincerity."


    She anticipated that ke would demand that she offer something to Xenia as a reparation, so she had prepared these items in advance.


    Since Xenia''s arrival, her brothers hadn''t given her any meaningful gifts. Only these valuable items remained. After all, her brothers would ultimately reim these with various excuses and give them to Xenia instead. ke froze once he saw the items on the tray. Knowing that these were all items Noelle had cherished, he couldn''t fathom her intention.


    Frank''s expression turned grim. "Noelle, what are you on about?"


    "As I said, this is a token of my sincere apology. Do you think it''s not enough?" Noelle remained calm and unwavering.


    Astonishment crossed Xenia''s face when she saw the items Noelle hadid out. She couldn''tprehend Noelle''s actions. She wondered if this was thetter''s attempt at appearing at a disadvantage to gain leverage. "These are the gifts your brothers have given you, Noelle," she quickly said. "They''re far too valuable. I can''t possibly ept them!"


    Infuriated, ke fumed, "Exactly! These gifts were meant for you. How could you just give them away to others like that?"


    Xenia''s smile faltered. She bit her lip before saying, "Yeah. I''m just an outsider, Noelle. I don''t deserve such gifts."


    Realizing his slip, ke immediately corrected himself and said, "Xenia, that''s not what I meant. I''ll pick out something new for you. You shouldn''t take something someone else has already used." "Thank you, ke," Xenia said, beaming at him.


    ke''s heart softened. He thought that this was how an obedient younger sister should act.


    Meanwhile, Frank felt somewhat helpless. "Noelle, why are you throwing such a tantrum again?"


    Noelle had always treasured these gifts, forbidding anyone from touching them. He hadn''t expected her to give them all away as an apology gift.


    Was she trying to sever ties with them? Or was she doing this to spite him because he had taken the figurine meant for her topensate Xenia?


    He didn''t think that there was a chance that Noelle would willingly give these items to Xenia.


    "Frank, she''s just trying to vent," ke said. "Noelle, do you think we can''t tell? When will you be as sensible as Xenia?"


    Looking indifferent, Noelle replied, "These gifts are worth tens of millions of dors. Isn''t that enough for an olive branch? Or are you reluctant to give these to Xenia?"


    ke was rendered speechless. He wondered how she could have possibly drawn that conclusion. They were two different things!


    "O-Of course I''m not that kind of person," he sputtered in front of Xenia.


    "Then you all shall witness that I have shown Xenia a sincere gesture of apology."


    Frank was slightly irritated. "Quit the nonsense, Noelle."


    How could she give such valuable gifts to someone else? He felt that, even if she were to spite ke, she shouldn''t have also given the gifts from other brothers away.


    "I''m serious about this, Frank," Noelle said. She shoved the tray into Xenia''s hands. "These are yours now." She didn''t want her six brothers anymore, either.


    A hint of awkwardness shed across Xenia''s face. Sensing that Frank and ke were somewhat enraged, she felt uneasy holding the tray.


    She had been caught off guard by Noelle''s actions and hadn''t expected Noelle to give these to her as a peace offering. The Liddell brothers might resent her if she didn''t handle this situation carefully. She wondered why Noelle had suddenly be so difficult to deal with. Before Xenia could respond, Noelle spun around and left.


    "Noelle, stop right there!" ke was furious. Using the gifts he had given her to apologize to Xenia-what kind of apology was that? Still, Noelle gave no heed to him and left promptly.


    "Noelle is bing more and more outrageous!" Frank remarked, frowning. He felt upset. He had bought the emerald ne for her with his first sry-it was symbolic.


    ke, on the other hand, felt like he had hit a wall. Frustrated, he said, "Exactly. She did this on purpose to spite us."


    Hearing their conversation, Xenia gritted her teeth. Noelle''s tactic had indeed worked, but Xenia wouldn''t let her seed.


    Holding the tray, she began to meekly say, "Frank, ke, did I do something wrong again? I will never take Noelle''s most treasured items. What should I do?"


    She cursed at Noelle inwardly, seething at thetter''s attempt to sabotage her.


    ke scowled. "Since it''s her token of apology, just ept it! I bet she''ll regret this in three days." He snorted. He couldn''t wait to berate Noelle once she came crawling back.


    "How about this, Xenia?" Frank began gently. "Just keep the items for Noelle now. Things will be fine once she calms down."


    Noelle had thrown such tantrums in the past, but everything turned out fine in the end. He found it hard to believe that she would willingly give these items away.


    "Alright. I''ll keep them safe," Xenia concurred, shing them a smile.


    Frank sighed, remembering how Noelle used to be just as sweet and obedient. He hoped she would return to her senses soon. He nced at Xenia again, feeling d she wasn''t like Noelle.


    ...


    Noelley down once she was back in her room. Perhaps it was because she had caught a cold after falling into the water, but she felt dizzy.


    She closed her eyes, her mind racing with thoughts of leaving the Liddell family and living independently.


    In her past life, she could''ve been able to apply to a prestigious university with her excellent grades. But because of ke''s order, she enrolled in amunity college with Xenia.


    In college, she always cleaned up after Xenia and took the me for her mistakes. If she disobeyed, her credit cards would be temporarily disabled. Despite being a daughter of a wealthy family, her life was worse than that of a poor student. Ultimately, Xenia even stole the thesis she had diligently worked on and framed her for giarism. She was then expelled. Noelle refused to let that happen again.


    She would attend a prestigious university and pay her tuition fees and living allowances with prize money from gamingpetitions. With the skills from her past life, she could definitely make a name for herself in the gaming industry.


    After the banquet ended, Frank went to Noelle''s room. He hesitated before knocking on her door, but there was no response. The door was also locked.


    "Frank, Xenia seems to have a fever. Hurry up and have a look at her."


    Hearing this, Frank withdrew his hand from Noelle''s door. He went downstairs and saw Xenia''s flushed face, clearly running a fever.


    "I''ll drive. Let''s head to the hospital now."


    While Frank and ke rushed Xenia to the hospital, Noelley in bed in her bedroom on the second floor.


    Her face was flushed, and she was sweating incessantly. Throughout the entire night, she felt lightheaded and was constantly haunted by nightmares.

 Chapter 3

    The next morning, Noelle''s phone buzzed continuously with notifications.


    After the noise woke Noelle up, she checked her phone, her expression dark. These notifications were all from a forum app, and her message inbox was flooded with insults.


    She was no stranger to such insults, as the incident of her pushing Xenia into the poolst night had been uploaded to the campus forum.


    Xenia was very popr in school, and most people began berating Noelle.


    Despite her throbbing headache, Noelle jumped into the fray andshed back at her haters. The number ofments on the forum spread to over a thousand, causing the page administrator to think that the forum had been hacked. After posting her response, she tossed her phone aside andy back down. Now that she no longer had to please the Liddell brothers and care about her reputation, she would just live however she wanted.


    Not long after, a maid knocked at her door. "Ms. Liddell, it''s time to get up for school. You''re going to bete."


    It wasn''t until then that Noelle realized she still had to go to school that day. She sshed cold water on her face to wake herself up.


    If she wanted to leave the Liddell family, she had to graduate and get into a university far away from here. She changed into her uniform and headed downstairs with her backpack.


    Just then, Frank and ke turned up.


    Noticing Noelle''s slightly flushed face, Frank walked over and instinctively reached out to her forehead to check her temperature.


    But Noelle dodged his hand and headed to the dining room instead. She took a seat, knowing that she needed to eat breakfast to get better and gain the energy to focus on her studies. She was aiming for Yole University, after all.


    Frank''s hand paused mid-air. As he awkwardly lowered his hand, ke snorted and said, "I told you she''s an ingrate. Unlike Xenia, who has always been weak, she''s as strong as an ox. She''s burning up just because she fell into the waterst night and caught a cold. "But Noelle? She''ll never get sick!"


    Frank fell silent. It was true that Noelle had always been in excellent health. He approached the dining table and said, "Xenia''s sick, so you''ll have to take care of her for the next few days at school until she''s fully recovered. Got it?"


    Now that Noelle had be more rebellious as she grew older, he thought he couldn''t spoil her like before. He would force her to learn if she didn''t know how to be grateful.


    "Noelle, Xenia''s father saved your life, but you almost killed her," ke chimed in. "You must take good care of her to atone for your sins!"


    Noelle merely hung her head low and indulged in her breakfast. Her appetite wasn''t great, but she still forced herself to eat. With less than 100 days until the entrance exam, she was determined to leave the Liddell family behind once it was over. Annoyed by her indifference, ke snatched her utensils away and snapped, "I''m talking to you! Are you deaf?"


    Noelle nced up at him, her eyes cold and unblinking.


    "You shall fetch some warm water for Xenia when she takes her medicine, and you shall buy lunch for her at the cafeteria. You''ll have to hurry up so the food doesn''t get cold," ke ordered. "If she needs to use the bathroom, you must go with her. "Her father saved your life, so you owe her this. Do you understand?"


    "Understood," Noelle replied coldly, though she had no intention ofplying.


    She left the Liddell residence with a stoic expression, gazing up at the sky to force back her tears. She had thought that living her life over again wouldn''t upset her anymore, but ke''s earlier words pierced her heart like a needle. Memories of how Frank had stayed by her side all night when she was sick during childhood were still vivid in her mind. Back then, ke even told her jokes to coax her to take her medicine.


    But because Xenia was born weak, her brothers'' attention was always drawn to her first whenever she fell sick.


    Later on, even when Noelle had a fever, she had to bear it alone.


    Suppressing her sorrow, she got into the car and closed her eyes to rest. She reminded herself that she just had to bear it a little longer. It was less than 100 days to go.


    When she arrived at school, she went straight to her senior-year ssroom. As soon as she entered, the noisy ssroom fell silent. Rumors of her outburst on the forum spread across the school, and everyone wondered if she had lost her mind. "I wonder what triggered Noelle to give up on herselfpletely."


    "I think it''s because she can''t improve her reputation anymore, so she''s given up on maintaining a fa?ade. She''s just being herself now."


    Noelle did not heed the whispers around her, though she could hear them. She dropped her bag down on her desk and went straight to sleep. She slept through the entire morning.


    At lunch, Xenia arrived at the ssroom. She was still on an IV drip, and her appearance immediately gained the sympathy and care of her peers.


    Noelle frowned, changing another position in her nap.


    After a while, someone pped her desk hard. She nced up impatiently, irritation evident in her eyes.


    Xenia was standing in front of her, nked by herckeys, who looked very pissed.


    Squinting at them, Noelle realized that the women before her were Gwen Hopkins and Betty Yates. They always followed Xenia around and constantly spread rumors about Noelle, even fabricating lies to bring up her brothers. "Noelle, what would you like for lunch?" Xenia began meekly. "I''ll go get it for you. Please don''t be mad at me, okay?"


    "No need," Noelle replied coldly.


    "How dare you!" Gwen hissed. "You''re so ungrateful. Xenia is already sick!"


    "Exactly! Noelle, you should be taking care of Xenia instead. She got sick because of you!"


    Xenia coughed weakly and interjected, "Don''t say that, guys. I can take care of myself. I''ve always been on my own. Stop criticizing her, or else she''ll get upset."


    "Xenia, you''re just too kind. No wonder people take advantage of you!"


    Annoyed, Noelle got up and prepared to leave the ssroom. Just as she exited, Xenia suddenly hurried toward her.


    Her IV stand fell over, and she coincidentally fell on the broken ss. What a coincidence, indeed.


    The ssroom erupted into chaos, and Noelle sensed an impending headache. She was just about to say something when her vision went ck, and she fainted. When she woke up, the scent of disinfectant filled her senses. She wondered if she was in the school infirmary.


    "Your temperature is 103¡ãF. You''ve been pushing your body too far. Are you trying to burn yourself alive?"


    Noelle nced to the side and saw a man in a white coat. He was tall and lean, with indifferent eyes peeking from behind his mask.


    She remembered now. This was the new school doctor, an attractive man who had caught the attention of many female students. Yet, he had a sharp tongue. He didn''t stay long and soon left.


    Thanks to the IV drip, Noelle sat up and felt much better. She lowered her gaze and asked, "Can I leave now?"


    "Wait until your familyes to pick you up," Cedric Greene drawled out from his chair. "I don''t want to be responsible if you die on the way."


    He indeed lived up to his reputation of having a sharp tongue.


    "I don''t have a family," Noelle replied hoarsely.


    ke''s concerned voice echoed from outside as soon as her words fell. "Xenia, are you okay? How did your injuries get so severe?"


    "It''s just a minor injury, ke. Please don''t me Noelle. She didn''t do it on purpose. I was careless and knocked over the IV stand."


    Gwen added fuel to the fire, saying, "That''s not true! Xenia wanted to help Noelle get lunch, but she refused Xenia''s offer. She then tripped her out of revenge. We all saw it all with our own eyes!" "Exactly!" Betty chimed in. "Despite being sick, Xenia still cared about getting lunch for Noelle. Who knew Noelle would be so evil?"


    Fury boiled over ke. His tone wasced with anger as he boomed, "Where''s Noelle? Get her out here this instant! How dare she let Xenia get her lunch instead?


    "Xenia''s father should''ve let her die in that ident to save his daughter from such torture!"


    A mocking smile crossed Noelle''s face. Indeed, ke would believe whatever Xenia said.


    A secondter, the curtains beside Noelle were forcefully drawn back. She nced up, looking particrly pallid with her charred lips and sicklyplexion. "Noelle, you-"


    The moment ke saw her, he held his tongue back.

 Chapter 4

    Noelle hung her head low and began hacking violently. Her thin back was hunched as though she might cough up her lungs.


    "Don''t think that I won''t teach you a lesson just because you''re pretending to be sick!" ke snapped. "You were supposed to look after Xenia at school, fetching her water and food. Yet you dared to have her serve you instead! "Not only were you ungrateful, but you even intentionally tripped her. Do you even have any conscience?"


    Holding back a cough, Noelle managed to say, "I didn''t push her. She fell on her "


    "Are you trying to say that she fell because she lost her bnce? Do you think I''d believe such a poor excuse? Are you going to admit that you did it on purpose?"


    Noelle''s eyes stung as she straightened her back. "I''m not."


    The p hit her like a sudden gust of wind, sending a wave of unbearable pain through her cheek. But the pain she felt was nothingpared to the ache in her heart. It hurt so bad that she felt numb from the agony. "ke, why did you hit her?" Frank strode in and dragged ke aside, who was still seething.


    "She did something so malicious and still refuses to admit it. I don''t have such a ruthless and unrepentant sister!"


    Standing at the door, Xenia looked pitiable with her bandaged hand. Her eyes reddened as she began, "ke, I said it was my fault. It has nothing to do with Noelle."


    "Xenia, you''re just too kind. I have to teach Noelle a lesson today so she doesn''t go down the wrong path!"


    As ke raised his hand again, Cedric suddenly rose to his feet. The screech of his chair against the floor reverberated across the room.


    Noelle nced at him. Looking impassive, Cedric leaned against his desk and asked, "Are you Ms. Liddell''s family?"


    Frank nodded. "Yes. We''re her brothers."


    "She has a fever of a temperature of 103¡ãF, and I suspect that she has an infection. She has to undergo further checkups. She also has hypoglycemia and is slightly malnourished!"


    "I-Is she really sick?" ke sputtered, visibly stunned. He thought she''d been faking her illness to avoid taking responsibility.


    "Then you might want to check your eyesight," Cedric suggested calmly. "It''s so obvious, yet you can''t tell."


    Noelle''s paleplexion was a telltale sign of her sickness. How could they not see it?


    "What are you implying?" ke gritted out.


    "Nothing. I''m being very clear," Cedric replied coldly, frowning. "Although she''s your adopted sister, it''s your responsibility to care for her since you took her in."


    Realizing that Cedric had assumed that she was the Liddell brothers'' adopted sister, Noelle sneered.


    "She''s our biological sister. She''s not adopted," Frank quickly said.


    "That''s quite hard to tell," Cedric quipped, raising an eyebrow. "If you hadn''t said she was your sister, I was about to report to the police that someone here is abusing a minor." ke''s gaze fell on Noelle''s swollen, red cheek.


    "What do you know?" he snapped. "I''m teaching her a lesson!"


    Frank fell silent. He had thought that Noelle was healthy, unlike Xenia, who might get sick from falling into the pool.


    Sneering at Cedric, ke continued, "You''ve no idea how often Noelle likes to avoid responsibility by faking illness. This time, she even made Xenia fall on purpose.


    "Xenia''s father died saving her. Sometimes, I truly want to cut open her heart to see if she has any conscience!"


    Noelle''s throat burned with pain. She wanted to exin but ultimately said nothing. Even if she did, they wouldn''t believe her anyway.


    Xenia bit her lip. "This is all my fault. I shouldn''t have been so clumsy and tried to force myself to bring food to Noelle."


    "It''s indeed your fault," Cedric concurred. "Since you''re sick and on an IV drip, you shouldn''t be in ss. You were clearly aware that you shouldn''t overwhelm yourself while you''re sick, but you still chose to cause trouble. Stop acting like being weak gives you reason." Noelle widened her eyes in disbelief as she stared at Cedric. She couldn''t believe that he was defending her. She wondered if he believed her side of the story.


    Her eyes reddened. Even a stranger could see the truth, but her brothers didn''t understand. Or perhaps they understood but chose to side with Xenia instead.


    Xenia froze. She gritted her teeth, wondering what was up with the school doctor. Didn''t he see how she tried to help Noelle despite being sick? Why didn''t her kindness move him? Why did he defend Noelle instead?


    She felt that something was wrong as this trick of hers had always worked. Rendered speechless while feeling aggrieved, Xenia hung her head low.


    ke immediately spoke up for her. "Xenia is at ss while sick because the entrance exam is only 100 days away. She can''t afford to miss sses. She wanted to improve her rtionship with Noelle, but unfortunately, thetter didn''t appreciate it." Noelle found it absurd. ke had reminded her to take good care of Xenia this morning, yet it didn''t cross his mind that such things would also affect her studies.


    He knew that the entrance exam was less than 100 days, but Xenia''s grades mattered more than hers.


    "ke, take Xenia back home to rest," Frank ordered.


    "Frank!"


    "Are you defying me now?"


    ke fell silent and left with Xenia.


    Silence enveloped the infirmary again.


    "Noelle, it''s fine if you don''t want to take care of Xenia anymore, but you shouldn''t do such things in the future again."


    Noelle kept her head down. Her throat was throbbing in pain, and she didn''t want to say anything more. She pulled the nket over her head, wanting to be left alone. She didn''t want to see her brother.


    "If you keep up with this nonsense, even I can''t cover for you anymore," Frank warned, his tone tinged with irritation.


    He pulled back her nket. "Come with me. We need to talk!"


    He had to talk to Noelle. Xenia couldn''t afford to suffer anymore.


    Cedric pressed down on Frank''s arm and red at him. "She can only leave once this IV bag is finished. Family members shall wait outside."


    The cold and unyielding look in his eyes made it difficult for Frank to refuse.


    ncing up in surprise, Noelle realized how tall Cedric seemed in front of her brother. She noticed a red, ugly scar on his wrist, which stood out clearly.


    She also had a simr scar on her legs from a car ident when she was younger. She wondered if he had also been in a car ident.


    But Frank was unwavering. "I''m her brother, and I''ll take her back. We have a doctor back home."


    "In this case, why did you let her suffer a fever for so long?"


    Noting Noelle''s pale face, Frank replied diffidently, "She didn''t tell anyone she was sick." He had tried to touch her forehead earlier, but she had avoided him. Thus, he didn''t think he should be med for that. Perhaps she was deliberately exacerbating her condition to avoid responsibility.


    "Mr. Liddell, I''ll call the police for child abuse if you insist on taking her," Cedric said, sounding displeased. "ording to thew, the child can apply for personal safety protection if they are subjected to domestic violence." "I''m her biological brother. I''m her guardian!"


    "But I saw you hit her earlier. There''s surveince footage as evidence. I''m sure the police will make a fair judgment."


    Cedric was calm andposed yet unwavering. "She doesn''t want to go with you right now. You have no right to force her."


    Noelle''s heart skipped a beat. She stole a nce at the man who stood in front of her.

 Chapter 5

    The infirmary was silent.


    Noelle opened her mouth to speak but ultimately said nothing. Words seemed powerless at this moment. She had exined herself countless times before, but her brothers never believed her.


    Frank swallowed hard and eventually released his hand. Looking disappointed, he nced at Noelle and said, "If you keep being stubborn, I won''t be able to defend you once Donovan returns. Think about it."


    As soon as he left, Noelle breathed a sigh of relief and leaned back against the headboard. A hint of self-deprecation crossed her eyes as she wondered what she should think about.


    Should she bend the knee and tiptoe around them like in her past life, only to end up being driven out of the family and dying a miserable death after being locked in a mental hospital?


    She wouldn''t do that again.


    "Here."


    A coldpress wrapped in gauze appeared before her.


    Noelle took it and pressed it against her swollen cheek. ncing at the man beside her, she whispered, "Thanks for what you did earlier."


    "Why didn''t you defend yourself?" Cedric asked icily.


    A wry smile crossed Noelle''s face as she lowered her head and said, "Believe it or not, but I''ve exined countless times in the past and even showed them the evidence. However, they never believed me. They just thought I was lying." The room fell into a brief silence.


    Noelle had no intention of exining further, as most people who heard her story thought she was simply being disobedient.


    "It''s hard not to believe you."


    Noelle''s heart skipped a beat. She questioned if he really believed what she said.


    Cedric stepped forward and felt her forehead. "The fever''s gone down."


    Amidst her daze, Noelle realized how cool and soothing his hand was. She felt much better now. She nced at his wrist and asked, "Did you get that scar from a car ident?"


    Cedric froze before quickly withdrawing his hand. After a brief silence, he removed the empty IV bag and replied, "Yes. It was from a car ident." He propped his hand against the table, keeping his back to her. His expression was indiscernible against the light. "I have one on my leg, too," Noelle said, pulling up her skirt slightly. "Here. Doesn''t it look simr to yours?"


    Cedric turned around. Her toned thigh came into view, the scar standing out starkly against her skin. But her skirt was pulled a little too high. He nced once and swerved around. "Don''t lift your skirt in front of men."


    "But you''re a doctor."


    Cedric''s throat tightened. He was a man as well. Had no one taught her this?


    "This scar can be treated," he said. "Why haven''t you done it?"


    Noelle''s face fell as pain gripped her heart. Her third brother, Carl, said that this scar represented her parents. He promised to personally help her remove it one day when he had time.


    She believed him.


    But in the end, he looked at the scar disgustedly, saying that he hated it and would never treat it. He med her for their parents'' death and told her that the scar was the mark of her bringing doom upon them. He said that she should remember it for the rest of her life. She was devastated back then, believing that she was indeed responsible for her parents'' death. She became even more servile to please her brothers.


    Recalling the past knocked the wind out of Noelle. She couldn''t tell Cedric that now, so she deflected, "How about you? Why haven''t you treated yours?"


    "I''m a man. It doesn''t matter. But for a woman, it''s better to get it treated."


    Noelle forced a smile. "Maybeter."


    Seeing her lower her head, Cedric said nothing further and sat nearby.


    He turned on the television, and Noelle noticed that the screen showed a gaming live stream. To her surprise, her sixth brother, Lucas, was currentlypeting.


    Lucas had skipped Xenia''s banquet for thispetition, but he had ultimately lost to the youngest son of the Greene family in Beville.


    In her past life, Noelle remembered how Lucas'' opponents had relentlessly mocked him after he lost. He was so enraged that he recruited her and his brothers into his team when he returned.


    Although they failed the qualifiers, they made aeback in the repechage. They eventually made their way to the finals, only to face the Greene family''s team again.


    Back then, Noelle spent countless hours training and analyzing the Greene team''s strategies just to beat them.


    Xenia wasn''t in the lineup because her gaming skills were poor. She could only be a substitute and couldn''t make it onto the main team.


    Noelle loved ying alongside her brothers. She relished the bliss of having no one else to interrupt them as a family. She was so entranced by thepetition that she even neglected her college entrance exam preparations.


    But just as they won a critical round and the championship was within reach, the Liddell brothers made Noelle step down and had Xenia take her ce.


    Ultimately, they won the national championship. Her brothers stood on the podium with Xenia, basking in the glory of her efforts. Xenia held the trophy that should''ve been hers, smiling happily in the center of the group.


    Noelle felt her heart shatter into pieces as she watched the game on the television. It seemed as though the hole in her heart could never be mended.


    "Why are you crying? This isn''t some soap opera worth getting emotional over."


    Jolted out of her reveries, she wiped her tears from her face. Her emotions had overwhelmed her as she recalled her past.


    A tissue held between two slender fingers appeared before her.


    Embarrassed, Noelle took the tissue and turned to Cedric shyly, "Do you y this game?"


    "You should prioritize your college entrance exam preparations, not the game." Cedric slouched back in his chair, paying no attention to her. He was focused on thepetition.


    Noelle also turned to the screen and said solemnly, "Team Luminark will lose."


    It was Lucas'' team.


    A smirk yed on Cedric''s lips as he said nonchntly, "You''ve got a good eye."


    As she expected, Team Luminark lost.


    Noelle saw how furious Lucas looked on screen. In a fit of rage, he even smashed his keyboard. His temper was as terrible as always.


    Seeing him lose made her feel a twinge of satisfaction.


    Once Lucas returned, he would surely reorganize his team. Nevertheless, she wouldn''tpete for the Liddell family anymore.


    She would fight for herself and be a professional yer, earning enough money to go to college and support herself. She no longer wanted her living expenses to be cut off at a whim to coerce her intopliance, nor did she want to give up on applying to prestigious universities and end up attending amunity college with Xenia instead. Financial independence was the only way for Noelle to escape the Liddell family''s control.


    Professional gamers didn''t have muchmercial value now, but by the following year, livestreaming would go viral. They could earn money through live streams.


    With her gaming experience from her past life, it was the quickest and easiest way for her to make money.


    She silently steeled her resolve.


    After the live stream ended, Cedric nced back at her and removed her IV needle. He pressed a cotton swab on the back of her hand and said, "Your medicine is on the table. You can leave after you take it."


    "Thank you!" Noelle said, grabbing her medicine and leaving the infirmary.


    As soon as she left, a young man sauntered in and began to yfully say, "Ced, it''s rare to see you ying hero. But that woman doesn''t have a great reputation at school. They''re roasting her on the forum. Don''t let her fool you." Leaning back against his chair, Cedric looked less aloof. He seemed to ease up as he asked, "Why are you still here?"


    "I''m curious as to why you chose this high school to work as a doctor. You even skipped Magnus''petition. He was so distracted looking for you that he nearly got blindsided by the Liddell kid. Tell me why, and I''ll leave right away." Cedric removed his mask and rolled up his sleeves, revealing a hideous scar.


    Alfred Parham''s expression darkened. "Have you not let it go yet? It''s been ages. That car ident has nothing to do with you!


    "Wait, don''t tell me that this woman is-"


    "Shut up."


    Closing his eyes to rest, Cedric ignored him.

 Chapter 6

    Noelle hailed a cab back to the Liddell residence. As she entered the grand foyer, she could hear Xenia''s voice. The Liddells sounded like they were having a great time. However, the lively atmosphere froze when she appeared, and tension settled as if Noelle was an unwee guest. Noelle kept a straight face, intending to head straight to her room.


    Just then, ke shouted, "Noelle, stop right there! Is that how you''re supposed to behave? Aren''t you even going to greet us?"


    His tone grew harsher as he continued, "Don''t think just because some school doctor is backing you up, you can run around threatening to call the cops and think you''re untouchable! Without the Liddell family, you''re nothing!" ke stood up, his anger escting. "Do you think we favor Xenia? Look at all the horrible things you''ve done to her! Her father saved your life, and we''re just helping you repay that debt!"


    Noelle felt emotionally drained. She paused and turned toward the living room, saying tly, "Frank, ke, I''m home."


    She hoped this would suffice.


    "Dinner''s ready," Frank announced.


    "You all go ahead. I''m not hungry," Noelle replied before heading upstairs.


    "Frank, look at her attitude! She''spletely out of control!" ke eximed.


    Xenia sweetly chimed in, saying, "ke, please don''t be angry at her. It''s all my fault. Maybe if I left the Liddell family, Noelle wouldn''t be so resentful."


    "Don''t be silly. If anyone''s leaving, it''s Noelle. Why should you go?" ke retorted.


    Noelle heard the conversation as she climbed the stairs. She quickened her pace to her room, immediately locking the door behind her. She leaned against it, taking several moments topose herself as her eyes welled up with tears. She looked up at the ceiling, forcing the tears back. This time, she promised herself she would not waste any more energy on this superficial family bond.


    The next day, Noelle went to school as usual and shared a car with Xenia. Thetter asked, "Noelle, are you still angry?"


    "Xenia, don''t you always tire of putting on an act?" Noelle closed her eyes and leaned back, ignoring her further.


    Xenia''s expression darkened, but with the driver present, she quickly adopted her usual pitiful look and shed him a sweet smile. The driver instantly concluded that Noelle was being mean to Xenia and made a mental note to report it to Frankter. At school, Noelle focused intently on her sses and note-taking, trying to catch up on everything she had missed. She ignored Xenia''s followers or supporters who whispered around her.


    After all, she had more important things to focus on and no time to waste on petty games.


    ...


    That evening, when she returned home, she found Lucas sitting on the couch with a sour expression.


    Xenia bounced to him cheerfully and chirped, "Lucas, you''re back! I''ve missed you so much while you were away!"


    Lucas'' foul mood visibly improved after Xenia''s sweet antics. Meanwhile, Noelle merely nced at their interaction before heading upstairs.


    Lucas called out, "Noelle, ke says you''ve be increasingly rebellious. I didn''t believe it initially, but now you won''t even greet me?"


    Noelle sighed wearily. There went Lucas again. To avoid wasting time, she turned and obediently said, "Hello, Lucas."


    "That''s better," he replied. "By the way, I''m rebuilding the team. Frank and ke have already agreed. You''re joining, too."


    Noelle gripped her bag tightly, remembering how this exact scenario had yed out in her previous life. Back then, she had eagerly agreed to please Lucas and gain her brothers'' attention, training relentlessly until it affected her college entrance exams. And what had it gotten her?


    Lucas had said, "Noelle, you''ve proven yourself. Now, let''s give Xenia a chance to experience being a champion."


    He even insisted, "Noelle, I''m the team captain. When I say we''re switching yers, we''re switching yers."


    In her previous life, Noelle had been humiliatingly reced by Xenia. Without her intense dedication, the team would never have made it to the finals, yet they had benched her at the crucial moment.


    Ultimately, they handed her hard-earned championship glory to Xenia on a silver tter. What had all her effort meant? This time, she absolutely refused to repeat that mistake.


    Noelle''s gaze was firm as she replied, "Lucas, I want to focus on my college prep. I can''t afford to be distracted by gaming right now."


    She had directly refused Lucas'' suggestion, or more urately, hismand. His words were not a request for her input; they simply told her what she would do.


    "Noelle, did I hear that right? You''re actually refusing my invitation?" Lucas scowled.


    He had not even considered the possibility of her declining. For years, Noelle had followed his every word without question.


    "If it''s truly an invitation, then I have the right to decline," Noelle responded tly, maintaining eye contact as she watched his expression darken with embarrassment. Yet, none of this bothered her anymore.


    "Noelle, you had better think carefully before answering," Lucas snapped. "Don''t be stubborn. Otherwise, you''ll cry and beg me for another chance when I won''t give you one!"


    He had heard from ke about recent events, including how Noelle had given away his championship trophy to Xenia as an apology. It was the very trophy he had won in his first year as a pro yer, which was immensely meaningful to him. Xenia gently tugged at Lucas'' sleeve and said, "Don''t be mad. Joining your team is my dream. I''m sure Noelle wille around."


    Her words only fuelled Lucas'' anger further, as he felt increasingly disrespected by Noelle''s refusal. He red at Noelle and warned, "Noelle, this is a one-time offer. Think carefully-will yu be joining the family team?"


    Noelle found it amusing as she realized that Lucas was all bark and no bite, wholly wrapped around Xenia''s finger.


    "Noelle, just agree quickly," Xenia urged with feigned concern. "Don''t upset Lucas."


    "Xenia, since it''s your dream to join the team, you can have my spot," Noelle replied before heading to her room.


    Upstairs, Noelle pulled out her books and dove into her homework. She had fallen behind on too much material and could not waste another second.


    Later, a housekeeper knocked on her door. "Ms. Liddell, dinner is ready."


    "Please bring it up to my room," Noelle requested.


    "But Mr. Frank and the others are waiting for you in the dining room."


    It was obvious that they refused to allow her to eat alone in her room. Noelle gripped her pen tightly, recognizing that she was still under the Liddell family''s control and would have to y along for now.


    With that, she made her way to the dining room. Frank, ke, Lucas, and Xenia were already seated at the long dining table. Noelle silently took the farthest seat, grabbed a te, and ate without saying a single word.


    The room was ufortably quiet until Xenia''s softughter filled the space, breaking the tension. Soon, the others joined in, and the atmosphere eased.


    Lucas nced at Noelle before announcing loudly, "Xenia, we''ll personally coach you inpetitive gaming after dinner. Someone as clever as you will pick it up quickly-probably better than certain others!" Xenia''s eyes lit up with excitement. "Lucas, I''ll work hard! I won''t let you down!"


    Noelle remained unfazed by their exchange, thinking it was a great idea to let Xenia join. Lucas would lose hisst chance in thepetition when they lost in the repechage. Unlike before, Noelle did not sulk or show any reaction simply because she no longer cared. After quietly finishing her te of food, she stood and politely addressed the group, "I''m done. Please enjoy the rest of your meal."


    She knew skipping this courtesy would only invite another lecture.


    Frank looked up, surprised by Noelle''s calm demeanor instead of her usual jealous outbursts. His voice softened as he offered, "Noelle, are you sure you won''t join the family team? With your natural talent and all of us working together, we could win the championship!" He was clearly offering her a chance to change her mind.

 Chapter 7

    The phrase "family" sounded absurd to Noelle. In her previous life, she had believed in that concept, too. However, she learned what "family" truly meant to them when Xenia reced her right before winning the championship. "I won''t be joining the team," Noelle replied firmly. "I need to focus on my studies and prepare for my exams."


    Lucas sneered. "That''s funny. You weren''t so concerned about studying when you begged me to teach you gaming and stayed upte to train, desperate to be on the team. What changed?"


    Noelle''s heart ached slightly at his words. She had only pursued gaming with Lucas so they could have something inmon so she could bond with him. However, it was not necessary anymore.


    "ying games affected my grades," Noelle exined calmly. "My test scores dropped significantlyst month, so I''d rather not continue."


    Lucas was momentarily speechless before retorting, "Fine. Suit yourself! When the tournaments start, everyone will see Xenia representing the Liddell family. They''ll know she''s the real family member." He refused to care anymore since Noelle was ungrateful.


    "That works for me," she replied before leaving the dining room. Once back in her room, sheposed herself and focused on catching up with her studies.


    ...


    The next day after school, Noelle and Xenia approached the front gates where their driver, Aiden Monroe, was waiting. Xenia said, "Oh, right. I have to head to the training center today. Aiden will take me there first." Aiden''s expression was stern as he said, "Ms. Liddell, Mr. Lucas called and instructed me to take Ms. Quigley to train first. We can''t bete."


    "I''ll get my own ride home," Noelle replied indifferently.


    As Xenia got into the car, she called out with barely concealed excitement, "Noelle, I''ll talk to Lucas about thister."


    Noelle simply walked away without acknowledging her. Watching Noelle''s retreating figure, Xenia bit her lip in anger.


    She muttered, "Just wait, Noelle. One day, I''ll take everything from you. You owe me that much!"


    Standing at the curb, Noelle realized she did not want to return to the Liddell residence. She figured that she could perhaps find a study room nearby instead.


    "Hey, kiddo. Why are you hanging around here after school?"


    Just then, a deep voice interrupted her thoughts. Noelle turned to see a handsome man and took a moment to recognize him. It was Cedric.


    She was used to seeing him in ab coat and mask, and he was almost unrecognizable when he dressed casually.


    "Well?" Cedric pressed when she did not respond.


    "I don''t want to go home yet. I was looking for a ce to study," she exined.


    "Come with me," he said simply.


    Noelle hesitated before following him to the school infirmary. She stood at the door and asked, "Why here? I''m not sick anymore."


    Cedric gestured to a desk. "It''s quieter than any study room. Safer, too." After considering his reasoning, Noelle agreed.


    "Thanks for letting me stay," she said, taking out her books and settling down to work. Cedric nced at her before heading to the examination room. He closed the door behind him.


    When Noelle finally looked up, she realized howte it had gotten. Then, she noticed a namete with Cedric''s photo on the desk.


    "So, his name is Cedric Greene," she thought.


    "Are you done snooping?" Cedric''s voice made her jump.


    Noelle blushed, quickly putting the namete back. "I wasn''t snooping; I just happened to see it."


    "Finished with your homework?"


    "Most of it. I''ll ask my teachers about the parts I don''t understand tomorrow."


    Cedric picked up her notebook. "You can''t solve these basic problems?"


    Feeling slightly discouraged, Noelle looked down at her book. "I wasn''t a good student before. I was distracted by other things."


    "Listen up because I''m only exining this once," Cedric said as he grabbed a pen and began working through the problems on scratch paper.


    Noelle froze, looking at the man before her. Complicated emotions swelled within her. Because of Xenia, she had no friends, and even teachers seemed to dislike her. No one had ever voluntarily helped her with schoolwork before.


    Cedric nced at her and remarked, "With that attention span, you must be daydreaming through all your sses!"


    Snapping out of her thoughts, Noelle quickly apologized, "I''m sorry. I''ll pay attention."


    Seeing her obedient response, Cedric paused briefly before patiently continuing his exnation. The warm evening light cast a gentle glow around them as she sat at the desk while he stood beside her with one hand on the table. He diligently demonstrated the problem- solving process. "Your thinking is very linear. Can''t you connect the dots? This uses the same method as thest question," he critiqued.


    "How did you miss such an obvious misdirection? What''s the point of having eyes if you''re not using them?


    "Have you ever tested your IQ? Are you sure you passed? Redo this question!"


    His tone was calm, but his words were sharp and unrelenting, cutting straight to the core. Fortunately, Noelle had already braced herself for Cedric''s personality.


    She might have cracked under pressure if she had not known who he was. Nevertheless, she persevered through his harsh teaching style.


    As she packed up herpleted work, she said, "Thank you, Dr. Greene. You''re amazing for remembering all of this."


    Cedric twirled his pen, studying her. "Can''t your guardians hire tutors for you?"


    "I don''t want to owe them anything," Noelle replied quietly. She knew that she could not afford tutoring and refused to ask the Liddells for help.


    Cedric''s eyes lingered on her delicate profile. He observed how hershes lowered, masking her emotions.


    "Dr. Greene," she said hesitantly, looking up. "Could Ie to you with questions in the future?"


    He turned his head slightly, and his voice sounded slightly strained as he said, "No. I''m busy."


    Noelle was not upset by his blunt rejection and simply continued tidying up her things. Cedric tapped the desk a momentter and added, "Well, it depends on my mood." "Thank you!" Noelle smiled brightly before running off without waiting for his response.


    Cedric narrowed his eyes at her retreating figure, azy smirk tugging at his lips. Well, it would at least help pass the time.


    ...


    When Noelle arrived home that night, the Liddell family butler, Gordon Sloane, informed her, "Ms. Liddell, the others are having dinner out tonight."


    "Okay," she replied simply before heading to enjoy a rare peaceful dinner alone.


    She checked her phone and saw Xenia''s social media post that read, "Having an amazing dinner with my brothers!"


    The photo showed her brothers smiling adoringly at the camera. Noelle barely nced at it before closing the app and continuing her meal.


    The next morning at breakfast, only Xenia was present when Noelle arrived. Xenia boasted smugly, "I made so much progress at team practice yesterday."


    Noelle ate silently, ignoring Xenia''s attempts to provoke her. Yet, Xenia remained cheerful, assuming Noelle''s calm exterior masked her inner rage.


    After quickly finishing her breakfast, Noelle headed for the door. However, Aiden, who was standing nearby, firmly said, "Ms. Quigley isn''t ready yet. We need to wait for her."


    Noelle got into the car and waited for over ten minutes, growing increasingly irritated. ncing at the time, she snapped, "If she doesn''te soon, we''re going to bete!"


    Her patience with the Liddell family was wearing thin.


    Just as she opened the car door to leave, ke emerged from the house. He snapped, "Would it kill you to wait a few minutes for Xenia? Her father saved your life and didn''t abandon you, yet you can''t even show her this basic courtesy." Noelle''s hand gripped the door handle tightly, her knuckles turning white.

 Chapter 8

    Just as Noelle was about to lose her temper, Xenia finally appeared. While running toward them, she called out, "I''m so sorry! I was discussing tournament strategies with the others and lost track of time." "That''s fine," ke replied calmly. "At least you''re contributing to the family, unlike certain ungrateful people."


    Aiden smiled warmly at Xenia. "Don''t worry. I''ll drive faster to make up for it."


    Despite his efforts, they still arrivedte to school, where their homeroom teacher, Lionel Kramer, caught them at the ssroom door. Xenia, breathing heavily, immediately spoke up. "I''m so sorry. It''s my fault that we''rete. I even held Noelle up." Noelle remained silent, her face expressionless. Lionel nced at both women before saying kindly to Xenia, "I understand. There is no need to exin further. Go ahead inside."


    "Thank you," Xenia replied.


    As Noelle tried to follow Xenia into the ssroom, Lionel''s voice turned harsh. He scolded, "Noelle, stop holding Xenia back. Don''t let this happen again!"


    Noelle turned back. "Xenia just admitted that it was her fault we werete."


    "Enough! I know what you''re really like. Keep arguing, and you''ll spend ss standing in the hallway."


    Not wanting to miss any more lessons when she was already behind, Noelle entered the ssroom silently, her mood darkening. She wished she could take her exams sooner and finally escape all of this.


    A crowd gathered around Xenia during their lunch break as she shared stories about the professional gaming team. Everyone listened enviously.


    One of herckeys red at Noelle and mocked, "Someone is just jealous of Xenia and deliberately made herte."


    Xenia smiled faintly but did not bother correcting the person. Meanwhile, Noelle remained unfazed, resting her head on her desk and ignoring them all.


    After school, Xenia deliberately provoked Noelle again, saying, "I''m heading to training again today."


    Noelle simply packed her books and left the ssroom without saying a single word. Xenia''s face broke into a triumphant smile as she watched Noelle leave.


    She turned to her minions and said, "Do my homework like usual, okay? And make sure the teachers don''t notice."


    They all assured her. "Don''t worry about it. Train well and chase your dreams. We''ve got you covered."


    "Thanks! I''ll surely remember this!" Xenia left happily, determined to prove that she was the more worthy Liddell sister.


    ...


    Noelle headed straight to the infirmary, where Cedric sat with an amused expression. "Do you need something?"


    Noelle cleared her throat and replied, "I''m here to study. Please let me stay!"


    Without waiting for an answer, she barged in like she belonged there, hoping he would not kick her out. Cedric raised a brow, surprised by her confidence. He had expected her to be too timid to return. However, Cedric still did not hold back when Noelle asked him questions about her homework. "Can your brain retain any information at all? How many functioning brain cells do you have?


    "Stop asking about simple problems and figure those out yourself."


    Noelle epted his harsh words without argument, diligently taking notes. The room was quiet-until her stomach growled loudly.


    Her face turned red as she tried to hide her embarrassment. She had eaten a sandwich earlier, but it clearly was not enough.


    Cedric nced at the clock and ordered takeout. "Let''s eat first."


    As they sat together, Noelle noticed the scar on his wrist again. She could not help but ask, "When did you get in an ident? Was it bad?"


    Cedric silently arranged the takeout boxes on the desk. He looked at Noelle, his gaze unreadable as he replied, "Many years ago."


    Noelle muttered, "Me too. My parents died in the crash, leaving just me and my brothers."


    Her lips curled into a faint, self-deprecating smile as memories surfaced. Back then, they had struggled, but their bond as siblings had been unshakable. However, everything changed when Xenia came into the picture. "What are your ns now?" Cedric asked, gripping his spoon tightly.


    "I''m aiming for Yole University. I want to leave this city and start fresh," Noelle admitted.


    Cedric remarked, "Quite a big dream for someone with your grades. Getting into Yole University doesn''t seem realistic."


    "There''s still time," Noelle responded confidently. "I''ll work hard."


    Cedric studied her for a moment before averting his gaze. Then, he said, "Well, stop asking such basic questions from now on."


    Noelle smiled, taking this as permission to keeping back.


    Over the next few days, Noelle made the infirmary her after-school sanctuary, staying until she finished her homework. Meanwhile, Xenia began dozing off in ss, distracted by her gaming training.


    Naturally, the teachers did not seem to mind. They all favored Xenia and merely epted her excuse of not feeling well.


    Noelle noticed Xenia''s social media was flooded with photos from training and videos of her gaming with the brothers, their usernames matching in a coordinated style. The events yed out just like in her previous life, except this time without Noelle. Cedric caught her looking at the videos and teased, "cking off instead of studying?"


    Noelle shook her head. "No, I wasn''t. I was just watching. Studiese first now."


    He unexpectedly said, "If you make the top 100 in next week''s exams, you can y your games.


    Noelle looked up, grinning. "Will you y with me then?" She knew that he yed the same game.


    Cedric turned slightly. His profile was as striking as ever. "I haven''t yed in ages. Let''s see if you make the cut first."


    "It''s a deal!" Noelle watched him walk away, determined to rank among the top 100 in the exams.


    After all, Cedric seemed like a great yer. Since she had been an excellent yer in her previous life, she looked forward to potentially impressing Cedric in-game, reiming some of her lost pride.


    ...


    After finishing her work, Noelle headed home. However, her good mood faded when she found Frank waiting in the living room.


    Her heart sank. Lately, the brothers had been spending long hours training, rarely returning untilte at night. Thus, she could not help but wonder why he was home early.


    "Where have you been?" Frank demanded sternly.


    Noelle''s anxiety spiked. She could not let them know she had been studying at the infirmary. That was her sanctuary, and she refused to let them take it from her. So, she lowered her gaze and lied, "I was in the study room. The atmosphere there helps me to focus." "Give me your bag."


    Noelle handed it over, her heart pounding as he flipped through her notebooks. His brows furrowed as he examined her detailed notes and corrections.


    After a moment, he set the bag down, looking unconvinced. Gordon had reported Noelle''ste returns for the past few days, thinking she was up to something. Yet, she was actually out studying. Frank set the bag down and said, "Let''s talk, Noelle." "About what?" she asked. Her calm response puzzled Frank. He suddenly felt that she had changed so drastically, but he could not pinpoint precisely what had changed.


    Nheless, Frank knew that she was not the same girl that he used to know. The old Noelle would have been crying andining to their brothers by now, but now, she said nothing.


    And that unsettled him. It was as if he could no longer control Noelle as he did back then.


    Frank exined, "Xenia''s improving quickly at training. With your talent, you could progress just as well.


    "You could bnce it with studying. Wouldn''t it be nice to have the whole family together? Donovan would be happy to see us so united."


    Noelle looked down, her eyes filled with mockery. "I won''t join the team."


    "Noelle, Xenia''s family now, just like you. We need to stick together, not push her away. Her father saved your life. Do you really think it''s right to treat her like this?"


    Frank could not understand why Noelle would not take the opportunities he offered. Their kindness to Xenia was merely their way of repaying Noelle''s debt to her.


    The heavy silence in the room felt suffocating. Noelle''s hands clenched tightly as her patience finally snapped.


    She looked up to meet his gaze. Her voice wasced with icy sarcasm as she said, "So what do you want, Frank? Should I hand over my life to Xenia, too? Would that finally make you happy?"

 Chapter 9

    Noelle straightened her back, remembering when she first learned that Xenia''s father had saved her life. When Donovan brought Xenia home, she did not object and even treated her like a real sister.


    Yet, over time, she watched as Xenia slowly stole her brothers away from her. That realization was the turning point and the reason their rtionship had soured so much.


    "Noelle, listen to yourself!" Frank shouted. "Nobody''s asking for your life. We just want you to get along with Xenia! Is that really so hard? How long are you going to keep up this attitude?" "I''m not being difficult," Noelle muttered.


    When she heard Frank speak, all the questions and anger that had built up in her heart suddenly seemed pointless. She had tried exining herself in her past life, but it did not help. Hence, she refused to let her brothers'' opinions affect her emotions this time. Silently, she packed her textbooks into her bag and said softly, "If there''s nothing else, I''ll go to my room now."


    Frank sat on the couch, looking frustrated. "Noelle, if you agree to join the team now, we can forget everything you''ve done wrong."


    Noelle found his words amusing. In fact, she found everything she had done in her past life to be a joke. With that, she headed upstairs without looking back, her steps more determined than ever.


    Frank lit a cigarette, clearly irritated. Soon, Gordon approached cautiously and said, "Mr. Frank, if Ms. Liddell doesn''t want to join, it''s not the end of the world. At least Ms. Quigley is still here." Frank frowned. "It''s not the same."


    "Mr. Frank, if I may... Ms. Liddell hasn''t asked about any of you once when you''ve all been away these past few days. Her indifference is concerning."


    Frank immediately extinguished his cigarette and drove away from the mansion. Noelle watched him leave from her window, assuming that he was heading to the training camp.


    After showering, she reviewed her practice problems onest time. She was determined to escape this ce.


    ...


    Noelle had unknowingly stayed up until dawn. She hurriedly packed her bag, grabbed a sandwich from the kitchen, and rushed out.


    Frank was the first downstairs and caught a glimpse of her leaving. He frowned and asked, "Why is she up so early?"


    The housekeeper replied, "Ms. Liddell has been taking public transport since Monday. She waste for school before because Ms. Quigley was discussing team matters with you all. Since then, she has refused to use Aiden''s services."


    Frank''s expression grewplicated. Just then, ke came downstairs, questioning, "Seriously? She''s making such a big deal over almost beingte? Who''s she trying to impress?"


    Lucas yawned as he joined them. "Frank, Noelle''s just putting on a show to make you feel guilty. If you give in now, she''ll only get worse."


    Frank remained silent, feeling that Noelle deserved to learn her lesson. After all, they had given her chances, but she had thrown them all away.


    Xenia overheard their conversation, and her eyes gleamed with satisfaction before she cheerfully bounced downstairs. "Good morning, Frank, ke, and Lucas! Let''s have breakfast together!"


    Frank''s mood lifted at Xenia''s cheery demeanor. He was relieved that at least one sister was turning out right.


    ...


    After her all-nighter, Noelle struggled to stay awake at school. Nevertheless, she remained focused in ss and was determined not to miss any important points.


    During the lesson, the teacher called on Xenia to answer a question, but she stumbled through her response without sess. The teacher sighed and said, "Xenia, you''ve been quite distractedtely. If you don''t catch up, you''ll have trouble answering your paperster." Xenia''s face reddened. "I''m sorry. It won''t happen again."


    One of her minions quickly jumped in, saying, "Miss, Noelle''s been studying hardtely. She probably knows the answer!"


    All eyes turned to Noelle. Most people in the room expected her to fail since her grades were usually worse than Xenia''s. However, Noelle stood and answered the question confidently.


    The teacher looked pleasantly surprised. "That''s correct! Noelle''s been putting in a lot of efforttely. Everyone should follow her example and stay focused."


    Xenia red at Noelle from the corner of her eye, furious that gaming practice had cost her this moment. She could not believe that Noelle had stolen her spotlight. She would have to catch up quickly. Meanwhile, Noelle felt a small surge of happiness after receiving such praise.


    ...


    After school, Noelle headed straight home instead of going to the infirmary, not wanting to risk Frank discovering her routine. As expected, Gordon kept watching her closely, making her ufortable. After dinner, she retreated to her room and locked the door, finally able to rx. While working on her homework, her hand hovered over her phone hesitantly.


    She wondered if she should inform Cedric that she would not be at the infirmary that day. Then again, it was not like he was expecting her. She was always the one who insisted on going there.


    Still undecided about texting him, Noelle set her phone aside and thought she would just tell himter. She soon found herself nodding off from exhaustion as she started her homework.


    The next morning, her rm jolted her awake. Seeing the time, she rushed to get ready. She quickly grabbed her books and ran out the door.


    During lunch, she decided to visit the infirmary. When she did not see Cedric there, she gathered her courage and asked the doctor on duty, "Is Dr. Greene in today?"


    "He''s on his lunch break," the doctor replied.


    Nodding, Noelle nned to visit again after school.


    She returned to the infirmary that afternoon, but Cedric still was not there. The same doctor looked at her and said, "I''m on shift today. You should focus on your studies instead of distractions like these. You''re too young for this kind of thing." Noelle blushed furiously but did not bother exining. Over the next few days, she kept checking the infirmary, but Cedric was never there. She felt surprisingly lost without their routine, as she had gotten used to him being there and waiting for her. Then, the realization hit her-she was growing dependent on him. She quickly shook off the feeling, knowing that she could not rely on anyone. This time around, she had to stand on her own.


    With that in mind, she threw herself into her studies. She poured all her attention into the uing monthly exam, as failure was not an option.


    ...


    After the exams, Noelle felt confident could rank in the top 100. While other studentsined about the difficulty, she pulled out her phone to message Cedric but struggled with what to say. After all, they were not really that close. Frustrated, Noelle shut off her phone and stuffed it into her bag.


    When she arrived home in good spirits, she found the living room unusually lively. Her brothers had returned and were not at the training camp for once.


    As soon as she stepped inside, the cheerful atmosphere shifted. The room grew quieter, and the lively conversation dulled. She felt like an unwee intruder, disrupting the happy family scene between her brothers and Xenia.

 Chapter 10

    Noelle stopped in her tracks and greeted the Liddell brothers politely but distantly. She said, "Frank, ke, Lucas."


    She knew skipping the greeting would only lead to more usations about her attitude, and she did not have the energy for their drama.


    "How was the exam today?" Lucas asked, his eyebrow raised. "Since you chose your studies over joining the team, let''s see just how well you did!"


    His taunts did not bother Noelle anymore. After all, her brothers would always find reasons to criticize her, no matter what.


    "I''ll do my best," she replied simply, knowing that she was definitely doing her best to get into Yole University and away from all of them.


    "Noelle''s never been academic material," ke scoffed. "She barely scraped by Grades 10 and 11. Thisst-minute studying is just for show. She''ll still rank below Xenia!"


    Smiling sweetly, Xenia chimed in, "ke, don''t say that. Noelle''s been working really hardtely, and even the teachers praise her. Besides, rankings aren''t everything."


    Noelle gripped her bag tightly, rage building inside her. In her previous life, her poor grades had been deliberate. Whenever she outscored Xenia, thetter would cause problems that turned her brothers against her. She intentionally performed poorly to avoid their disapproval, but that did not mean that she was incapable.


    During her previous college entrance exams, she had tried to outperform Xenia to prove herself. Nevertheless, despite qualifying for better ones, Donovan had forced her to apply to the same mediocre college as Xenia. Determined not to repeat her mistakes, Noelle suppressed her anger and stated coldly, "I''m going to my room."


    ...


    The next day, Noelle slept in as it was a Saturday. When she finally went downstairs for breakfast, the house was quiet. She figured that the others had probably left for training camp. Unbothered, she ate quickly and returned to her room. Then, she checked her phone for gaming tournament news.


    As expected, the official page had announced a repechage round, just like in her previous life. Last time, Lucas was fired up about the repechage, seeing it as his chance to get revenge against Magnus Greene in the finals. Team Luminark had won the championship in herst life, but it had been a stroke of luck. Magnus mysteriously withdrew at the crucial moment, allowing her brothers'' team to snatch the victory.


    Even until her death, Noelle had never figured out why Magnus had dropped out. Some imed illness, and others spected that it was because of family business obligations. However, Magnus never rified. Noelle felt an itch to join the action as she read the report. However, Cedric''s voice echoed in her mind. They had agreed to wait for her exam results.


    Sighing, she decided to hold off. She only needed to hang on just a little longer.


    After much deliberation, she finally texted Cedric. "Sir, I couldn''te to the infirmaryst week because Frank noticed I wasn''ting home on time. I was worried he''d discover my secret study spot." After hitting send, she stared at the screen, awaiting a response that never came. Frustrated, she clicked on Cedric''s profile and opened his feed, finding nothing.


    Meanwhile, Cedric nced at the message on his phone, his eyes narrowing slightly.


    "Ced, who''s texting you?" someone asked.


    Cedric simply locked his screen.


    Alfred raised an eyebrow at Cedric''s phone. "Judging by the profile picture... It''s a girl, huh? Must be that Noelle you helped the other day, right?"


    "You talk too much," Cedric stated.


    "You''re just being defensive! You''ve been spending all your time at the infirmaryst week and then suddenly stopped. Plus, you''ve been walking around with a grump expression. Did you two have a fight?" Cedric shot Alfred a warning look. "Stay out of my business."


    "Come on. We grew up together! I know everything about you, so stop pretending," Alfred teased.


    Cedric moved to the balcony with his phone and looked at her message again. The thought of her considering the infirmary her "secret spot" made him smile.


    Then, he scrolled through her social media, noting that it was full of typical teenage posts and daily life updates. Catching himself lingering too long on her profile, he felt slightly uneasy.


    Cedric quicklyposed himself and closed the app. After that, he headed back inside.


    Meanwhile, Noelle waited all day for his response. She wondered if he was angry, yet she dared not send another message, deciding to wait until Monday''s test results.


    Noelle spent the weekend studying at home while Xenia and her brothers remained at the training camp.


    ...


    Monday morning, Noelle found Xenia and her brothers chatting andughing together downstairs. Their bond was clearly stronger than ever.


    Noelle was unfazed. She said nothing and headed straight to the kitchen to grab a bite.


    "Resultse out today, right?" Lucas asked mockingly.


    Noelle nodded. "Yes."


    Lucas continued, "I told you to join the team. With your grades, you won''t get into any good schools anyway.


    "Instead of wasting time studying, you could''ve trained to go pro. The Liddell family''s resources would''ve made you famous. Too bad you threw away that chance, and now it''s Xenia''s."


    Remembering the humiliation of being reced in her previous life, Noelle responded calmly, "I don''t mind."


    After grabbing breakfast, she left the living room. Lucas fumed at her indifference. "I can''t wait to see these ''great'' test scores of hers!"


    Xenia secretly felt relieved that Noelle had not joined the team. After all, she knew about Noelle''s natural talent for gaming and worried about losing her position.


    Still, she smiled sweetly and said, "Lucas, don''t be angry. She''s just being stubborn. I''ll give her my spot when she agrees to join."


    "You''re always so thoughtful!" Lucas beamed.


    Yet, his reply made Xenia''s smile falter. She had trained relentlessly to earn Lucas'' approval, but he still seemed to prefer Noelle.


    Xenia silently vowed to prove herself through the uingpetition. She would secure victory and make Lucas give up on bringing Noelle onto the team.


    On the other hand, Lucas was growing anxious about the uing repechage tournament-losing meant no second chances. Despite Xenia''s dedication, her gaming skills were not developing fast enough, especially since they had only a month left. To beat Magnus, they needed someone talented. Noelle was their only option, but his pride stopped him from asking for her help.


    For years, she had orbited around him and was eager to seek his approval. He had grown toofortable with their dynamic, and the sudden change felt unnatural.


    He wondered how long Noelle would keep up with this attitude. Was she really going to force him to swallow his pride?

 Chapter 11

    Lucas was troubled about the uingpetition.


    Frank patted Lucas on the shoulder. "I''ll talk to her once the results are out. After all, the repechage is important."


    However, Lucas still wasn''t happy. "Noelle begged me for a long time before I taught her how to y the game, and now she''s using that against me. When did she be so maniptive? "If it reallyes to it, we''ll get Donovan to step in. She can''t just ignore his authority!"


    Xenia, who was listening nearby, felt very upset. She was reluctant to give up her spot to Noelle because she felt that it was her earned position.


    ...


    When Noelle arrived at school, she heard everyone discussing the exam results.


    Gwen''sckeys nced at Noelle and deliberately said at volume, "Someone has been working so hardtely. I wonder how well she did!"


    Although nervous, Noelle pretended to be calm, pulling out her textbook to review.


    Soon, Lionel entered with the results, and everyone grew excited.


    He tapped on the desk. "Quiet, everyone. The overall results aren''t great. Now is not the time to ck off. I want to specifically call out Xenia, who has dropped over 200 ces in the rankings."


    Xenia''s face immediately turned pale. She knew her performance hadn''t been outstandingtely, but she hadn''t expected it to be that bad.


    Lionel then looked at Noelle and paused, clearly holding something back. "But Noelle has made a significant improvement. Keep it up!" Gwen eagerly asked, "Mr. Kramer, what''s Noelle''s ranking?"


    "She''s now ranked 100th in the grade."


    The ssroom erupted into chatter.


    Noelle smiled to herself. She had done it! She was thrilled that she could report her results to Cedric.


    Her efforts had been worthwhile. At this rate, if she continued to work hard, she could make it into Yole University.


    "Mr. Kramer, I suspect that there''s something wrong with Noelle''s results. There''s no way she could improve this much in such a short time!"


    Everyone in the ssroom fell silent upon hearing this. Almost everyone turned to look at Noelle with suspicion.


    Lionel nced at Noelle''s rank and also felt slightly doubtful. However, he couldn''t deny that he had seen how hard Noelle had worked recently.


    At this point, Xenia spoke up softly, saying, "Mr. Kramer, Noelle really wanted to prove herself with these good results. She even made a bet with her brother at home, so please don''t doubt her. These results mean so much to her. Please, I beg you."


    Her words were quite convincing, but Noelle couldn''t help but smile sarcastically. She found Xenia''s "bitchy" act to be awe-inspiring. It was no wonder that Noelle had fallen into Xenia''s trap in her past life.


    After hearing this, Lionel suspected that Noelle might have cheated to win the bet.


    Gwen said, "Mr. Kramer, please don''t protect someone who might have cheated. Recently, both Xenia and Noelle have been preparing for their family''s teampetition. Since Xenia''s results have dropped significantly, there''s no way Noelle could have improved this much!"


    Betty chimed in, saying, "Yeah, Mr. Kramer. For the sake of fairness, we think Noelle''s results should be nullified."


    Xenia saw Lionel hesitate, clearly starting to believe her words. She knew she had won again. She thought, "Noelle, how dare you work hard and surpass me again! You''ll soon face the consequences." "Noelle, are you not going to exin yourself?"


    Noelle could feel Lionel''s doubtful gaze. She coldly replied, "I didn''t cheat." She didn''t say anything more after that.


    In her past life, whenever her results surpassed Xenia''s, Xenia would find ways to create trouble for her, making her too fearful to surpass her again. At that moment, Xenia was trying the same tactics again.


    Xenia immediately said, "Mr. Kramer, I told you that she wouldn''t cheat. Please don''t doubt her. It may seem fair if her results are nullified, but it would hurt her."


    After thinking briefly, Lionel said, "Noelle''s ranking will be temporarily nullified. I''ll investigate this further. If cheating is confirmed, she will face the appropriate consequences."


    She then took her leave, and the ssroom buzzed with noise.


    Gwen mocked, "I knew it. No wonder someone''s grades improved so much. It turns out she was cheating."


    Xenia appeared smug as she took out her phone and messaged Lucas, "Lucas, what should I do? Noelle cheated to win the bet with you, and now she''s getting demerits. I''m so worried about her." Meanwhile, Noelle opened her book and began to study again. She didn''t care whether her ranking would be canceled.


    Xenia may be able to influence Lionel, but she certainly couldn''t influence the college entrance exam scores.


    However, Noelle still felt slightly uneasy. After all, she had also made a bet with Cedric that if she made it into the top 100, they would y games together.


    But she hadn''t been to the infirmary recently, and Cedric hadn''t replied to her previous messages. She felt a bit down, realizing she might have overthought their friendship.


    After the morning sses ended, there was a sudden scream outside the ssroom. Noelle looked up and saw Lucas entering. She wondered what he was doing there. "Xenia, your brother is so handsome."


    Xenia looked pleased with herself as she stepped forward to ept a small cake from him. "Lucas, Noelle is in the ssroom. Maybe you can talk to her. If she apologizes and admits to cheating, she might avoid punishment."


    Lucas nced at Noelle in the ssroom, but she didn''t look up. She was quietly reading her book. She knew the reason for his visit. Xenia was truly eager to see her embarrassed. Still, she didn''t care if her ranking was nullified, but she would never admit to cheating. Xenia stood at the door, feigning kindness. "Noelle, Lucas is here. There''s nothing to worry."


    Noelle pretended not to hear, not even ncing at Lucas. Thetter''s expression darkened. His earlier worrypletely disappeared. Why was he worried about her?


    He said coldly, "I''ll talk to your homeroom teacher." With that, he turned and walked away.


    Only then did Xenia take the cake and walk over to Noelle. "Noelle, Lucas only brought one cake for me. He must have forgotten about you. I''ll share half with youter."


    Noelle could tell that Xenia was simply showing off. She had already gotten used to such behavior. Whenever her brothers came to school, they would bring small gifts for Xenia. However, Noelle never got anything.


    She had evenined about it once, but Frank said that she wasn''t given any gifts because she was disobedient. Now, she didn''t care about those so-called gifts anymore.


    Suddenly, Noelle''s phone rang. To her surprise, it was Cedric calling. She immediately grabbed the phone and walked into the hallway, taking a deep breath before answering. "Hello, Dr. Greene." "How''s your result?"


    She suddenly felt a little uneasy. "I was ranked 100th, but now my results might be nullified."


    His tone instantly turned grave as he asked, "What happened?"

 Chapter 12

    Noelle had been trying tofort herself, telling herself not to care about these things. Xenia could only resort to these tricks, and with Lucasing to the school, the likely oue was that her results would be nullified. However, when she heard Cedric ask about her results, she still couldn''t help feeling upset. She was about to reply when someone called, "Noelle, Mr. Kramer wants you to go to his office."


    She bit her lip. "I have to go. I''ll talk to youter."


    After hanging up, Noelle headed straight to Lionel''s office. When she walked in, she found that Lucas was also there, and the atmosphere was tense.


    Lucas said coldly, "Noelle, I never expected that you would cheat just to win. Do you know what this behavior means?"


    She wasn''t surprised. She knew that he wouldn''t believe her. Her gaze was sharp as she looked at him. "I didn''t cheat."


    She wouldn''t admit to something she hadn''t done.


    "Noelle, the truth is evident, and you''re still lying? Based on your usual grades and your behavior at home, your scores can''t improve this much. Besides, you have every reason to cheat! Admit your mistake now to avoid the school giving you demerits." Noelle sneered. "Do you have evidence to prove that I cheated?"


    Lucas stood up furiously. "Noelle, look at what you''ve be!"


    Lionel quickly stepped in to stop him because he was about to get physical. "Please calm down."


    Lucas said to him in frustration, "Sorry, but it''s clear that Noelle cheated because of a bet with her family. As discussed earlier, we will get her to write an apology letter and publicly apologize in front of the whole school. So please don''t punish her." Lionel sighed. "That works. I hope she can change." After all, it wouldn''t be good for Noelle to be punished so close to graduation.


    Noelle lowered her head, her heart sinking even further. In just a few words, they had decided her fate without believing in her.


    Lucas bitterly said, "Noelle, you''ve embarrassed the entire Liddell family. How could we have such a morally corrupt sister? It''s embarrassing even to mention your name."


    "Do you think I want to be your sister?" Noelle''s facial features were delicate, and her eyes were dark with a chilling gaze. She didn''t care anymore.


    "Noelle, I dare you to say that again!" Lucas'' face was ashen as he red at her angrily.


    "Sir, please don''t be so fierce. You might scare her." An elderly man entered the room, his kind face showing no signs of anger.


    Lionel greeted him hurriedly, "Mr. York, what brings you here?"


    "I heard a student whose sudden improvement is being questioned for cheating. I came to check on the situation," Bruce York exined.


    Lucas responded impatiently, "Mr. York, there''s no need to investigate. Noelle cheated to get those good results. If she won''t admit it, just punish her."


    He was determined to teach her a lesson. He had just begged Lionel for leniency, but if Noelle refused to apologize, he wouldn''t help her anymore. After all, she didn''t deserve it.


    Bruce turned to Noelle. "There''s a simple way to verify if you cheated. We''ll give you a new set of questions toplete under supervision. Will you ept this?"


    Noelle looked at him. "I ept, but I have one condition. If I pass the test and prove that I didn''t cheat, will the people who ndered me apologize publicly?"


    Lucas sneered. "Fine. Let''s see how you perform!"


    Soon, Lionel handed Noelle a set of questions. "I''ll time you."


    Noelle took a seat and began to work on the paper.


    The office fell silent as everyone observed her. Lionel was sitting closest to her and watched in surprise as she solved the math problems. This set of questions was much more challenging than the previous exam, yet she solved most of them correctly! Time ticked by.


    Curious about what was happening in the office, Xenia walked over and saw Noelle working on the test. She instantly had an ominous feeling.


    She went over to Lucas. "Lucas, what''s going on? Is Noelle redoing the test?"


    Lucas scoffed. "Yes. She refuses to admit to cheating. Let''s see if she can back up her ims."


    Xenia quickly approached Noelle, saying, "Noelle, stop being stubborn. We all believe you. You don''t have to force yourself."


    Noelle didn''t respond or acknowledge her. Instead, she focused on the exam.


    Seeing that she couldn''t distract Noelle, Xenia bit her lip and turned to Lucas. "Lucas, Noelle is still angry with me."


    Lucas was getting frustrated. "Noelle, Xenia is talking to you. Why don''t you respond?"


    Noelle looked up. "I''m doing a test. Can''t you see?"


    He was briefly stunned. "Xenia is giving you an out. You had better take it while you can, or you''ll end up embarrassing yourselfter!"


    "Xenia, don''t disturb Noelle while she''s working on the exam paper," Lionel finally interjected, unable to remain silent. From his perspective, he could see that Noellepleted the test skillfully and confidently, making it increasingly unlikely that she had cheated. Feeling cornered but unwilling to give up, Xenia feigned innocence. "Mr. Kramer, I didn''t mean anything by it," she said sweetly, trying to maintain her facade.


    But deep down, she couldn''t stand the idea of Noelle proving her abilities. The thought of Noelle outperforming her was unbearable, a reality she refused to ept or acknowledge.


    Standing off to the side, Xenia watched closely, her mind a whirlwind of doubt. Could Noelle score well on this test?


    Still, the recent changes she had noticed in Noelle left her with a nagging sense of unease. For the first time, uncertainty took root in her heart.


    The test ended.


    Lionel quickly collected the exam papers and began grading them with the other teachers.


    Noelle sat still, her mood calm despite seeing Xenia standing beside Lucas. She felt no emotional stirrings anymore. If she didn''t care, she wouldn''t get hurt.


    Lionel excitedly spoke up. "The results are in."


    Xenia''s heart was filled with malice as she hoped for poor results.


    Lucas coldly remarked, "Mr. Kramer, if her results are bad, don''t bother mentioning them. It will be too embarrassing."


    "No," Lionel said. "Noelle did very well! This set of questions was harder than the mock exam, and she performed better than before!"


    Noelle''s heart, which had been heavy, finally eased up. She smiled faintly.


    On the other hand, Lucas'' expression faltered as he took the test paper. The grades were apparent. Noelle had indeed done well.


    Xenia stood on tiptoe and saw the score, immediately filled with jealousy. She thought that it was impossible for Noelle to be this capable.


    Bruce smiled kindly. "The truth is clear now. Noelle''s improvement was achieved through her hard work."


    Lionel nodded. "She has been working very hard recently."


    Lucas'' expression changed multiple times. Finally, he put the test paper down, surprised that Noelle hadn''t cheated. At that moment, he felt that the Noelle before him was aplete stranger. Bruce cleared his throat. "Now that the truth is out, those who ndered Noelle should apologize."


    Xenia''s face immediately turned awkward.

 Chapter 13

    After hearing Bruce speak, Noelle was slightly taken aback. She hadn''t expected him to bring her condition to retake the exam.


    She looked across at Lucas and Xenia, her expression calm.


    However, Lucas'' face became quite unnatural. Noelle used to follow him around, never doing anything that made him ufortable. As an older brother, he was used to being high and mighty. Asking him to apologize now was like asking him to choose death-it was pure torment.


    Xenia quickly said, "Noelle, when did you get so good? We didn''t know that you had been studying secretly at home. You worked hard to get such good grades, but others suspected you of cheating. Lucas was the first toe to school to help you. He''s really good to you."


    After she made the excuse for him, Lucas spoke coldly. "Xenia, stop talking. Some people will never understand." He looked at her with satisfaction, thinking that this was the behavior a sister should have.


    Noelle gave him a half-smile and said, "Yeah, he came to school immediately. So what? He told Mr. Kramer that I cheated. He was going to force me to write a letter of repentance and make me apologize in front of the whole school. Would you want this kind of treatment?"


    Xenia immediately fell silent.


    Furious and embarrassed, Lucas shouted, "Noelle, you secretly worked hard without telling us, making me think you were cheating. Sure, your grades have improved, but what''s the point of pulling a stunt like this? Do you think it''s funny?"


    Bruce spoke again while looking at Lionel. "Who was the first to use Noelle of cheating? Call them over to apologize."


    Lionel quickly summoned Gwen and Betty.


    Gwen and Betty still didn''t know what had happened, thinking that Noelle had indeed cheated. They smugly said, "Mr. Kramer, we''ve been saying that Noelle cheated to get those grades. Is the investigation over now?"


    Lionel nodded. "Yes, it''s clear that Noelle didn''t cheat. You two should apologize to her now."


    The duo were stunned. Noelle didn''t cheat? How could that be?


    Xenia quickly pretended to y the good cop. "Noelle didn''t cheat. I told you not to spread rumors. You should apologize to her now." With that, she distanced herself from the situation.


    Gwen and Betty reluctantly apologized to Noelle. "Sorry, we were wrong. We shouldn''t have said those things."


    Lionel looked at Noelle and asked, "Do you have any other requests?"


    Noelle shook her head. "No."


    Lionel nodded in satisfaction. "Noelle has been working hardtely. But Xenia''s grades have dropped quite a bit."


    Xenia felt embarrassed, especially after seeing Noelle''s good results. She found it humiliating. She batted her eyes and replied, "I... I just got distracted this time. I won''t let it happen again."


    Lucas also felt a bit embarrassed. "What''s the point of good grades? You could get more fame and money from ying games than from these grades."


    Xenia thought the same.


    Lionel was visibly frustrated by Lucas'' attitude and chose to address it. Turning to Xenia, he said firmly, "You should learn from Noelle instead." Xenia bit her lip and hurried out of the office.


    Lucas red at Noelle. "What''s the big deal about getting one good result? Do you think you can show off just because you beat Xenia? The team is keeping her busy, so her grades dropped. You''ve done nothing to earn your results, so you don''t have the right to show off." Noelle raised her gaze. "Did I show off?"


    Bruce interjected, "I clearly heard Mr. Kramer say those things, but Noelle said nothing. As a guardian, you shouldn''t be so biased."


    Lucas was taken aback and replied, "I''m not biased. Noelle has always been like this." He then left to catch up with Xenia.


    Noelle turned to Bruce. "Thank you."


    "There''s no need to thank me. You have the ability, and this is all well deserved. Return to your ssroom now. I need to meet with the teachers and highlight some things."


    Noelle left the office as instructed. She walked a few steps to the corridor, where she saw Cedric in a whiteb coat. He was leaning against the wall, seemingly waiting for someone. She met his gaze, and her heart involuntarily skipped a beat. Cedric stood upright, his voice calm. "How did it go?"


    "I seeded, of course! Mr. York had me retake a test, and I did even better than myst attempt."


    Noelle lifted her head proudly. At that moment, seeing him made her feel like her victory had finally found its purpose.


    Cedric lowered his brows, his voice steady as he asked, "Did they apologize?"


    She was momentarily stunned and wondered if he was referring to Xenia and Lucas. She shook her head. "Only the scapegoats apologized. The people behind the scenes didn''t, but I don''t care. I pped it in their faces hard just now!" Nevertheless, she was delighted.


    Cedric''s lips curled into a slight smile. "Come find me after school." With that, he walked away.


    She noticed someoneing down the hallway, so she didn''t ask further. She turned and headed back to the ssroom.


    The once noisy ssroom became quieter.


    Lionel soon entered. He announced that Noelle''s grades were legitimate and that no cheating had been involved.


    Xenia slumped over the table and looked downcast. Even the cake had failed to spark her interest. She had to find a way to prevent Noelle''s grades from improving so much. How could Noelle be better than her?


    ...


    After school in the afternoon, Noelle went straight to the infirmary. Cedric was sitting on a chair, looking at her as she entered. "Finished your homework?"


    "We were asked to review our mistakes, but I''ve already finished everything."


    She didn''t make many mistakes. The ones with mistakes were topics she hadn''t fully grasped yet.


    He clicked on theputer beside him. "Let''s y. Do you have an ount?"


    "Yes, but I want to make a new one."


    "Perfect. We''ll both y on new ounts."


    Cedric didn''t n on using his main ount to y with her.


    Noelleunched the game and casually set her username to "SweetNelly".


    When she entered the game, she looked at Cedric. "What''s your username? Let''s add each other as friends."


    When she saw his screen, she found that his name looked familiar. It was "Reverse Time". She instantly remembered something. In her past life, she had an online lover with the same username.


    Cedric raised an eyebrow. "What are you looking at? ept my friend request."


    Noelle''s face turned red, and she hurriedly epted the request, growing a little excited. However, in her past life, she didn''t meet her online lover at this time. She wondered if it was merely a coincidence.


    She secretly nced at him. "Why did you pick this name?"


    He paused for a moment, lowering his brows. "I just picked it randomly."


    She nodded and figured that it was perhaps just a coincidence.


    After entering the game, they went to the starting area to carry out tasks.


    Noelle could tell that Cedric wasn''t aplete beginner. She reckoned that he was probably ying on a new ount to apany her, but she didn''t ask too many questions. His gamey was very simr to someone in her past life.


    She couldn''t help but ask, "Dr. Greene, is this also the name of your main ount?"


    "No."


    "Is this your first time creating this new ount and using this name for the game?"


    He nced at her. "Yes. Why are you asking?"


    Noelle lowered her head quickly, her face heating up. "It''s nothing." She needed some rification. She wondered if Cedric really could be that person. However, the timing didn''t match.


    In her past life, she had met that person after the repechage. He taught her how to improve her gaming skills, and eventually, they made it to the finals. Although she had never met him in person before her death, she was still grateful for his help when she was on the streets.


    Noelle became a little distracted.


    After she and Cedric finished the task and left the newbie area, they encountered another team while doing the next task. When she saw the team''s name, she couldn''t help but show a mocking expression. It was Lucas and Xenia.


    Cedric narrowed his eyes. "Do you want to fight against them?"


    "What for? We''re both on new ounts, and our gear is no match for theirs. If we go up against them, we''ll be asking for trouble."


    Despite saying that, she still felt tempted.


    Cedric said, "Let''s wait until they finish their task. We can steal the boss''st kill when they''re low on health."

 Chapter 14

    Noelle was instantly intrigued after hearing Cedric''s n. They quietly followed behind, watching Lucas lead his team to fight the game''s boss.


    The boss was notoriously difficult to defeat, requiring coordinated teamwork. When it was close to defeat, the team was usually left with low health. Usually, no one dared steal thest kill from such a famous team, but there were always exceptions. Noelle had done a strategy guide for this boss before, so she knew exactly when to strike. She and Cedric worked together seamlessly,nding the final blow just as the boss was about to be defeated.


    They sessfully took thest hit.


    The world chat immediately posted-"Congrattions to HeartbreakCrunch for killing the Everbloom Haven boss."


    When Lucas saw this, he was furious and began cursing over his headset. "What are you all doing? How could you let someone steal thest kill?"


    Xenia added, "Those two must be newbies. Do they not know who we are? How dare they steal our kill!"


    Lucas shouted, "Get them!"


    But quickly, his screen turned ck and white, and the rest of his team fell to the ground.


    Lucas stared at the character named "HeartbreakCrunch" and felt something familiar about that person''s gamey. It reminded him of Noelle. He wondered if she had intentionally made a new ount to steal his boss kill. However, she shouldn''t be that good yet. Meanwhile, Noelle and Cedric celebrated their victory, iming the loot dropped by the boss. But it wasn''t as satisfying as defeating Lucas and Xenia.


    After they yed for a while, the food arrived. Cedric paused the game. "Let''s eat first."


    Noelle noticed a small cake that looked like the one Xenia had received earlier. She nced at him. "Why did you buy a cake?"


    "Don''t women like this sort of thing? It''s a reward for your good grades since you didn''t embarrass me."


    She was unexpectedly touched. He looked awkward and added coldly, "Anyway, it came with the takeaway order."


    She picked up the small cake, sensing that it was ordered just for her. She took a bite, her mood lifting slightly.


    He watched her lower her head, staying silent for a long moment, before asking, "Does the cake taste bad?"


    Inwardly, he thought that the cake shouldn''t taste bad as it was the most popr one.


    Noelle shook her head. "No, it''s delicious. It''s been a long time since anyone bought me a cake."


    Since her parents died, she hadn''t had a birthday. Her brothers never remembered her love for this cake, and she was always left out. Cedric looked at her. "You don''t celebrate your birthday?"


    Noelle paused, then answered, "My parents died in a car ident on my birthday, so I haven''t celebrated it since."


    That day was the anniversary of their death, and the atmosphere at home was always somber. She felt that she had no right to celebrate.


    Cedric felt as if something had fiercely stung his heart, leaving him momentarily breathless.


    He turned his head away, his thin lips pressed together, and his face mixed with stern anger and deep guilt. His hand instinctively tightened, veins bulging across the back of it.


    She sensed the shift in atmosphere and tried to brush it off. "I don''t mind it at all. I''m not in the mood for celebrations anyway."


    After all, that day marked the anniversary of her parents'' death. What right did she have to celebrate her birthday?


    Cedric suppressed his emotions as he looked at her pale, quiet face. She appeared so docile, like a small animal.


    She stayed quietly in ce, silent and almost invisible. Her well-behaved demeanor only stirred a mix of anger and helplessness in him.


    He spoke hoarsely. "It''s gettingte. Go back. Don''t linger outside."


    "Okay. Can I still look for you here in the future?" She looked at him uncertainly.


    His eyes darkened. "Aren''t you afraid that I''ll deceive you?"


    "I have nothing you can use to deceive me." Noelle said calmly, "Dr. Greene, you''re my only friend right now."


    Cedric paused, his thoughts lingering on the word "friend". He smiled and said sternly, "Don''t trust others too easily, especially men."


    "Got it. I''m leaving now." She waved and left the infirmary.


    After she left, he remained seated, staring at the cake on the table, thinking about the car ident years ago when a simr cake had been smashed. His head began to ache. Since that ident, he hadn''t eaten cake either. After a long time, he received a call. "Mr. Greene, Ms. Liddell has safely arrived home."


    He hung up the phone and stood, his figure stretching long in the sunset.


    ...


    When Noelle returned to the Liddell residence, she found Frank in the living room waiting for her.


    With an unreadable expression, she greeted him. "Frank."


    Frank looked up at his distant, defiant sister, unsure how to react. When her grades improved so suddenly, he had suspected her of cheating, but he hadn''t expected her grades to be the result of her genuine hard work. She had always been average, so how had her grades improved so much?


    He realized that she wasn''t just rebelling against them. Something real had changed. He felt both happy and a little sad.


    The younger sister who had always clung to him seemed to be gone.


    Her sess was the result of hard work, not just rebellion.


    He began to reflect, realizing that he had also been biased against her. Coupled with Lucas'' actions at school, he felt like he had neglected her feelings far too much. Was that why she had changed so much? His tone conveyed hisplex emotions as he remarked, "You''re back homete. Did you study in the school''s study room again?"


    "Yes."


    Frank let out a soft sigh. "Isn''t the environment at home better than the study room outside? The outside world isplicated, with all sorts of people. Don''t do your homework in those ces anymore. It''s not safe." Noelle pursed her lips, feeling like the Liddell brothers constantly made decisions for her.


    He continued, "Xenia''s grades have dropped significantly, so I''ve hired a tutor for her. You should join as well. Since you''re in the same ss, you can help her with notes and assist her when she''s absent."


    Noelle''s eyes narrowed with sarcasm. It turned out that it was all about Xenia. That was why she was being forced to study at home.


    Straightening her back, she said firmly, "No."


    "Noelle, I know that Lucas made a mistake at school today, and you''ve proven your abilities. But we''re ultimately still a family. Xenia''s grades dropped because she was focused on preparing for the teampetition. Since you''re not participating in thepetition, you should still put in some effort to help improve her grades. After all, you have the experience."


    Noelle found it utterly ridiculous. "No!"


    It was just one word. She didn''t even need to exin as it seemed like a waste of breath.


    Lucas stormed out, pointing while cursing, "Noelle, do you have any conscience? You''ve been living off the Liddell family all these years without contributing. Are you ashamed?" Noelle only felt the irony in his words.


    In her past life, she worked herself to the bone for the Liddell family, desperately training her gaming skills to help the team win the championship. But what did she get in return?


    Xenia cried for a bit and effortlessly took her ce, stealing the championship spot. She wouldn''t repeat the same mistake this time.


    With a calm resolve, she replied, "Fine. Starting today, I''ll move out of the Liddell residence. I won''t take a single cent from you."


    She would sever their rtionship now.

 Chapter 15

    Noelle remained calm. She really wanted to leave this family.


    Lucas sneered. "Alright. You can leave now. Let''s see how you manage without the Liddell family!"


    Frank couldn''t take it anymore. "Enough. Lucas, what are you saying?"


    "Frank, look! She wants to leave. She doesn''t want us anymore!" Lucas'' eyes reddened, and he was incredibly emotional.


    He had already yielded that day, yet she still wanted to leave. He wondered if she was expecting him to kneel and apologize before she would be satisfied.


    Xenia quickly intervened to mediate, "Lucas, don''t be angry. Noelle is just joking. If she doesn''t want to tutor me, it''s fine. I already have a tutor, and I''m really happy."


    He viciously red at Noelle. "Look at how sensible Xenia is, and look at you. Have you ever reflected on yourself?"


    "Lucas, forget it. Let''s go. I still need to ask you about some game strategies." Xenia turned to Frank. "Frank, we''ll take our leave now."


    "Go ahead," Frank said, his heart softening from Xenia''s understanding demeanor.


    Originally not part of the Liddell family, Xenia had sacrificed a lot for the team''s training, which caused her grades to drop significantly. She also intervened in family conflicts, ying the role of the peacemaker. Compared to Noelle, Xenia seemed far more considerate. He looked at Noelle with disappointment. "Don''t take Lucas'' words to heart. You''re still a part of the Liddell family."


    Noelle coldly replied, "I think it''s time that I move out."


    His expression changed. "Noelle, what do you want us to do so that we can live happily together again like before?"


    Like before? Her eyes instantly grew heavy, and she felt profound disappointment. She didn''t even want to respond. "Nothing," she said faintly.


    After that, she walked straight upstairs to her room. She would never again debase herself to give her everything only to be ignored and abandoned. Never again.


    After that day, Noelle entered into a cold war with her brothers, and they didn''t speak for a long time. However, she felt a sense of relief, finally free from having to deal with them.


    The team''s repechage was sooning up. It was to be held on theing Saturday.


    Xenia had been absent from school for several days, iming to be sick, but Noelle knew that she was preparing for thepetition.


    So, she went to school and ate alone. Her life wasn''t affected.


    Frank walked over to her and ced apetition ticket on the table. "You should attend the match this afternoon. It''s a way to support the family."


    She replied calmly, "Got it."


    He noticed that she didn''t even ask how the preparations were going. She was being cold-hearted and indifferent. Compared to Xenia, who had even taken time off school to train for thepetition, he felt even more disheartened. "Noelle, when you grow up, you''ll understand our good intentions."


    He didn''t say anything more and left the hall.


    Noelle felt disgusted by this remark and lost her appetite. She put down her cutleries and was even more convinced that moving out would be the right move.


    She took thepetition ticket and decided to go. She wanted to witness how Lucas'' team would fail without her effort.


    She messaged Cedric, "I''ll watch the match this afternoon, so I won''t be ying with you." They had initially nned to y games together over the weekend. Cedric replied immediately, "Okay." As he was replying, someone tried to sneak a nce at his phone but failed to see the contents.


    With a hand on his chest, Alfred joked, "Come on. Let me see. You''re so stingy."


    Cedric nced at him. "Do you want to lose your eyes?"


    Alfred coughed before saying, "Why are you so serious? You should directlypensate her, even if it''s out of guilt. You''ve been by her side. What are you nning?"


    Cedric''s slender fingers tightened around his phone. After a long pause, he finally replied, "I''ll stay by her side, help her grow, and guide her out of her struggles until she can live freely on her own." Unable to resist being cheeky, Alfred added, "You''ll be by her side until she grows up, starts dating, gets married, and has kids?"


    Cedric frowned slightly. "Something like that."


    Her parents were gone, and her brothers were either biased or unreliable. She had been struggling alone.


    He changed the topic. "Do you have tickets for this afternoon''s match?"


    "The repechage? Are you interested? I remember that your younger brother''s team advanced straight to the finals."


    "Cut the chatter. I need to arrange something before the match."


    Cedric looked up at the sky outside. At the very least, he would stay until she no longer needed him. After all, if her parents were still alive, she wouldn''t have to endure this much hardship.


    ...


    Noelle went straight to the venue for thepetition. Outside, she saw many fans holding banners, including those for Team Luminark.


    There were even fans of Xenia.


    Recently, Xenia gained fame as a small-time inte influencer thanks to ke''s entertainmentpany. Young, smooth-talking, and skilled at ying the "innocent victim", she excelled at winning over livestream audiences.


    Noelle nced at the banners in the fans'' hands. Once, she had bought plenty of Team Luminark''s merchandise, reposted countless updates about the team, and actively managed their fan groups. She withdrew her gaze expressionlessly and walked inside with her ticket.


    After taking her seat, she looked at the stage and found herself momentarily lost in thought.


    After all, she had sat in that very spot on the stage in her past life, turning the tide to secure a hard-fought victory in the repechage.


    It hadn''t been easy.


    The opposing team was strong and consistent, unlike Lucas, who had skill but was prone to breaking under pressure, disrupting the entire game''s rhythm. Lucas was also arrogant, overly proud, and refused to listen to others'' advice. Soon, thepeting teams began to take the stage. Fans on both sides screamed their support, almostpeting to see who could be louder.


    Noelle sat calmly, watching Lucas and Xenia lead their team onto the stage. Both were dressed in matching uniforms, looking very much like a family. However, she noticed that he didn''t look too pleased.


    She wondered where Frank and ke were. Weren''t they supposed to be with the team, training and participating in the repechage?


    On stage, Lucas'' expression was far from ideal. He hadn''t expected Frank and ke to bail at thest minute, throwing his ns into chaos.


    Xenia offeredforting words. "Lucas, Frank and ke had emergencies at theirpanies. They couldn''t help it. After all, they''re presidents, not professional yers."


    "What do you know? We''ve been training together for so long, and now they''ve simply decided not to show up. How are we supposed topete?"


    "Lucas, the rest of our team members are great, and we''ve trained together. If we work as a team, there''s no way that we''ll lose the match."


    Although he was cold to her, she continued to speak kindly. After all, the more she stayed by his side and supported him during times like these, the more satisfied he would be with her as a "sister".


    Her goal was to gradually rece Noelle in his heart.


    Despite his anger, Lucas had no choice. Suddenly, he thought of Noelle and blurted out, "Xenia, do you think the match would go better if Noelle were here?"


    Xenia''s smile froze instantly, frustration simmering inside her. Why did he have to mention Noelle again? Was all her effort taking the time off to train and prepare for this match-not enoughpared to someone who had done nothing? She spotted a familiar figure in the audience from the corner of her eye. "Lucas, Noelle is here to watch our match."


    Noelle noticed Xenia looking her way as the fans around her erupted into cheers.


    When Lucas saw Noelle, his eyes lit up. She hade after all.

 Chapter 16

    Noelle noticed how Lucas was looking at her and frowned slightly. At that moment, her phone buzzed with a call from Frank. "Noelle, you''re at the venue, right?"


    An ominous feeling crept over her. She wanted to deny it, but the screams of the fans all around her gave Frank his answer before she could.


    "Noelle, something urgent just came up at thepany, so ke and I can''t make it to the match. Thispetition is significant for Lucas. You should step in and join the team. "Whatever issues you and Lucas had before, we need to stick together and stand united when facing challenges, right?"


    The moment Frank''s words hit her, the noise of the screaming fans faded into the background, swallowed by her silence. It was the kind of silence that spoke volumes.


    Without saying a single word, Noelle ended the call. She didn''t feel like exining herself. She hadn''t gone there that day topete. She was there to watch the drama unfold.


    On stage, Lucas nced toward the audience, waiting. His irritation began to show when Noelle didn''t move from her seat or head backstage.


    "What''s Noelle''s deal? Does she expect me to go down there and ask her personally?" he muttered, his jaw tightening.


    A flicker of amusement shed across Xenia''s eyes. "Lucas, let me message Noelle and check in with her. But honestly, seeing her just sitting there in the audience, I guess that she''d still be upset. If she wasn''t, you know as well as I do that she''d already be backstage by now."


    Lucas thought back to how Noelle used to be. She never needed him to say anything; she simply understood. He''d grown used to her always being there for him. But now, it was like she''d turned into someonepletely different.


    Lucas'' tone was stiff as he said, "Call her. I''ll let bygones be bygones if she''s willing to join the match. I''ll continue treating her like a sister, just like before."


    The memory of what had happened at school flickered in his mind. He knew that he''d been too impulsive. He''d let it go as long as Noelle was willing to let it go, too. They could all go back to the way things used to be.


    Xenia''s expression froze for a split second, but she recovered quickly. "Alright. I''ll call her now. I''m sure she''ll join for your sake."


    Lucas'' expression softened at her words, his frustration easing slightly.


    Xenia stepped off to the side, pulling out her phone. Her eyes found Noelle in the audience, her gaze darkening.


    Noelle noticed the name shing on her screen. She didn''t need to think twice to know what this call was about and what Xenia would say.


    Without hesitation, Noelle declined the call, her expression cold and unwavering.


    Xenia blinked at the abrupt rejection, surprise flickering across her face. But it didn''t take long for a smug smile to rece it.


    She reluctantly epted the information. There was no need to waste her time anyway.


    Xenia hadn''t wanted Noelle to join the match anyway. She didn''t want Noelle stealing her spotlight.


    She wanted Noelle to sit there and watch with her own eyes how she and Lucas were going to win this match without any help from her!


    When Xenia returned to Lucas, her eyes were red, her expression pitifully remorseful. "Lucas, it''s my fault. I''m terrible with words, and Noelle probably hates me now. That must be why she didn''t answer my call. Should I just go talk to her in person?"


    Lucas'' face darkened, his voice hard. "No need. Frank just told me that he called her, too, and she hung up on him. It''s clear that Noelle never nned to join the team or y in the match. Don''t bother wasting your time."


    "Lucas, I don''t think Noelle''s that kind of person. She wouldn''te here just tough at us," Xenia said.


    "We''re going to win this match. There''s no way we''re letting Noelle get what she wants."


    Without another nce at the audience, Lucas slid on his headset, closing himself off.


    Seeing his reaction, a spark of satisfaction flickered in Xenia''s eyes. "Noelle, this time, I''m going to win again," she thought.


    Soon after, the match began between Team Luminark and Team Trailze.


    Noelle''s gaze shifted to the massive screen disying the livementary. Right from the start, Lucas, ying as the assassin, led his team into position for an ambush.


    But it quickly became apparent that the opposing team had done their homework. They''d studied Lucas'' tendencies and set up a bait maneuver to draw him in.


    In her previous life, Noelle had noticed the exact suspicious enemy positioning. At that time, she warned Lucas to be cautious and not rush in blindly. But Lucas, stubborn as ever, had dismissed her advice and berated her.


    He''d ignored her and taken one other yer to scout ahead.


    What happened next was disastrous. It turned out to be a well-executed trap by Team Trailze, and Lucas'' team was ambushed.


    Back then, Noelle had rallied the remaining yers, leading them in a daring counterattack. She had turned the game around by sneaking into the enemy''s base andunching a surprise strike. This time, she curiously watched, wondering if Lucas had learned anything or if history would repeat itself.


    As she expected, Lucas made the same decision as he did before. He led his entire team straight into the enemy''s trap. A faint smile tugged at Noelle''s lips as the predictable disaster unfolded. She wasn''t surprised.


    By the time Lucas realized what was happening, it was already toote. His team''s rhythm shattered under the surprise assault.


    True to form, Xenia panicked almost instantly. She fumbled repeatedly, making critical mistakes that nearly killed her teammates.


    Lucas ordered his team to retreat, guiding them into the safety of a nearby building.


    But the mounting frustration finally boiled over. Lucas exploded. "Xenia, where the hell is your brain? I told everyone to fall back. What were you doing fighting? Are you trying to prove how great you are or something?" Xenia''sposure was starting to crack. "Lucas, I just couldn''t let it go. When I saw that enemy with low health, I thought I could take them out."


    "Take them out? More like you handed them a free kill! If you were so confident in your skills, maybe you wouldn''t have gotten caught in their trap earlier and dragged the rest of us into this mess!" Lucas snapped.


    Xenia''s face burned with embarrassment. Being scolded so openly in front of everyone made her humiliation unbearable. Sheshed out, "If it weren''t for you falling into their trap and getting us surrounded, none of this would''ve happened!"


    Lucas'' anger red even hotter. "You''ve got some nerve ming me! This is all on you for beingpletely useless. You''re holding the entire team back. After all this training, you haven''t improved at all. You''re just wasting everyone''s time!" Xenia''s face turned a furious shade of red, her emotions spilling out in a storm. Without saying another word, she shoved her chair back, stormed off the stage, and left.


    The entire crowd erupted into a frenzy. A teammate leaving mid-match wasn''t just dramatic-it was catastrophic. Her actions couldpletely derail the team.


    The big screen overhead zoomed in on Lucas. His expression was livid, and his jaw tightened with frustration.


    With no other choice, Lucas called for a timeout. Each team was allowed one timeout per match, and Lucas used theirs.


    The opposing fans began to jeer, already celebrating in advance. Lucas mmed his keyboard in frustration, his fury boiling over. He couldn''t believe Xenia''s audacity to throw a tantrum during such an important match. No matter how much he yelled at her, Noelle would''ve never pulled something like this.


    The atmosphere in the stadium was tense.


    Seizing the moment, yers from the opposing team stood up and began mocking Lucas and his teammates.


    "Hey, Lucas! Why don''t you just forfeit now? Save yourself the humiliation of beingpletely destroyed. At least you''d walk away with some dignity."


    Lucas stood abruptly. "I''m not forfeiting! If anyone here is scared of losing, it''s you. That''s why you''re trying to psych us out."


    "Come on, man. Anyone with half a brain can see that you''re going to lose. You even had a teammate walk out! And what''s this I hear about your ''unbeatable family team''? What a joke!" another sneered.


    "Family team, huh? They''re just a bunch of kids left behind when their parents died. What is so great about that? This isn''t apetition for who got dumped with the most kids," another chimed in.


    The words hit Lucas like a punch to the gut. mming his chair back, he shouted, "You had better watch your damn mouth!"


    "Oh, what? Did I say something wrong? Go ahead. Try to hit me, you worthless little orphan. I bet that if your parents were still alive, they''d die all over again from the embarrassment of watching you lose this match." From her seat in the audience, Noelle''s expression turned ice cold. Her eyes burned with rage. How dare they insult her parents?


    Without a moment''s hesitation, Noelle stood and began making her way backstage.


    Meanwhile, on stage, Lucas'' teammate grabbed him and forced him back into his chair before he could escte things further. They knew that if he started a fight in front of the entire audience, it would only make things worse.

 Chapter 17

    Noelle stood in the hallway, her gaze locking on Lucas.


    Lucas, clearly embarrassed and on edge, was the first to break the silence. "You came to enjoy the show, didn''t you? Having fun? Does it feel good to watch people mock our family''s team? Bet you''re loving this!" Noelle''s expression remained cold and unyielding. "You''re just not good enough."


    Before Lucas could snap back, Team Trailze entered the backstage area.


    Noelle''s sharp gaze shifted toward their captain, Marty Gildon. He had been the one to spew insults before. "Let me ask you. Are you an orphan? Do you have any parents?" Marty''s face darkened. "What''s that supposed to mean?"


    "It''s literal. Your mouth is so disgusting. I figured that your parents might have passed away early and never had the chance to teach you any manners," Noelle said smoothly. Marty''s fury ignited instantly. "You brat! Say that again, I dare you!"


    Noelle''s icy demeanor didn''t crack for a second. "Here''s the deal. If you lose this match, you''ll publicly apologize to my parents in front of the press for the garbage you''ve just said." "Lose? Us? You''re out of your mind!" Marty sneered.


    "What''s wrong? Too scared to agree?"


    Marty took the bait without hesitation. "Fine! But if you lose, your captain has to publicly apologize for what you just said, too!"


    With that, Team Trailze stormed off, their aggression practically radiating off of them.


    Noelle remained calm. Deep down, though, she already knew how this would end.


    Team Luminark was enveloped in a tense atmosphere.


    Lucas scowled, his frustration boiling over. "If we lose, you''re the one apologizing. Don''t act like you''re a part of this team, Noelle. You have no right to make decisions for us!"


    "I''m only doing this to make him apologize for insulting my parents. Nothing more." Noelle''s tone remained steady as she spoke.


    Before Lucas could argue further, Frank came rushing into the room. "Noelle! Seeing you here makes me so happy. Finally, our family is back together."


    Noelle pressed her lips into a thin line, offering no response.


    Frank nced around the room. "Where''s Xenia?"


    Lucas'' expression hardened, his jaw tightening. "No idea. She ran off after I called her out."


    The rest of the team shifted ufortably before speaking up. "Lucas, Xenia was just really desperate to win. That''s why she got so worked up. She didn''t mean for things to go wrong."


    "Exactly. She''s been working so hard. She often trains on herputerte at night. She''s doing her best," another chimed in.


    "Yeah, Lucas. Honestly, what you said earlier was pretty harsh," added a third.


    Lucas'' frustration simmered as the words sank in. "Harsh? What do they mean, I was too harsh?" he thought bitterly.


    It had been Xenia''s idea to join the team. Naturally, without the talent, she would have had to work harder to maintain her position.


    The reality was that Xenia didn''t have much talent. She had just made a big mistake. Lucas wondered if he couldn''t call her out on it as the team captain.


    Noelle chimed in with the other team members, adding fuel to the fire. "Exactly! Xenia''s worked so hard-sacrificing her schoolwork, no less-yet you still scold her, Lucas? Sure, you''re only about to lose the match, but Xenia? She''s lost her dignity!"


    Lucas felt his chest tighten with frustration. He questioned the reasoning behind this argument and wondered why this was suddenly his fault. Xenia was the one who didn''t know what she was doing!


    Frank, who was standing nearby, fixed Lucas with a disapproving look. "Lucas, you really need to work on your temper. Think about how good Noelle used to be to you, and look at what you did to her. You yelled at her, broke her heart, and drove her away. Is that what you want to happen with Xenia, too?"


    "Frank, that''s not even the same thing! This was Xenia''s fault-" Lucas shot back.


    "Enough. I watched the live stream, Lucas. It''s obvious. You''re the one who led the team into that trap. As the captain, you''re responsible for the team''s performance. Xenia only made mistakes because she was too anxious."


    A wave of helplessness washed over Lucas. No matter what he said, Frank refused to listen.


    Off to the side, Noelle watched the scene unfold, her arms crossed and her expression coldly detached. "Finally, Lucas is getting a taste of his own medicine. How does it feel to be med? Misunderstood? To have no way to defend yourself?" she thought. Meanwhile, Frank pulled out his phone and tried calling Xenia, but the line went unanswered. "Forget about her for now. Let''s focus on the game n."


    Noelle''s voice broke through the silence. "If you want to win this match, you''ll have to follow my lead for the rest of the game. No exceptions."


    Lucas immediately scoffed. "And why the hell should we listen to you?"


    Noelle''s dark eyes locked onto his, steady and unyielding. "Because I know how to win." Her tone was sharp, measured, and cold as she began to outline her strategy.


    During the earlier part of the match, she had closely observed Team Luminark''s gamey. She understood their strengths and weaknesses better than anyone. After all, they used to train together.


    "Anyone can talk a big game. Don''t act like you''re invincible just because you''ve got some talent. You haven''t even been trainingtely, so what makes you think you can guarantee a win?" Lucas sneered.


    Noelle''s lips pressed into a thin line. "If you don''t follow my lead, I''ll quit the match entirely."


    Lucas scoffed again, the sound filled with derision. "Quit, then. You think you''re so important?"


    Before the argument could escte further, Frank stepped in. "If no one else has a better n, we should at least try listening to Noelle."


    Lucas opened his mouth to argue but found that he couldn''t. Deep down, he knew that Frank was right. They didn''t have any better options. Shortly after, the match resumed.


    Noelle took Xenia''s seat. In her previous life, this seat had been hers. As she slipped on the headset, her eyes sharpened with determination. This time, she wasn''t here to win Lucas'' approval. She was fighting for herself. The unexpected yer substitution by Team Luminark stirred up murmurs of curiosity and spection among the audience.


    On the second floor of the arena, Cedric stood by the window, his gaze fixed on Noelle as she sat, focused and calm.


    Albert, standing beside him, spoke first. "Didn''t you say that she was just here to watch the chaos? Yet look at her now-she''s stepping in topete. No matter how unfairly her family treats her, she still puts them first."


    "You''re wrong. She''s doing this for herself," Cedric replied. He understood exactly why she had stepped in. It wasn''t for Lucas'' sake. The light radiating from Noelle now wasn''t borrowed or dimmed by anyone else. It was entirely her own. As the match resumed, thementators quickly picked up on the substitution.


    "There''s been a shake-up on Team Luminark. A roster swap just happened. This new yer isn''t someone we''ve seen before. It''s hard to tell how strong they are. Given the current state of Team Luminark, turning things around will be no small feat." Noelle entered the game. Xenia''s ount was set up with the same ss Noelle had mastered in her previous life-a long-range gunner. That familiarity allowed her to adjust instantly.


    Noelle efficiently established a formation and positioned the team to wait for the enemy''s approach. But just as the strategy was falling into ce, Lucas broke ranks and charged ahead,pletely exposing their position.


    Noelle cursed under her breath. "What are you doing?"


    "Stay out of it! I can handle this on my own!" Lucas shouted.


    He couldn''t stand sitting still, determined to prove himself. Instead, the enemy pinned him down, their relentless attacks leaving him helpless.


    Noelle wasn''t surprised. Not even a little.


    She gave the nextmand without hesitation. "Support, cover me. Everyone else, stick to the original n."


    With heruncher in hand, she vaulted over a nearby wall and fired a barrage of attacks. Her character''s figure darted through the battlefield, weaving between buildings, appearing and vanishing unpredictably. The enemy team scrambled to keep up, their rhythmpletely disrupted.


    Thementators grew more animated with every passing second.


    "My god, look at the precision from this gunner! Those moves are so polished. This doesn''t look like someone new to the scene. It''s the kind of y you''d expect from a seasoned pro!


    "She just stopped dead in her tracks and dodged the opponent''s ultimate skill at the perfect moment. How did she know it wasing?"


    "And there it is! She''s charging straight into the fight-mid-air double jumps-andnds a 12-hitbo! That''s a move only King, the legendary pro yer, could ever pull off! How is this so-called rookie executing it so wlessly? It''s unbelievable!" The crowd instantly erupted.


    King was a God in the world ofpetitive gaming. Although he retired years ago, his legacy still burns brightly in fans'' hearts.


    The crowd wondered who this girl was and her connection to King.

 Chapter 18

    Noelle''s move in the game was devastating. She took out two opponents instantly, leaving a third critically injured. As shended, her gaze flicked briefly to Lucas, who was sprawled on the ground with barely any health remaining. Lucas stared at the screen, his eyes wide with shock and disbelief. He had always known Noelle was talented, but this? This was on another level.


    He thought that something was off. Noelle hadn''t been this skilled before. He wondered when she had gotten this skilled.


    When Lucas had been caught earlier, he had already resigned himself to losing the match. But Noelle had stepped in with an unshakeable calm, her sharp positioning and tactical awareness pulling the team back from the brink. Not only had she stabilized the game, but she had also executed King''s legendary 12-hitbo.


    Lucas felt as though he didn''t know Noelle at all. She seemed like apletely different person. A strange unease began to creep into his chest. It was irrational, but he couldn''t shake the sinking feeling that he was losing her. After a moment of hesitation, he opened his mouth to speak. "You-"


    But Noelle walked right past, her voice clear as she spoke into the headset. "Everyone else, report your positions and status. I''ll be there in a second."


    Lucas froze, left standing alone. All he could do was watch her character on the screen, moving with precision and confidence, her back turned to him.


    Unable to help himself, he shifted his gaze toward Noelle in real life. She sat at herputer, her expression razor-sharp, her focus unbreakable. He found the scene captivating.


    Frank''s voice cut through the moment like a snap. "Lucas, what are you spacing out for?"


    Snapping out of his thoughts, Lucas scrambled to rejoin the team. When he reached the lower floor of the game, Noelle was leading the rest of the team in a relentless, perfectly coordinated offensive.


    Her gunner ss moved with fluid, calcted precision. Every maneuver screamed mastery. It was nothing like Xenia''s clumsy, hesitant gamey.


    Lucas had always dreamed of having this kind of gunner on their team. Ultimately, Noelle made it happen.


    Lucas'' emotions were a tangled mess. He couldn''t exin how he felt.


    Thepetition he cared about the most had only been won because of Noelle the sister he had dismissed and underestimated for so long. The sense of dissonance was overwhelming. He had never felt this way before. The match ended shortly after with a stunning victory.


    As the gunner, Noelle stood alone amidst the battlefield ruins. The in-game setting sun cast a golden glow over her character as she imed victory for the team.


    For a moment, thementators seemed at a loss for words. "And it''s over! Team Luminark wins! That substitute yer was unbelievable. Could she be a student of the legendary King?"


    The crowd erupted into cheers. Fans were even shouting King''s name in celebration.


    When Noelle heard that name-King-she was momentarily lost in thought. In her past life, it had been him who taught her the 12-hitbo.


    She had always wondered about her rtionship with King, but he never admitted it. She''d never met him in person, either.


    King, the legendary yer, had always been an enigma. He never revealed his true identity, and no one knew what he looked like.


    Shaking off the thought, Noelle took off her headset. As she stood up, the thunderous cheers of victory echoed in her ears. She allowed herself a small smile. Now, she could finally make Marty publicly apologize for the disrespectful things he''d said about her parents. Frank was the first to rush to her side, his face brimming with excitement. "Noelle, that performance was incredible! It was your hard work that won us this match for the Liddells. I knew it. You acted like you didn''t want to join the team, but you''ve been secretly practicing, haven''t you?"


    He looked ted. To him, this was proof that Noelle hadn''t changed. Proof that they were still one family.


    But as Noelle listened, her smile began to fade, bit by bit. It felt... disappointing. She turned away andnded her gaze on Marty. "You lost," she said simply.


    Marty''s expression wasplicated as he stared at her. "Who the hell are you?"


    Frank, practically glowing with pride, jumped in before she could answer. "She''s my sister."


    "I thought the Liddell ''sister'' was that other girl-the one who yed terribly. Since when did the Liddells get another sister?" Marty was skeptical.


    Frank''s smile faltered for a moment, but he quickly recovered. "That was our adopted sister. This is our biological sister."


    "You guys at Team Luminark sure y dirty, huh? Send out a terrible yer as a decoy, then pull out your real sister as the secret weapon at thest second to catch us off guard," Marty scoffed.


    Lucas'' face stiffened at the jab, his difort apparent. He still hadn''t fully processed how skilled Noelle had turned out to be.


    Marty stepped closer to Noelle. "But I''ll admit it-you''re good. Really good." After all, not just anyone could pull off the 12-hitbo. Since King''s retirement, no one had mastered that move. Noelle was the first.


    Noelle''s expression remained steady and calm. "You need to honor your promise."


    "Fine. I said some things that were out of line during the match, especially about your parents. That was wrong, and I was being a jerk. I shouldn''t have said it. I''m sorry."


    Noelle listened and nodded. "Make sure it doesn''t happen again."


    But then Lucas spoke up. "That''s it? You''re just letting it go?"


    Noelle turned to him, her expression puzzled.


    Marty sneered. "And what''s it got to do with you? The only reason you even won was because of your sister! If youck the skills, keep your mouth shut."


    The tension between the two red. Frank quickly grabbed Lucas and held him back, preventing any trouble.


    With that, the match officially ended, and the crowd began to disperse.


    Noelle turned and headed backstage. But as soon as she walked in, she saw Xenia standing there, her face streaked with tears, her eyes red and swollen.


    The air between them grew heavy with awkward tension.


    Xenia looked up timidly, her big eyes shimmering with tears, giving her a pitiful, helpless appearance. Anyone else seeing her like this might have felt their heart soften just a little.


    But Noelle''s eyes remained cold. She knew exactly what Xenia was doing. She was ying the victim, as she had done countless times before.


    Xenia''s voice trembled as she spoke, soft and shaky. "Lucas, it''s all my fault. I shouldn''t have left the match like that."


    Her humiliation was genuine, but that wasn''t the whole story. With Lucas relying on her as part of the team, she had expected him to follow andfort her.


    She hadn''t anticipated Noelle recing her entirely and spectacrly winning the match. The shift in dynamics was ring. She realized her position was in jeopardy. Her carefully crafted image was cracking, and now she had to repair it fast.


    But Lucas'' face was stern. "You actually came back? What were we supposed to do about the match if it weren''t for Noelle?"


    Xenia''s tears began to spill over. "It''s all my fault. I shouldn''t have been so sensitive just because you yelled at me. I was too fragile, but I got scared of failing and did something stupid. I promise it won''t happen again."


    As soon as Xenia started crying, the other team members jumped to her defense.


    "Lucas,e on. She''s already apologized. Don''t be so hard on her."


    "Yeah, Lucas. And honestly, if Xenia hadn''t walked out, the substitute wouldn''t have gotten a chance to y. We wouldn''t have even won the match without her," another chimed in.


    The frustration churned in Lucas'' chest again, that same helpless, suffocating feeling. He felt cornered.


    Frank turned to Noelle. "What do you think?"


    Noelle hadn''t expected to be dragged into the conversation so directly. Still, she replied smoothly, "I think Xenia''s already apologized. What more do you want? Lucas, you''re being way too petty. Xenia worked so hard for today''s match. She even sacrificed her grades for this. How could you not appreciate her intentions?"


    Xenia''s teeth clenched subtly as she stood there. She knew precisely what Noelle was doing. Noelle had said that on purpose, subtly fanning the tension between her and Lucas. "When did this woman be so hard to deal with?" she thought.


    Meanwhile, Lucas felt like he had just been punched in the gut. Was Noelle seriously twisting the narrative to make it seem like he was in the wrong? It was absurd. Xenia had messed up the match, yet he was somehow the bad guy. Anger boiled over, and Lucas snapped, "Noelle, you''re doing this on purpose, aren''t you?"


    Noelle''s lips curved into the faintest smile. "Of course, I''m doing it on purpose," she thought. She had been on the receiving end of this dynamic countless times before, and Lucas couldn''t even handle it happening to him just once. Noelle turned on her heel and started walking away without saying another word.


    But Frank''s voice called after her. "Noelle, wait! I''m officially inviting you to join the team. From now on, we''ll face everything together as a family. Let''s put the past behind us. It''s all water under the bridge now." Noelle''s lips curved into a smile, but her expression was as cold as ice.

 Chapter 19

    Noelle stood in ce, looking at the others expressionlessly. She wondered if the Liddell brothers really thought she was still the old Noelle.


    They never asked her opinion, acting like letting it go was a huge favor to her, even though she didn''t care at all.


    Lucas felt diffident. He avoided looking Noelle in the eye while waiting for Frank to step in.


    On the authority as their older brother, Frank continued, "You''ve proven yourself in this repechage, Noelle. No one will be able to rece your position on the team in the future."


    He figured that his words would put Noelle at ease.


    Xenia''s expression darkened instantly. She was beyond frustrated to see how easily Noelle had taken her spot away despite working so hard. Although she had no natural talent, she had put in just as much effort as Noelle. Lucas looked at Noelle with an equally hopeful gaze. Although he said nothing, he hoped she would join their team. He figured that she shouldn''t be sulking anymore now that he had given her an out. Noelle''s gaze was cold when she replied, "I refuse."


    Lucas became somewhat agitated. "Why?"


    Noelle replied, "I joined the repechage this time because they insulted my parents, not because I wanted to join the team."


    "But you''ve clearly been practicing in secret. Wasn''t it just so you could return?"


    They thought that it was impossible for Noelle to be this skilled overnight. They figured she must have been secretly practicing just so she could join the team.


    Lucas refused to believe what she said, staring at her intensely.


    Noelle''s expression was neutral. Her gaze was cold when she replied, "It wasn''t."


    Lucas'' heart sank. He blurted, "Do I have to personally apologize to you for you to forgive me, Noelle?"


    Noelle stopped walking. "This has nothing to do with forgiveness. The Liddell family''s team isn''t the only team in this world."


    She loved ying inpetitions but refused to be confined to Team Luminark. Her implication was clear.


    "I know you hated me, Noelle!" Xenia suddenly cried, her voice choking with tears.


    Almost everyone turned to look at her.


    Xenia walked toward Noelle and said submissively, "Lucas really wants you to join the team. If my presence upsets you, I''ll immediately leave the team. I won''tpete with you for your spot!"


    Noelle replied irritably, "Just shut up, will you? I''m not joining the team because I don''t want to. It has nothing to do with anyone else. Stop putting yourself on the pedestal."


    Xenia continued, "I knew it. You''re still angry! I had overestimated myself and took over your spot.


    "I thought that if I could seize the opportunity you didn''t want, I''d be able to work hard to prove myself and contribute to the Liddell family. But I was just too stupid!" She sniffled, sounding meek and making it impossible for people not to feel sorry for her. Frank felt sorry for Xenia. "Lucas was the one who went overboard and hurt Noelle''s feelings. It has nothing to do with you."


    Lucas felt even more frustrated upon being unfairly med. He nced at how Xenia was acting pitifully, yet he couldn''t muster any sympathy for her. He now regretted his decision to let her join the team. She was better suited to remain as their sweet and obedient sister -not someone to make a name with.


    Seeing Lucas remain unfazed, Xenia steadied herself and quickly took out an eyebrow razor. She pointed it at her wrist and said, "Don''t worry, Noelle. I won''t everpete with you for your spot if I die now!"


    Noelle stumbled back in shock, wondering if Xenia had gone mad. Whether she decided to join the team or not had nothing to do with Xenia.


    In fact, Xenia was the one who originally opposed her joining the team. Noelle thought that Xenia must be out of her mind to try to force her to join the team by resorting to self-harm.


    Lucas was equally shocked. "Calm down, Xenia. This has nothing to do with you."


    Xenia smiled tearfully. "It''s all my fault, Lucas. Perhaps I wouldn''t have upset Noelle if I had never seized the opportunity she didn''t want in the first ce.


    "I''ve already been more than satisfied having grown up in the Liddell family all these years anyway. I wouldn''t mind dying now!"


    Lucas, who had been holding some reservations about her earlier, felt his heart instantly soften.


    Frank anxiously turned to Noelle. "Are you really going to stand there and watch your sister hurt herself, Noelle?"


    Lucas frowned. Although he knew that Xenia''s measure was somewhat inappropriate, he figured that everything would be alright if only Noelle agreed to join the team. All she had to do was to agree to it. Noelle asked indifferently, "I''m sorry, but have you guys mistaken something here?"


    Frank was dumbfounded. He asked, "What do you mean?"


    Noelle said, "Firstly, I''ve made myself clear. I''m not joining the team because I don''t like it. It has nothing to do with any of you.


    "Secondly, what''s the difference between Xenia using self-muttion to force me topromise and me pressuring King to marry me by cutting myself?"


    Her sarcasm hit the mark perfectly. The other teammates, who originally wanted to speak up, all fell silent upon realizing her logic.


    Lucas blurted, "No matter what, Xenia is still part of our family."


    Although Xenia was horrible in the game andcked a sense of responsibility, she was only a teenager in the end.


    Noelle retorted, "Does that have anything to do with me? I don''t care if Xenia self-muttes ormits suicide. None of that has anything to do with me. Stop trying to guilt trip me!"


    "Her father saved your life, Noelle. How could you agitate her like this?" Lucas lost his temper and threw her a harsh p.


    Noelle couldn''t react in time as she never expected him to actually hit her. Aside from ke, her other brothers had never once hit her.


    However, Lucas'' p never fullynded on her face.


    Cedric, who was beside her, had stopped Lucas'' hand just as it had made contact with her face, preventing her from receiving the full force of the p. He had a stern expression when he said, "This is already your second act of violence under child protectionws. Byw, the victim has the right to call the police and seek protection."


    Noelle turned around and stared numbly at him. She wondered why he was there.


    Lucas gritted his teeth and spat, "Who are you? This is a family matter. You have no right to interfere as an outsider!"


    Frank recognized Cedric. He did not expect Cedric to show up here.


    Cedric calmly replied, "That shows how outrageous your behaviors are if an outsider like me couldn''t even stand it anymore."


    His gaze grew cold when he learned that the Liddell family was bullying her yet again. He was about to lose his patience.


    Frank frowned and replied, "You''ve misunderstood the situation, Dr. Greene. It''s different this time."


    Cedric asked, "How is this any different? Your fake sister held everyone back, threw a tantrum, and then disappeared. It was only because your real sister, Noelle, joined in for the repechage game that you received a sincere apology from the other party. "Not only did you guys not treat her better, but you''re even hitting her now? Aren''t you guys ashamed?"


    Frank was instantly speechless. He only now realized how much he had overstepped in his treatment of Noelle earlier. He looked at her guiltily and said, "I didn''t mean it that way, Noelle. I just didn''t want Xenia to do something rash to hurt herself!" Noelle pursed her lips.


    Cedric scorned, "You don''t want your fake sister to get hurt, so you chose to hurt your real sister? What kind of excuse is that?"


    Frank felt more guilty. He turned to Lucas and said, "Hurry and apologize to Noelle! Who told you to hit her?" He was shocked by Lucas'' earlier action.


    Lucas stood stunned, hiding his hands in shame. He never thought he would actually hit her, either. He looked at Noelle diffidently and said, "I only... did it because I got too angry when I heard what you said."


    Lucas wasn''t sure what made him so angry that heshed out unrestrained. It was just like how he used to scold her as he liked.


    After all, no matter how outrageous he was, Noelle never held a grudge against him. He assumed that it would be the same this time. Still, he knew he wouldn''t be doing it in the future anymore.


    Noelle''s cheek was still throbbing in pain, but it did not hurt as much as how she felt. She looked up scornfully and asked, "So?"


    Only then did she realize that she had been a punching bag to Lucas all this while. That was why she had been looked down upon.


    "You should have the right attitude if you''re apologizing." Cedric grabbed Noelle by the hand and used it to deliver a harsh p to Lucas.

 Chapter 20

    Chapter


    20


    The p left Noelle''s hand numb. She looked at Cedric in astonishment. Somehow, she felt as if he seemed taller and more formidable. She never expected him to grab her hand to deliver Lucas a p personally. Everyone wentpletely silent.


    Xenia was overjoyed the moment she saw Lucas getting pped. She was certain that Lucas would never forgive Noelle now.


    Lucas'' eyes were rimmed red as he asked in disbelief, "You dared to hit me, Noelle?"


    He refused to believe it. He was sure that Noelle would fear upsetting him to the point where he''d ignore her forever.


    Noelle slowly retrieved her hand, feeling satisfied. She said calmly, "You pped me earlier. Is there any problem with me returning the favor?"


    Lucas eximed, "But I''m your older brother! I was just preventing you from saying the wrong thing and causing trouble. Isn''t that different?"


    He had always been a prideful person. Even after his apology, he wasn''t expecting to be pped by Noelle, and he felt somewhat embarrassed.


    ? Cedric asked mockingly, "Can you tell me what she said earlier that might have caused trouble?


    Lucas turned to Xenia and replied confidently, "Xenia was feeling emotional earlier. What if she was agitated by Noelle''s words and ended up harming herself?"


    He was adamant that he did the right thing and that Noelle was the heartless person here. Even if she had won the repechage, he''d ensure that she couldn''t harm their family member.


    Cedric nced at Xenia. His gaze turned cold when he said, "We''ve been talking for a while now. If you truly wanted to kill yourself, why haven''t you done it yet? Who are you trying to buy time for?" Xenia was caught off guard by his cruelments. She did not want to kill herself in the first ce. She wondered when Noelle had be close to the sharp-tongued school doctor.


    Xenia was now put in an awkward position. She didn''t know whether to ce the razor down. or continue her act. She could only start tearing up once again before saying, "I... I panicked earlier. I only wanted-" However, Cedric interrupted her, saying, "Just die somewhere else where no one can see you if you''re panicking. However, using suicide to threaten someone to do something they don''t want to is wrong!" Xenia cried out of frustration. She wasn''t acting this time,


    Noelle was tired of everything. She nced at Cedric and said, "Let''s go." She refused to waste her time there any longer.


    Frank frowned and asked, "Where are you going?


    Noelle replied, "I''m free to go wherever I want."


    Frank replied, "You''re still a minor. As your guardian, I have the right to ask you about your whereabouts. You can''t just leave with some random stranger!" He eyed Cedric warily, wondering if thetter was the reason behind Noelle''s drastic changes recently. Lucas stepped forward to block Noelle''s path. "Frank is right. You''re still young. Don''t be deceived by other men''s lies."


    Frank stared Cedric down. "If you try to take Noelle away by force, I''ll call the police on you and tell them you''re abducting a minor."


    Noelle was pissed off. "He''s not abducting me. I''m the one who wants to leave!" She no longer wanted to stay with the Liddell family anymore. They were suffocating her.


    Frank looked at Noelle. "I know you''re in your rebellious phase now, Noelle. You refused to listen to me, but you''ll understand soon that I only have the best intentions for you."


    Cedric chuckled coldly. "You only have the best intentions for her? Is that why you forced Noelle topromise every time a conflict happens?


    "She''s aggrieved and beaten up every time, yet you still want her to be understanding. If this is truly what your best intentions look like, why don''t you try being on the receiving end instead?"


    Frank was rendered speechless. He now realized how little attention he had paid to Noelle back then. He had thought that she wouldn''t care, seeing how she had always been obedient and neverined. It turned out she had been holding it in the entire time. Frank realized that he had been an ipetent older brother to her. At that moment, the police arrived along with awyer.


    Liam Rodrick spoke first, "I''m Ms. Noelle Liddell''swyer. We''ve submitted evidence given her family''s history of violence. She''ll now be transported somewhere she finds safe under the police''s escort."


    Noelle was surprised. She was sure that she hadn''t hired anywyers for herself and wondered if Cedric had hired one on her behalf.


    He nced at her calmly, giving her a sense of security.


    Lucas got upset. "What is this supposed to mean? We''re her guardians. You have no right to do this!"


    Liam stopped him and said, "Ms. Liddell has filed for a protection order, sir. You are now required to stay away from her for six months. We will file awsuit against you immediately if you continue to harm her." Shocked, Lucas found himself at a loss of words. He was feeling angry and hesitant.


    On the other hand, Frank felt frustrated. He only realized that he was about to lose his sister then. He softened his tone and said, "It was my fault for being an ipetent brother. You had to suffer so much, Noelle. But I promise you that it won''t happen again. Can you please not make this a bigger issue?"


    Noelle slowly looked up. Her eyes were clear as she said, "Forget about it." There was no longer a need for him to do so. She turned around to walk away after that.


    Frank''s throat tightened as his eyes started to water. As expected, they had hurt Noelle''s feelings. Now, she refused to believe in him and no longer wanted to return to the Liddell residence.


    Lucas grew anxious upon seeing Noelle''s retreating back. He wondered how she could just walk away and leave the Liddell family just like that when she was their sister. He panicked and turned to Frank. "Find a way to keep her, Frank! We''re a family!" Lucas couldn''t simply let her leave when they still needed her for the team finals.


    Frank smiled bitterly as he asked, "Then why did you hit her earlier, especially when you knew we were family?"


    Lucas fell speechless when he realized that he was the one whoshed out first. He regretted his rash decision now. Still, he attributed it to Xenia''s threats to harm herself with a razor. He turned and red at Xenia, ming her, "Why must you do such a dangerous thing?" He knew that it was all her fault.


    "I just wanted to calm her down and get her to join the team, Lucas. I''m doing this all for your good!" Xenia refused to admit she was unsure of herself.


    Lucas scoffed in disbelief. "Do you think you''ll calm her down by cutting yourself? You''re clearly just guilt-tripping her!"


    Xenia''s expression froze. She couldn''t believe he was smart enough to call her out now. Frank tried to smooth things over and said, "Forget it. You should stop talking, Lucas."


    "That''s just the truth, Frank! I never asked Xenia to harm herself to force Noelle to join the team. She was the one who took the liberty to do it, and it resulted in whatever happened next! "The more Lucas thought about it, the more he felt something amiss.


    Xenia flinched and said pitifully, "I''m sorry, Lucas. I was too dumb and only thought of this method in desperation. I now know I''m at fault. I shouldn''t have done that. I''ll apologize to Noelle and exin everything to her."


    Lucas found himself giving in again when he saw how sincere she was in her apology. "Alright. Just don''t do this kind of thing anymore." Nevertheless, he felt a pang of heartache when he recalled the way Noelle had left earlier.


    Xenia smiled tearfully and resumed her role as their usually obedient sister, yet she was deeply hateful toward Noelle. She had initially thought that she would be able to win Lucas back by threatening to hurt herself. She thought she might even sow discord between Noelle and Lucas. She med Cedric for appearing out of nowhere.


    Xenia gave it some thought before asking, "What''s the rtionship between that school doctor and Noelle, Frank?"


    Frank looked conflicted as he answered, "I''m not sure either."


    Xenia continued, "I''m worried that Noelle might be deceived, Frank. After all, the Liddell family is rich and powerful. Perhaps that school doctor is trying to climb the social ranks by using her."


    Lucas frowned. "How dare he?"


    Frank''s gaze turned cold. He said, "I''ll send someone to bring her back. Then, I''ll have that school doctor disappear from Aldoria."


    It wouldn''t be easy to mess with the Liddell family.


    Xenia''s eyes lit up. She assumed Noelle would be a target for bullying again without Cedric around to support her and influence her.


    However, Frank''s men came back soon after, reporting, "We couldn''t locate Ms. Liddell and that doctor anywhere, Mr. Frank."


    Frank started to panic when he realized that Noelle was missing.

 Chapter 21

    At that moment, Noelle was sitting in the car with Cedric. As she watched the traffic around them, her concern grew. "Frank will definitely send someone after me. He might even cause trouble for you at school."


    After all, this was the Liddell family''s territory. That was exactly why she had endured everything, hoping to leave after the college entrance exams.


    Noelle felt guilty for dragging Cedric into her mess.


    Cedric reached out and gently patted her head. "Don''t worry. They won''t find you. Right now, you should be thinking about where to stay."


    Noelle sighed softly. "I''ll rent a ce." It was something she had always thought about but never had the chance to do. In truth, she wouldn''t have minded if Frank had just kicked her out earlier. It would have saved her a lot of trouble. "I know a ce for rent," he said.


    Noelle didn''t ask too many questions and simply followed Cedric to a nearby neighborhood. The surroundings were beautiful.


    She couldn''t help butment on the interior when she stepped inside one of the apartments. "This ce must be expensive. I''m kind of broke right now!"


    "Money''s not an issue. This is my friend''s ce. He''s not living here anyway. If anything, you''d be helping him look after it by staying here. Honestly, he should probably pay you for that."


    Cedric stood by therge ss window in the living room. His tall, slender figure radiated an


    effortless sense of ease.


    Noelleughed, amused by his response. "Sir, are you sure this isn''t your apartment?"


    He shook his head with a faint smile. "It''s not mine. Mine is next door."


    Her eyes widened in surprise. "Seriously? What a coincidence."


    He smirkedzily. "I wouldn''t feel at ease if you''d rather stay elsewhere. After all, I''m the one who lured you out of there."


    Noelle''s cheeks warmed at his yful remark about luring her out. She hadn''t expected someone as typically reserved as Cedric to make such a joke.


    Realizing his words were a bit inappropriate, Cedric quickly changed the subject. "Just stay here for now. Don''t worry about anything else."


    Noelle nodded. "Alright, but I''ll still pay rent. I can sleep on the couch. I promise not to mess with your friend''s room or touch anything else inside."


    Cedric frowned. "You''re not sleeping on the couch. He''s never even lived here. The guy''s rich and clueless. Don''t stress about it."


    Noelle chuckled. "You two must be pretty close." After all, only good friends would speak about each other that way.


    Cedric nced at his watch and asked, "Do you want to y some games?"


    "Sure," Noelle replied.


    She followed him to his ce next door and realized it was identical inyout. However, Cedric didn''t have much stuff. The space felt empty and minimalist. There were twoputers in the study, both with high-end configurations. When Noelleunched the game, she was surprised to see a live stream on the homepage. It was a clip of her 12-hitbo from the earlier match. The title read, "The Return of King''s Protege."


    She suddenly felt slightly uneasy. After all, she hadn''t mastered the 12-hitbo during the revival round in her past life. Moreover, she had never even met King.


    Cedric nced at her. "When did you learn to pull off a 12-hitbo in the game?"


    Noelle froze, feeling nervous. She didn''t know how to exin it. She wondered if she should tell him she had learned it in her past life.


    King''s 12-hitbo was notoriously tricky to master. Many people spent hours reying tutorial videos but still couldn''t get it right.


    She bit her lip. "Actually, I''m a huge fan of King. I''ve liked him since I was young and secretly practiced his signature move. I never seeded before, but somehow, I managed to pull it off in this match." Cedric''s gaze grewplicated. "You''ve admired him since you were young?"


    "Yeah, that''s right. I''ve always liked him. That''s why I''m so familiar with his moves," she said.


    Noelle felt unsure, but it was the best exnation she coulde up with. She hadn''t lied. She had indeed admired King for a long time.


    She stole a nce at Cedric. His expression turned stiff, and he said almost awkwardly, "Don''t go liking just anyone so easily."


    Noelle was taken aback. "That isn''t the same."


    It was King they were talking about. Anyone who yed this game would admire him. Still, Cedric''s gaze softened as he watched the video of her pulling off the 12-hitbo. Chapter 22

 Chapter 22

    Years had passed, yet Noelle was the only one who had achieved King''s signature 12-hitbo. She and Cedric entered the game and seamlessly teamed up to clear dungeons together.


    Cedric paused and asked, "Have you ever yed a tank role?"


    "No. I mostly y long-range gunner," Noelle replied.


    "You could switch to be a tank. It might suit you better," Cedric suggested.


    Noelle''s pupils contracted at his words. Someone had said the same thing to her in her past life. They encouraged her to y tank. At that time, she had only wanted to y long-range gunner because Lucas'' team needed one.


    For a moment, Noelle felt a surge of excitement. She wondered if Cedric was the same person from her past life. She had never gotten the chance to meet him then, and she regretted not being able to thank him personally. Cedric noticed her staring and asked, "Why are you looking at me like that?"


    "Nothing," Noelle answered quickly. "Sir, do you have someone you like?"


    "No. Why do you ask? Do you have someone you like?" Cedric asked in return. He narrowed his eyes slightly, concerned about her possibly having a crush at her age.


    Noelle looked at theputer screen and said, "I guess so." She was referring to her


    unfulfilled online rtionship from her past life. She so wished she could meet that person again in this life. She remembered the time and ce when she met him and thought that perhaps that was when their paths were meant to cross. Cedric''s voice deepened slightly as he said, "Kiddo, the most important thing for you right now is studying, not dating."


    "I know. I''ll think about it after the college entrance exam," Noelle said. She had met that person after her exams in her past life.


    Cedric was growing frustrated. He thought that early rtionships were troublesome.


    He shut theputer off and said, "After dinner, you need to review your studies and spend less time on games." He figured that she wouldn''t have time to think about anything else if he gave her more assignments.


    After finishing two sets of past exam papers, Noelle was exhausted. Her brain felt too tired to function properly.


    She got up to wash up and sleep, only to realize that she hadn''t brought any spare clothes or toiletries. Noelle hesitated but decided to go out and buy some essentials. As she stepped out, Cedric opened the door and looked down at her. "It''s sote. Where do you think you''re going?


    Noelle felt like she had been caught sneaking out. She quickly responded, "I''m just going to buy some toiletries and pajamas."


    Cedric''s expression froze briefly before he turned and closed the door. "Alright. Let''s go," he said. He had no experience looking after someone, so he hadn''t considered this.


    Most shops were already closed due to thete hour. In the end, Noelle only managed to buy toiletries. She couldn''t find any pajamas or slippers.


    Cedric''s expression remained impassive, but his mood was less than pleasant.


    After returning to the apartment, he immediately called Alfred. "What''s going on with the apartment you arranged? Why aren''t there any essentials?"


    Alfred replied casually, "Look, you asked me to have that apartment ready in half an hour. How could I have arranged for all the supplies at that time? Besides, you could''ve just gone with her to buy them. It would help get you two grow closer."


    Cedric had always been ustomed to having others take care of matters for him. He never had to think about these small details.


    Alfred suspiciously asked, "You didn''t forget, did you? Are you seriously going out to buy things in the middle of the night?"


    Cedric gritted his teeth. "You can shut up now." He hung up the phone, feeling slightly embarrassed. He then nced at the wardrobe.


    Cedric grabbed a pair of his slippers and a clean men''s shirt. He walked over to the neighboring apartment and knocked on the door. After a long pause, Noelle''s soft voice came from inside. "Coming."


    When Noelle opened the door, her hair was still damp, and water dripped onto her clothes.


    Cedric''s gaze flickered momentarily, but he stepped inside without hesitation.


    She instinctively stepped back, but her left foot caught on her right, causing her to lose her bnce and fall toward the ground.


    "Great. How embarrassing," she thought, panic filling her mind.


    However, instead of hitting the ground, she found herself falling against a warm chest. The steady sound of his heartbeat filled her ears.

 Chapter 23

    Noelley in Cedric''s arms, looking dazed and confused. He looked down and saw only her smooth forehead, her wet hair falling between them. He swallowed, then gently let her The clothes are new. You can make do with the footwear for now." Noelle saw the clothes he had left by the door and blushed. "Thanks," she said.


    He noticed her unguarded expression and couldn''t help but scold her gently. "Don''t just open the door at night."


    She met his eyes with calm certainty. "I knew it was you knocking."


    He looked away awkwardly. "Just remember to lock the door."


    She stood by the door, her lips curving into a faint smile. ncing back at the unfamiliar room, she felt that she was about to start a new chapter of her life. As she charged her phone while in bed, she noticed dozens of missed calls, mainly from Frank. There was also a call from Lucas, but it rang only three times before it was dropped.


    She opened her WhatsApp and saw Frank''s texts.


    "Noelle, where are you? Stop being stubborn, okay? Come back. I''ll have Lucas apologize to you!


    ? "You know you can''t hide forever in Aldoria. If Donovan finds out, the consequences will be unimaginable.


    "Noelle, we''re family. Can''t you forgive these small misunderstandings?"


    Noelle''s expression grew colder as she read the texts. She could never forgive them.


    The next day, Noelle and Cedric took a taxi to school. She nced back at him. "I''ll head to


    ss now."


    Cedric watched her safely enter the school before turning his gaze away. A luxury car pulled up beside him, and Alfred stuck his head out. "The Liddells went crazy looking for herst night. If they hadn''t run into us, Noelle would''ve never been able to hide or escape." Indeed, the Liddell family wasn''t to be underestimated. Cedric pursed his lips when he heard this, seemingly lost in thought.


    Meanwhile, Noelle arrived at her ssroom. When she reached the door, people shouted, Noelle''s here! She''s the one who pulled off that 12-hitbo in the match yesterday!"


    "Oh my God, what''s her rtionship with King? I''m so curious!"


    "Can we take a photo together?"


    "1


    Noelle hadn''t expected to be received by so many people. She felt slightly nervous but nodded,


    smiling shyly. "Sure."


    A crowd quickly gathered around Noelle, with many asking for her autograph. The entrance to the ssroom was packed with people both inside and outside.


    Xenia had just arrived at the ssroom entrance. As she watched Noelle being surrounded like a star, that.


    wave of jealousy washed over her. With over ten thousand fans online, she was far more famous than Noelle. She couldn''t believe how these ignorant people missed


    She stered on an insincere smile and said, "Noelle, you didn''te homest night. Where did you go? Frank was almost frantic. Even if you''re upset, you shouldn''t joke with your safety like that."


    Noelle knew that the bitchy Xenia would undoubtedly cause trouble.


    Gwen quickly chimed in, "Xenia''s right. Noelle is just an ingrate. She thinks winning that game gives her the right to act all high and mighty. That''s why she ran off like this."


    Betty rolled her eyes. "I bet Noelle is probably seeing the school doctor and living with him. She''s so young yet already knows how to get men to fall for her."


    Noelle lifted her gaze and calmly replied, "It''s no wonder people always say you two have filthy mouths. I see it now."


    Xenia noticed something from the corner of her eye and quickly said, "Noelle, you don''t know how lucky you are. You have a family who cares about you, yet you''re being very selfish and childish. It''s really shameful." "Am I close to you? Stop putting up an act. No one here is buying it. Aren''t you tired?" Noelle retorted.


    "Noelle, how can you say that? Xenia was up all night worrying about you. You were in the wrong, yet you refuse to let anyone say anything about it." At that moment, Lucas approached, looking at Noelle with aplicated expression. He hadn''t nned on apanying Xenia to school that day, but for some reason, he came. He had a feeling that Noelle would be there.


    He hadn''t slept a wink the whole night.

 Chapter 24

    Lucas couldn''t believe that Noelle had him isted like this.


    When Noelle saw Lucas appear, she wasn''t surprised. "Isn''t Xenia always out all night with you guys?"


    Xenia''s eyes turned red with grievance. "Noelle, how could you say that?"


    "Noelle, stop talking nonsense. Xenia is my sister! You should apologize to her right now!" Lucas snapped.


    Noelle looked at him coldly. "She''s the one who started talking nonsense. I''m just repeating


    what I''ve learned from her."


    Xenia''s voice wavered with a sob. "I-I didn''t mean it that way. You misunderstood me."


    Lucas, who usually kept his temper in check, suddenly lost control. "Noelle, just look at yourself. What have you be? Are you really going to deny spendingst night with the school doctor? Everyone knows it''s true!" Noelle looked at him silently.


    As soon as the words left Lucas'' mouth, he regretted them, but with so many people watching, he said nothing to rify.


    Noelle found the situationughable. "Even if it''s true, what does it have to do with you?" She turned and walked toward her ssroom.


    "Stop right there! What do you mean it has nothing to do with us? You''re getting so full of yourself just because you won a repechage match. Who do you think you are?"


    Noelle let out a cold chuckle without even looking back. She sat at her desk,pletely ignoring themotion outside.


    Watching her aloofness, Lucas felt a surge of rage building inside him. Yet, he dared not escte things further. After all, he was still being shut out and shouldn''t even be at the school.


    Seeing this, Xenia deliberately added, "Lucas, it''s my fault. I shouldn''t have.asked Noelle about it. I just didn''t want her to do something impulsive out of anger."


    "I know. You''re only looking out for her, yet she doesn''t appreciate it," he grumbled. He was frustrated. "Noelle''s attitude is terrible. She doesn''t respect anyone anymore. She''spletely changed. What does she want us to do to make her happy?"


    A hint of mockery shed in Xenia''s eyes. Lucas only realized then that Noelle had already started distancing herself from them. This worked entirely in her favor.


    She quickly shifted the topic. "What about the school doctor? What''s your n with him?"


    "I''ll make him pay for this," Lucas said coldly. He immediately went to Bruce''s office. He needed to make sure that this issue was dealt with.


    Once Xenia achieved her goal, she returned to the ssroom. As she passed Noelle''s desk, she whispered, "Lucas went to see Mr. York."


    Just as she was about to stand up, her Elsian teacher, Avery Gilmore, walked in and


    announced, "ss is starting."


    With no other choice, Noelle sat back down. She found it hard to focus during the lesson. After some time, the ss finally ended. As soon as the bell rang, she stepped out to call Cedric, feeling a twinge of worry. Cedric answered, "What''s wrong?"


    "Lucas went to see Mr. York. You might run into trouble because of it. But don''t worry. I''ll exin everything," she exined.


    "Kiddo, stay out of adult matters," Cedric replied arrogantly.


    Noelle was momentarily stunned. After all, Cedric was the aloof type who always kept things to himself. Yet, she inexplicably trusted his words.


    After hanging up, Noelle returned to her seat and continued studying. She would soon be free with just over a month left before the college entrance exam.


    ? When school was out, Noelle packed her bag before heading to the infirmary.


    Just as she exited the ssroom, she saw Frank waiting by the door, holding an oversized stuffed bear. The sight of that froze her in ce.


    Frank walked up to her. "Noelle, your performance in the repechage was outstanding. I got you a gift. Congrattions! I''m looking forward to your performance in the finals." Noelle was stunned by his words.

 Chapter 25

    Noelle stared at the nt teddy bear. She had never agreed to participate in the finals, She suddenly recalled that this bear was from a brand she liked in the past. It was a limited edition item, so it was tough to buy,


    In her previous life, she had just managed to get one when Xenia decided to do a live stream giveaway. So, Lucas forced her to give up her teddy bear for Xenia,


    Eventually, the toy was given to a fan who turned out to be a psycho. That person had even returned the toy after tearing it apart to stuff dead mice inside of it.


    As Noelle stared at the stuffed animal, she felt as if she was reliving the tragic end of her past life. She had almost forgotten about it, but there was always something to remind her.


    Nearby, one of her fans asked, "Is Noelle really joining the finals? I heard she''s not even on the team list!"


    Frank replied, ¡°The list hasn''t been updated yet. Noelle is part of our family. There''s no way she''d be absent. Besides, thepetition will take ce after the college entrance exam, so it won''t interfere with her studies."


    "How is Noelle so good at gaming and studying at the same time?"


    "I''m so jealous of her for having so many brothers who love her!"


    Noelle held back a sneer when she heard that. She wondered if Frank genuinely thought that a stuffed toy would make her forget everything the Liddell family had done to her. Her expression was cold as she said, "Don''t you know that I stopped liking teddy bears ages ago?


    Frank''s smile faltered. "Really? I thought you used to love them."


    "That was a long time ago. I''m in high school now. My interests have changed."


    Frank felt terrible, and guilt welled up inside him. He was a failure of a brother if he didn''t even know that she no longer liked teddy bears.


    Sensing the tension, Xenie quickly stepped in. "Frank, you''re always busy with work and taking care of us, so it''s normal for you to forget. At least you still remember what Xenia used to like."


    She added, "I no longer have any family to care about what I like. So, I truly envy Noelle for having a family who loves her."


    Her attempt at smoothing things over touched Frank. Noelle kept using him of being biased, but it was hard not to fawn over someone as considerate as Xenia. He responded, Xenia, you''re part of our family. Of course I remember what you like. I''ll make sure to prepare a present for you, too."


    Xenia turned to Noelle, looking overjoyed. "You should ept the present. It might be something you don''t care for, but others can only dream of having it."


    Noelle stared at the other woman. She couldn''t believe that Xenia was intending to take everything from her. epting the situation, she grabbed the stuffed toy from Frank and shoved it into Xenia''s hands.


    "It''s yours now." With that, she turned around and walked away. After all, she didn''t see the point of caring anymore when it was toote. Such meaningless gestures meant nothing to her.


    "Where are you going, Noelle?" Frank quickly ran after her. "I know you''ve been through a lot. I neglected your feelings in the past because of my work, but I promise I''ll never do that again." Hearing this, Noelle only pitied the old version of herself, who had given everything she had without expecting anything in return.


    Her expression was indifferent as she said, "Forget about it. Stop following me."


    Frank put himself in her path. "No, you''reing home with me today. I won''t let you go with that doctor."


    He then exined, "I spoke to your principal earlier. Lucas will be moving out. It will not be a vition of the restraining order. You''re safe now."


    Noelle''s expression darkened. She knew that this would happen.


    "Noelle, I''m your legal guardian, not that doctor. Rumors are starting to circte. You should stay home to focus on your exams."

 Chapter 26

    Noelle lowered her gaze, hiding the fury in her eyes. She hoarsely demanded, "Is this what you meant by not making me sad anymore?"


    Exasperated, Frank responded, "I''m doing this for your own good! A family argument isn''t a big deal, so why can''t we resolve this peacefully? Must you resort to running away to pressure us?" There it was again. He once again imed the actions were done "for her own good". If that were true, why had she been abandoned in her past life, only to meet a tragic end?


    With a cold expression, Noelle strode forward. The only thing keeping her going now was the uing college entrance exams.


    She knew that she couldn''t cause Cedric trouble. Things might have ended well that day, but things would''ve been very different if Frank had been serious.


    After getting into the car, Noelle texted Cedric, "I''m heading to the Liddell residence first. I''ll talk to youter."


    Frank rxed when he saw her get in the car. He was now certain that she was only throwing a tantrum. All he needed to do was y the underdog, and her act started to crack.


    It seemed that he needed to pay more attention to her so that she would not feel neglected or jealous of Xenia.


    When they arrived at the Liddell residence, Noelle alighted from the car and walked away, ignoring everyone else. Frank stared at her and sighed resignedly.


    Xenia struggled out of the car, still clutching the teddy bear. "I''m sure Noelle will understand, Frank."


    Seeing Xenia''s obedient demeanor, Frank couldn''t help but say, "I''d be over the moon if she were as well-behaved and understanding as you.


    Xenia lowered her gaze, wearing a mask of obedience.


    Only Frank and Xenia were present during dinner time. Lucas was nowhere to be found.


    Finishing her meal in silence, Noelle was about to return to her room when she noticed Frank clutching his lower abdomen in pain. She knew that he had a weak stomach and needed constant care.


    In her past life, she''d done everything to take care of him. However, it had been nothingpared to the in bowl of soup Xenia had prepared.


    She would never forget how Frank had smashed the bowl of medicinal congee she made while


    cradling Xenia''s soup, appearing moved.


    Remembering this, Noelle steeled herself and left the dining room, feigning ignorance.


    2/2


    Frank watched her go, feeling disappointed. In the past, Noelle woulde running to express her concern the moment he showed any signs of difort. He couldn''t help feeling worse since Noelle didn''t seem to care at all anymore. Wounded by her carefree attitude, Frank staggered out of the dining room.


    This left Xenia alone in the room. She could sense a subtle change in Frank''s attitude toward her. She worried about it and felt she needed to find a way to fix it.


    Back in her room, Frank''s pained expression kept popping up in Noelle''s head. She told herself to push these thoughts aside. After all, Xenia''s soup was much more helpful than her concern.


    She then pulled out her phone to text Cedric. "My brother didn''t give you a hard time at school today, did he?"


    Almost immediately, a call from Cedric came through. His voice was calm as he told her, "I showed them evidence of the assault, and there was awyer present. What could''ve gone wrong?" Noelle smiled. It was no wonder Lucas had been forced to move out.


    "Let me know if they bother you again, kiddo. I''lle get you right away."


    Noelle bit her lip. "Why are you so nice to me?" She immediately regretted the words as soon as they left her lips.

 Chapter 27

    Noelle''s question made it seem like she was assuming that Cedric had feelings for her. With her phone in hand, she thought back to the person she''d been dating online in her previous life. To be more precise, it was more of a crush since neither of them had ever confessed to each other. However, his presence back then had been like a kindle of fire amidst her miserable life, keeping her warm.


    That was the same feeling Cedric was giving her. But she still couldn''t be sure if they were the


    same person.


    Cedric''s finger twitched. "I don''t need a reason to help someone in need, do I? Even if it had been an olddy crossing the road, I would''ve given her a hand."


    Noelle smiled, suppressing a twinge of disappointment. Feigning nonchnce, she said, "I''m leaving the Liddells for good once the college entrance exams are over. You''re wee to be my neighbor!"


    She was in a good mood as she hung up and showered. Before heading to bed, she even


    managed toplete a set of practice papers. After all, the final mock exams were just around


    the corner.


    She was eager to see how much she''d improved and whether she had a chance at getting into Yole University. Her chances were good as long as she could make it into the top ten in her school.


    The next day, Noelle proceeded to go to school as usual. She watched Xenia bring a bowl of soup over to Frank. "Frank, Gordon told me that your stomach''s been bothering you, so I made this soup for you. It should help." Xenia deliberately revealed the burn marks on her hand. As expected, Frank''s expression softened when he saw her injuries. "You''re hurt. Let the maids handle this next time."


    "You''ve done so much for this family, Frank. This is the least I could do."


    Xenia shed him a sweet, innocent smile.


    Pleased, Frank stole a nce at Noelle. He was sure that she would now have realized that he wasn''t feeling well.


    Noelle sneered inwardly when she saw the bowl of soup. She should have known it would still be making an appearance. Losing her appetite, she stood and left without saying a single word.


    Frank''s mood sank. He wondered if she was truly not going to say anything and considered if she hadpletely stopped caring about him.


    Xenia quicklyforted him. "I''m sure Noelle''s worried about you. She''s just throwing a


    tantrum."


    "Let''s hope so." Frank wanted to believe that Noelle was just acting out, as he couldn''t imagine her cutting ties with the family over such trivial matters. Still, not having her fuss over him left him feeling very unsettled. Xenia, having achieved her goal, left for school as well.


    Gordon, who was standing next to Frank, muttered, "Sir, how could Ms. Liddell not even ask how you were feeling?"


    Frank''s mood lifted slightly when he caught sight of the bowl of soup. He found itforting that at least Xenia was still thoughtful. He swallowed a spoonful of the soup. However, instead of easing up, the pain only seemed to worsen.


    He furrowed his brows. It suddenly crossed his mind that the medicinal congee Noelle used to make would always soothe his pain. So, without thinking, he ordered, "Tell the kitchen to make me the medicinal congee Noelle used to make." Gordon hesitated. "Ms. Liddell used to prepare it herself."


    "It''s just congee. How hard can it be?" Frank snapped, his difort sharpening his tone.


    A nearby maid chimed in, "I heard that Ms. Liddell used to prepare the rice a day in advance. Then, she would carefully prepare fresh ingredients early the next morning. She always followed the necessary steps and timing to a T since a single mistake would ruin the entire dish."


    She added, "She obtained this traditional recipe from a very experienced doctor, and none of us ever learned it. So, all these years, Ms. Liddell had been preparing it herself each time." For some reason, Frank felt even worse when he heard this.

 Chapter 28

    Noelle raised an eyebrow defiantly. She said, "Oh I always keep the fact that Xenia''s father saved me in mind." There was no way she could forget.


    She then refused to continue the conversation and proceeded to shut the door.


    This left Frank standing outside, staring at the ne in his hand. Regret welled up as he reyed his earlier words. However, he felt that Noelle was somewhat to me since she had deliberately provoked him.


    She was a clever girl, so there was no way she wouldn''t have understood what he meant. He wondered if she had deliberately done that because she was still mad.


    Frank stared at the closed door and sighed inwardly, thinking, "What am I supposed to do with you, Noelle?"


    Inside her room, Noelle was in a sour mood. She shouldn''t have allowed herself to hope that her brothers would realize their wrongdoings and regret their actions. She had expected too much and underestimated how important Xenia was to Frank. After all, a simple bowl of soup from Xenia was enough to move him to tears, while the years of medicinal congee she painstakingly made were nothing but trash to him.


    She was done with all that. Now, it was time for her to take everything back.


    She wasn''t going to join Lucas'' team, prepare Frank''s medicinal congee, or maintain Donovan''s firewall system. The same went for her other brothers. She was prepared to take every single thing back.


    Noelle clicked into a gaming forum and discovered that one of her recent posts, "A Beginner''s Guide to Achieving a 12-Hit Combo", had gone viral.


    Many users had saved her post, though a few left mockingments.


    Noelle didn''t bother defending herself since the strategies she''d shared were simply based on what her old friend had told her in the past.


    Just then, she received a message. When she clicked on the sender''s profile, she realized it was


    Lucas'' ount.


    The message read, "Hey, do you remember how you snatched my boss killst time?"


    Of course she did. She''d done it on purpose, after all.


    She ignored him, and a second message arrived. "How about joining a professional team? Feel free to negotiate your terms. I think you have potential, so you should get proper training in a team!" Noelle found his message deeply ironic. She wondered if Lucas had finally realized how


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    Truthfully, be somewhat regretted hitting hy the other day. However, there was no way he would put his pride acide and apologize. After at he''d grown used to having Noelle be the first one tofort him. Time flew by, and soon, it was time for the final mock exarns.


    Noelle was feeling confident with how smoothly her papers had gone. She finished early and had left the ssroom, so she decided to take a walk around the school field to take a breather. However, when she returned, she saw Xenia crying at her desk, her usual entourage nowhere in sight.


    "Don''t cry, Xenia. We know you would never cheat."


    "That''s right. I''m sure our teacher will get to the bottom of this and clear


    misunderstanding."


    up the


    "Exactly. Your grades have always been quite good, so there''s no need for you to cheat."

 Chapter 29

    Frank covered his face with a hand as he slowly realized how much Noelle had done for him. Before this, he had always assumed that the medicinal congee was a simple thing to make.


    Frank was beginning to regret neglecting her. He didn''t even know half of the things she''d done for him. He felt that he had failed as a brother. He finally realized that Noelle wasn''t merely sulking. She''d truly been hurt!-


    He turned to Gordon and said, "Bring me the gifts Noelle gave to Xenia."


    The butler was surprised. "Weren''t those Ms. Liddell''s peace offering? Won''t it be unfair to Ms. Quigley if you take them back?


    "She already feels insecure about living under someone else''s roof, so she''ll feel even more vulnerable if you do this. You shouldn''t feel bad just because of some medicinal congee. Ms. Quigley even made you soup and got hurt in the process."


    Frank hesitated, his resolve wavering as he recalled the sight of Xenia''s burnt hand. After a moment, he said, "Forget it. Just bring the gift I prepared and leave the rest alone for now." He knew he needed to start making some changes.


    That evening, after returning home and having dinner, Noelle locked herself in her room again. Soon, someone knocked on her door, and Frank''s voice rang out. "Noelle, it''s me."


    She went over to open the door, her expression nk. "What do you want?"


    "This is for you."


    She saw a box with a familiar emerald ne inside. Wasn''t that the apology gift she''d given Xenia? She wondered what her brother was up to now.


    Frank admitted regretfully, "I know I''ve done things in the past to make you sad. I''m returning this ne to you, and I''ll buy Xenia a new one. This ne is special to you, so I never should have asked you to give it away." He had spent the entire day feeling sorry for his thoughtless actions at the banquet the other day.


    Noelle was taken aback. She never would have expected her brother to "return" the ne to her. She found his behavior surprising.


    In her past life, she had never gotten anything back before her death.


    Noelle averted her gaze, her voice steady. "Forget it. Gifts aren''t meant to be taken back."


    "Please ept it, Noelle. I''ll feel terrible if you don''t. Just think of it as my way of apologizing, all right?"


    She questioned his apology and wondered if he was only giving her a carrot after giving her


    the stick.


    Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Xenia hiding nearby. So, she deliberately raised her voice and said, "You shouldn''t be doing this, Frank. I gave this to Xenia as a gift, so how could you take it away without asking? You''re going to hurt her feelings. Aren''t I right, Xenia?" Guilt shed across Frank''s face when he turned around and saw Xenia around the corner. After all, he hadn''t asked for her permission.


    Xenia forced herself out of her hiding spot and said, "Noelle, I was just keeping them for you temporarily. I''m more than happy to return them to you. After all, I know someone like me doesn''t deserve such valuable things."


    She sounded extra sincere in herments. However, she immediately pretended to be hurt by turning around and wiping her tears away.


    Frank instantly panicked. "Xenia?"


    Noelle leaned against the doorframe. "You had better gofort her, Frank."


    Frank pressed his lips together. "I came here to apologize, Noelle. Why did you have to say those things to hurt Xenia?


    "I know I''ve made you sad, but Xenia hasn''t done anything wrong. Besides, don''t forget that her father saved your life!"


    A self-deprecating smile appeared on Noelle''s lips. She should''ve known that nothing had really changed. She''d nearly fallen for his act. Chapter 29

 Chapter 30

    Noelle quickly pieced together the events. She''d always suspected Xenia of faking her grades since one of her minions had decent results. However, this incident had never urred in her past life.


    This time, it was probably because Xenia had been so distracted by gaming that she was left with no other choice but to cheat to keep up the facade.


    Still, during the college entrance exams in Noelle''s past life, everyone eventually saw through Xenia''s act. After all, thetter''s results were even worse than Betty''s.


    On the contrary, Noelle had performed exceptionally well.


    So, Xenia med Noelle for her poor performance, iming that her presence had affected her mood.


    This caused the Liddell brothers to neglect Noelle even more. Eventually, ke proposed the two of them apply to the samemunity college with the excuse that they could look out for each other. This counted as Noelle''s way of apologizing for jeopardizing Xenia''s results.


    What kind of twisted logic was that?


    Still, she hadn''t dared to go against her brothers demands back then. Thus, she agreed.


    ? Lost in these memories, Noelle snapped back to the present when Gwen burst into the ssroom, yelling at Xenia. "You''re the one who wanted to cheat, so why am I the one getting punished?"


    Tears streaming down her face, Xenia looked up and cried, "Why are you using me of cheating? That note wasn''t even my idea!"


    "It was, so why won''t you admit it? Aren''t we supposed to be friends? How could you stab me in the back like that?"


    Gwen was nearly hysterical. Such an incident could really affect her college entrance exams.


    Xenia maintained an innocent facade as those around her scolded Gwen for making baseless


    usations.


    On the inside, Xenia was unbothered since she knew that nothing would happen to her. She was confident that her teachers and ssmates would always believe her.


    Gwen turned to Noelle in despair. "Now I understand how you feel. Xenia is actually a wolf in sheep''s clothing!"


    A mocking smile appeared on Noelle''s face. She was satisfied that someone else finally


    understood how she felt.


    Gwen rushed over to her. "You know the truth, don''t you? Xenia''s grades were never that


    good. And I''m the one who has been doing her homework this entire


    She continued, "We take our papers in the same room. You must have seen what happened since you walked past our ssroom after handing in your papers early. Be my witness and exin things to our teacher!" Gwen was certain that Noelle could help her. After all, she and Xenia had always been at odds.


    Xenia frowned, uncertain if Noelle knew the truth.


    However, Noelle brushed Gwen''s hand away coolly, "Everyone knows what kind of person Xenia is. How could you use her without any evidence?"


    Gwen immediately paled. She hadn''t expected Noelle to take Xenia''s side.


    Noelle remained indifferent. She was no saint. She had no intention of helping someone who had spread countless hurtful rumors about her in her past life. It was time for Gwen to taste her own medicine. Xenia immediately rxed after hearing Noelle''s words.


    With a pitiful look, Xenia said, "I can''t just stand by and watch my friend make a mistake. I''m sure our teachers will forgive you if you admit your wrongdoings and apologize."


    Betty chimed in, "Xenia''s right. You can''t just go around using people like that."


    Gwen turned to Betty and sneered, "Mark my words. What''s happened to me will soon happen to you as well."


    Betty looked uneasy. "Nonsense. You tried to cheat and got caught. You can''t expect Xenia to lie for you."


    Gwen raised her voice. "Xenia, did you really think that I don''t have any evidence? I''m going this top student to expose the truth about your fake grades. Let''s see how long you can keep up this top act!" Xenia immediately paled. She wondered if Gwen had lost her mind.


    Just then, their homeroom teacher entered the room. "Gwen, what proof do you have?"


    "There''s proof on my phone that I''vepleted all of Xenia''s homework. And during the exam, Noelle happened to walk by when I was passing the note, so she must have seen it."


    Lionel turned to Noelle and asked, "Is that true?"


    Noelle paused to think about it. In truth, she hadn''t been paying much attention. She could only recall Xenia ncing back.


    A


    great opportunity had just been handed to her. She wondered if Xenia would be screwed if she imed to have seen it.

 Chapter 31

    Almost everyone turned to look at Noelle, including Xenia, who looked especially tense.


    Before anyone could speak, Xenia cut in. "Noelle Gwen and several others have used you of cheating before, so you must understand how I feel right now. I know you''ve always hated me, but we''re family, aren''t we?"


    Seeing how nervous Xenia was, Noelle realized that there were times when even she could feel fear.


    Noelle said calmly, "I seem to recall Xenia turning her head." She was simply stating the truth, yet Xenia''s eyes instantly went red with panic.


    "How could you say that, Noelle? Earlier, you said Gwen was lying."


    Betty quickly agreed. "Yeah, we heard you earlier Who would believe you if you keep changing your story, Noelle?"


    Noellezily said, "I wasn''t really thinking hard earlier, so it just came to my mind."


    Xenia was furious and cursed Noelle inwardly. She stared at Lionel pitifully and argued, "I really didn''t cheat. I only turned around because Gwen was calling me. I didn''t even know it was there. She must have tossed the note into my deskpartment when I wasn''t paying


    attention."


    Lionel


    had been buying Xenia''s story, suddenly thought of the incident where Noelle had been falsely used of cheating. Now, he couldn''t help but question Xenia''s character.


    Eventually, he ordered, "Xenia, Gwen, follow me to the office."


    Noelle stayed seated as her ssmates began gossiping about the incident. Unbothered, she opened her textbook to gauge how she''d done on the exam.


    Not long after, Sophia Miller approached her. "Mr. Kramer wants you in the office."


    Noelle had anticipated this to happen, so she got up and left. At the office, she noticed that Gwen was nowhere to be found. Instead, Frank was present. She figured that Xenia must have called in backup.


    With tears churning in her eyes, Xenia nced at Noelle and asked, "Do you hate me that much, Noelle? What do I have to do to get you to forgive me?"


    Noelle remained calm. "I was just stating what I saw. If I really wanted to ruin you, I would''ve just said that I saw you cheating."


    Xenia''s face immediately flushed red.


    Frank stepped in and admonished, "Don''t speak like that! Xenia is part of our family. You should''ve known how to handle this!"


    Noelle turned to look at her brother. "And what did you expect me to do? Was I supposed to say that I hadn''t seen anything? Fine. I never saw Xenia turn her head."


    Frank was beginning to feel irritated. Why couldn''t she understand what he was trying to say?


    Lionel cleared his throat. "I think I''ve gotten the gist of the situation. Xenia, you''re partly to me. You shouldn''t have gotten others to do your homework and shouldn''t be talking during exams." Frank quickly defended Xenia. "Mr. Kramer, Xenia only asked someone else to help with her homework because of some family issues. I can vouch for that."


    In Frank''s eyes, having a ssmate do Xenia''s homework was trivial. After all, she had her


    reasons.


    Xenia looked even sadder. "Frank, I had no idea Gwen would frame me for cheating just because I asked her to repay the money I loaned her."


    "Xenia, you''ve always been kind and always tried to help your less fortunate ssmates. However, some boundaries shouldn''t be crossed." Frank firmly believed that Xenia had been framed. Lionel concluded, "We''ll discuss how to handle this matter further. For now, both of you should return to ss."


    Noelle turned and left without saying a single word.


    Frank immediately followed after her. "Noelle, how could you testify against Xenia? Have you considered what would happen if the teacher decides she''s guilty?"


    Noelle stopped dead in her tracks. "And have you thought of what would happen to Gwen if Xenia really did cheat and shirked the me?"


    "Impossible. Xenia would never do something like that," Frank denied without thinking.


    Noelle snickered. She felt that there was no point in continuing the conversation.


    "Noelle, I know you''re upset and think that we favor Xenia, but that''s only because her father saved your life! Besides, what''s wrong with us treating a lovely and sensible girl like her better? If you''re angry, take it out on me, not Xenia!"


    Noelle could feel her temples throbbing with frustration.

 Chapter 32

    Chapter


    32


    It took a moment for Noelle to retort, "Fine. I''ll me myself! Happy?" She med herself for being blind and not seeing through this so-called "family bond" sooner!


    She stormed back into the ssroom, leaving Frank standing outside helplessly. He genuinely wanted to mend their rtionship, but Noelle seemed determined to keep him at arm''s length. He wondered about how he could make her understand that he was only strict with her because she was his biological sister.


    Xenia wasn''t rted to them by blood, so he had no expectations for her. He really wasn''t being biased!


    Xenia approached him cautiously. "I''m sorry, Frank. Maybe I should just move out. That way, Noelle will stop being angry with all of you."


    She continued, "I''d hate to be the reason your rtionship is souring."


    Frank forced a smile. "Don''t be silly. This has nothing to do with you, so you don''t need to move out. After all, you''re my sister and always will be."


    Xenia broke out into a tearful grin. "Pinky promise?"


    Frank was pleased with her attitude. He wished Noelle were as understanding. "Just focus on your studies. Don''t ask your ssmates to do your homework anymore," he said warmly. Xenia''s smile faltered. "I know I was wrong."


    "Correcting your mistakes is what matters."


    Frankpared Xenia''s honest attitude and could not help wishing that Noelle could do the


    same.


    Back in the ssroom, Noelle noticed the empty seat where Gwen used to sit but felt no sympathy.


    A few dayster, the school issued a notice regarding the cheating incident. Gwen had received an official warning and demerits, while Xenia was reprimanded in front of the entire ss.


    Then, Lionel held up thetest test results and announced, "The exam scores are out now. I want to praise Noelle for showing remarkable improvement. She came in tenth ce this time. She''s the perfect example of how powerful a final push can be, and all of you should learn


    from her."


    The ss instantly buzzed with excitement.


    "Oh my gosh, not only is she good at gaming, but her grades are amazing too!"


    "If she can improve this much, I must still have a chance. I want to apply to the same university as her!"


    "How does she manage to excel at both at the same time?"


    Noelle looked at her score. She smiled in satisfaction. She wondered if this meant that she had a real shot at Yole University.


    Lionel turned to her, smiling. "Noelle, why don''t you share some tips on how you improved so much? I''m sure your ssmates could learn a thing or two."


    After all, Noelle had been performing exceptionally welltely.


    Noelle stood up, surprisingly nervous. "It''s simple. I realized that I should be living for


    myself. Since then, I''ve been staying upte doing practice questions."


    This time, she would work hard for herself, not for her family. After all, she had sacrificed so much in her past life to only end up dying.


    Xenia watched Noelle bask in the spotlight, her face twisting with jealousy. She inwardly questioned why that bitch had done so well in her exams.


    Xenia red at her own scores and crumpled the paper into a ball. She med Gwen for being careless and getting caught. Otherwise, her scores would have been so much better.


    After their lunch break, Noelle returned to the ssroom. She was surprised to find a few love letters on her desk.


    Sophia leaned over andmented, "You''re so popr now that everyone knows you''re great at gaming and a top student. Even the heartthrob from the school next door is trying to ask for your number." The heartthrob from the school next door? Wasn''t that Xenia''s secret crush?

 Chapter 33

    Noelle thought of Justin Parham, the transfer student from Yasnia they were talking about. He was one of the rich kids from Tuxbridge. She''d heard rumors that he had caused trouble at his previous school and was nowying low here. He was a shy person known for driving luxury cars, wearing designer clothing, and his affinity for gaming.


    In Noelle''s previous life, Xenia had stolen her win in the gaming championship. Because of that, Justin had fallen for Xenia, and they eventually ended up dating.


    Smiling, Noelle stuffed the letters under her desk without even opening them. She also didn''t bother bringing up Justin asking for her number


    Xenia couldn''t hide her jealousy. She asked, "Noelle, aren''t you going to take a look at them?"


    "It''s nothing new to me." Noelle used to get letters back in elementary school, too. That was before her parents'' ident and Xenia''s appearance.


    Noelle''s indifferent tone stung Xenia, who felt that the former was being too smug.


    Envy clouded Xenia''s eyes. She recalled the submissivemb Noelle used to be, confused about why she had changed so much. She couldn''t help worrying that Noelle would really steal Justin from her.


    When school was over, Noelle packed her bag and left immediately. Xenia hesitated for a while before eventually sneaking to Noelle''s desk and taking away all the letters.


    Meanwhile, Noelle was headed to the infirmary. She was nning to surprise Cedric, but he


    was nowhere to be found.


    Taking out her phone, she texted him, "My results are out! I got tenth ce! I think I have a real shot at Yole University now."


    She was overjoyed and couldn''t wait to share her excitement with him. She happily awaited his reply when someone else''s voice broke out.


    "I heard you did very well this time, Noelle. Congrattions.


    11


    Noelle lifted her head to see Frank standing before her. Her smile instantly vanished. "It''s no big deal."


    Frank handed her a gift box. "I picked this out to congratte you. Didn''t you used to say that you like this jewelry brand?"


    Noelle nced at the ne inside the box. She wondered if this was supposed to make up for the emerald ne he''d given away.


    Just then, Xenia walked over. She spotted the ne and stiffened. "What a beautiful


    ne! You should try it on, Noelle," she muttered bitterly.


    Noelle barely looked at it. "I don''t like it."


    Frank''s smile faltered. Stiffly, he told her, "I''ll change it to something you like. Tell me what kind you want." He had bought this ne after she refused to ept the previous emerald ne. He had been confident that this new one would do. Noelle could clearly tell that he was trying to make things up to her. However, a simple ne wasn''t going to erase the pain she''d endured.


    Xenia was surprised by Frank''s shift in attitude and wondered if he was trying to reconcile with Noelle. This scenario was far different from what she''d nned.


    She hastily chimed in, "Noelle, it''s not Frank''s fault for not knowing what girls like. That''s just how he is. I''m so jealous of you!"


    Annoyed, Noelle snapped, "Then, you should try making it into the top ten." Inwardly, she just wanted Xenia to drop her innocent facade.


    Tears immediately welled up in Xenia''s eyes. "I didn''t do so well this time because of Gwen. I would''ve done better otherwise."


    Frankforted her awkwardly. "I know it wasn''t your fault. Come on. Get in the car. I''ll take both of you out for a meal to celebrate." He could feel a headache setting in and was eager to change the subject.


    Xenia''s stiffened. She wondered what was there to celebrate when she hadn''t performed well This meal was clearly meant for Noelle.


    Displeased, she asked pointedly, "Noelle, how did you improve so much? Do you have a secret trick?"


    "The only trick is to focus on studying instead of gaming," Noelle replied tly.


    The tears in Xenia''s eyes finally spilled over. "B-But you even received so many love letters."


    Hearing this, Frank demanded, "What''s this about?"


    Xenia quickly exined, "Noelle''s really popr in school now. Even students from other schools are trying to get her number."


    Frank frowned as Cedric came to mind. He warned Noelle, "You''re still too young. Your only priority right now is your education. Don''t let other things distract you."

 Noelle and Cedric Chapter 34

    Noelle hummedzily in response. She wasn''t interested.


    Xenia was rmed to see Frank not losing his temper.


    Frank turned to her and said, "Xenia, just try harder next time. There are still the college entrance exams. I''m sure no one will interrupt you this time."


    Xenia clenched her fists. She had med her poor grades on the gaming incident and expected the Liddells topensate her. Yet, an even worse situation happened. How could they think of taking the emerald ne back? Frank was clearly beginning to treat her differently, so she had to think of a way to stop this!


    Their car soon pulled up at a fine dining restaurant.


    Noelle stepped out of the car unhappily. She would rather do revisions at home than be forced


    to share a meal with Frank and Xenia.


    Xenia''s eyes lit up when she saw where they were. "You brought us here? You treat Noelle so well! I''ve been asking you to take me here forever, but you''ve always said no.


    Noelle nced at the restaurant. In her past life, the establishment had been a very famous member-exclusive restaurant. Because of that, many people unted their wealth by being members.


    In this life, the restaurant had only recently opened.


    Frank sighed. "I was really busy before. Besides, we''re here now."


    "I''m just here to tag along. I know Noelle''s the main star today."


    Xenia sneakily snapped a few photos to show it off on her social mediater.


    Frank nced at Noelle, surprised to see her calm demeanor, which waspletely different


    from Xenia''s.


    As they waited for the elevator in the lobby, Noelle suddenly froze when she caught a glimpse of someone on the second floor. It appeared to be Cedric!


    She thought she might have been mistaken, but that person''s side profile looked just like him. She quickly looked away when she saw that he was with a gorgeous woman. Her heart pounded as she wondered if he hadn''t responded to her earlier texts because he was in the middle of a


    date.


    Noelle didn''t know how to feel about it. It wasn''t surprising that someone would pursue Cedric, as he was a handsome man with a good job. However, he''d previously told her that he didn''t have a girlfriend. Had he gotten one since then?


    Noelle was lost in thought as they made their way into a private room. She nced at her phone again, but there was still no reply. She wondered if he was too upied to reply.


    "What are you thinking about, Noelle? Quick,e here. Donovan''s on the phone, and you know how busy he is."


    Snapping out of her thoughts, she saw Frank holding up a phone for a video call. The stern man on the screen was her eldest brother, Donovan Liddell.


    She walked over quietly and simply greeted, "Donovan." An awkward silence filled the room after her one-word sentence. In the past, she would go out of her way to behave obediently and strike up conversations.


    However, in her previous life, Donovan was the one who had kicked her out of the house and cut off her financial support. She was done ying the dutiful younger sister.


    Donovan frowned. "Noelle, it''s good that your grades have improved recently, but don''t get too cocky. Xenia''s grades have dropped significantly this time, so you need to help her out more. After all, we''re family." Noelle scoffed at how simr he sounded to Frank.


    "Frank hired a tutor. She doesn''t need my help," she replied impatiently.


    "What kind of attitude is that, Noelle? This is not a negotiation. I''m telling you to help Xenia with her grades, understand?"


    As the eldest child, Donovan had always been the boss of the family. He''d heard of Noelle''s recent changes and how she was beginning to distance herself from the rest of the family.


    Noelle slowly raised her head and looked straight at him through the screen. "I refuse." She


    wasn''t going to do it.


    Donovan''s expression darkened instantly. "Say that again!"

 Noelle and Cedric Chapter 35

    Despite how petite she was, Noelle''s eyes were brimming with rebellious determination. She firmly answered, "My answer won''t change even if I say it a hundred times. I refuse."


    Xenia seized this opportunity to sweetly say, "Don''t be angry, Donovan. I already have a tutor, and my grades will improve soon. Noelle''s grades improved because of how hard she''d been revising. I''ll learn from her, I promise!" Frank, trying to remediate, chimed in, "Don''t worry about their grades, Donovan. I''ll handle it.


    However, Donovan was still furious. "Stop making excuses for her! Do you think that I don''t know what she''s like? She''s acting out just because she isn''t happy that Xenia joined our family!"


    He snapped at Noelle, saying, "Let me make this clear, Noelle. No matter how much you''re against it, Xenia isn''t going anywhere, even if you leave the house. She''s here to stay, you hear me?


    Noelle''s head was lowered, her expression hidden. Frank felt sorry for her. "Noelle, Donovan doesn''t mean it that way."


    Noelle slowly raised her head to reveal her face that was devoid of emotion. Coolly, she said,. It doesn''t matter." Without saying another word, she stood up and left.


    Frank paled and was about to go after her when Donovan''s furious voice rang out behind him. "Stop! That kid has you in the palm of your hand because of how soft you are."


    Frank sighed, exasperated. "It''s not like that, Donovan."


    Noelle had changed. If this had been the past, he might have also thought that she was just being stubborn.


    However, her expression earlier worried him. He''d never seen her wear that look before.


    Xenia stepped in. "Guys, don''t fight. I me myself for not doing so well this time. If only I were as smart as Noelle. Unfortunately, I''m just not.


    Donovan''s tone softened. "It''s not your fault. The gaming team wasted too much of your time. ke already told me everything, so you should stop defending Noelle. Just because she''s our biological sister doesn''t mean that we''ll favor her over you." Xenia wiped her tears away, her expression brightening. "Thank you, Donovan. I''ll try harder from now on."


    Donovan was the most challenging person in the family to suck up to. He was also rarely home, which made Xenia fear him the most. But thanks to Noelle''s outburst that day, she''d gotten the perfect opportunity to try and win his favor. Charter 35


    Frank, however, felt that his brother had misunderstood Noelle, "Donovan, Noelle took part in thepetition too. The team wouldn''t have won if it weren''t for her."


    "As if I don''t know that she refused to join Lucas team just so that he would beg her. However, she got jealous when Xenia stepped in and secretly practiced so she could steal the spotlight again."


    "It''s not like that, Donovan," Frank protested weakly, feeling a wave of helplessness wash over him. For the first time, he realized that he had treated Noelle the same way Donovan was treating her. He wondered if they had hurt her so much she wanted to distance herself from them.


    Guilt stole his breath away as he finally understood what a terrible brother he''d been. Perhaps he was the one at fault here, not Noelle.


    He watched as Xenia and Donovan continued chatting away, not caring about Noelle''s absence. The sight made him ufortable since that day was supposed to be a celebration of Noelle''s good grades.


    He quietly slipped out of the room while Donovan wasn''t paying attention and tried calling Noelle, but she didn''t pick up. He quickly sent her a message. "Noelle, where are you?"


    In the restroom, Noelle nced at her brother''s message before getting up and leaving the stall she was in. At the sink, she caught a glimpse of her reddened eyes in the mirror. Despite how much she reminded herself not to let the Liddells'' hurt her again, Donovan''s words still stung.


    Noelle sshed her face with cold water, telling herself to hang on for just one more month, She left the restroom and headed toward the elevator to leave the restaurant.

 Noelle and Cedric Chapter 36

    "What are you doing here?" someone asked.


    Noelle looked up to see Cedric and quickly lowered her head, flustered. She responded, "To eat. "Her voice was slightly hoarse.


    Cedric stepped closer. "Have you been crying?" He detected something wrong with her tone of voice.


    Without thinking, she said, "No."


    Just then, the elevator doors opened, and Frank stepped out.


    When she saw him, she immediately threw herself into Cedric''s arms, clutching his shirt tightly. She kept burrowing deeper into Cedric''s embrace, not wanting to be seen by Frank.


    Cedric was frozen. He peered at the girl pressed against him. She was so close that he could almost smell her. He gulped and tried to put some distance between them. But as soon as he moved, she wrapped her arms around his neck. They were so close that others might have mistaken them for a pair of passionate lovers.


    Cedric pressed his lips together, taken aback by her actions. It was rare for aposed man


    like him to be at a loss of how to react.


    Noelle peeked out and let out a breath of relief when she saw that her brother had returned to the room. This was when she finally realized how intimate their posture was.


    It also dawned on her how tall Cedric was. She stood on tiptoe while he bent over, just so she


    could hold on to his neck.


    Face flushing with embarrassment, she quickly let go. "I, uh, saw my brothering out from the elevator and didn''t want to get caught, so I used you as a shield."


    Cedric narrowed his eyes. He was beginning to piece together why she was there and in low spirits. He teased her. "Do you just grab any random man to hide behind?"


    Noelle looked at him in surprise. "I don''t think so." She''d acted without thinking because the person next to her had been Cedric. She doubted she would have done the same if it had been anyone else. Satisfied with her answer, Cedric''s mood lightened up. "Did youe with them?"


    "Yeah. It was supposed to be a celebratory meal for my good grades," Noelle replied, her tone dripping with sarcasm.


    She peeked at him and recalled the beautiful woman he''d been with earlier. She wondered why he was alone now.


    Cedric calmly responded, "Tenth, huh? Not bad.


    Her voice wasced with pride as she retorted, "It''s okay, I guess. I should have a shot at Yole University now." She remembered how he''d previously remarked that her ranking wasn''t high enough. Cedric chuckled. "Have you eaten?"


    ""No. I don''t want to eat here."


    "Because of the ones back there?"


    Noelle nodded. "You can go ahead if you''re busy. I''m heading back to my apartment." She didn''t want to go home that night, either.


    "If anyone''s leaving, it''s them, not you."


    Noelle was puzzled. Was he going to make Frank and Xenia leave? She didn''t think that was possible!

 Noelle and Cedric Chapter 37

    Noelle watched as Cedric took out his phone and walked to the side to make a call. She remained hidden near the fire escape, keeping herself out of sight in case Frank appeared again.


    After his call, Cedric strutted over and peeked down. With his usual arrogant swagger, he said, "Let''s go."


    "Where to?"


    "To watch a show."


    Noelle followed him to the elevator, which brought them to the third floor. The atmosphere and design there werepletely different from the lower floors.


    She stole a nce at the man beside her. Rumor had it that only premium members could ess the third floor. There was probably no one in Aldoria who could ess this floor yet. However, no one tried to stop him from bringing her up here. In fact, the staff were exceptionally respectful to Cedric.


    Noelle whispered, "I heard that regr members aren''t allowed toe up here."


    "I know."


    Noelle nced at Cedric. She wondered if he was dodging her question by giving her a stupid answer. She was trying to understand why he could walk around the ce freely.


    Lost in her thoughts, she didn''t notice him stop walking and bumped into his back. He turned to look at her, amused. "Watch the show for now. I''ll exin everythingter." Noelle stopped him when he turned to leave. "Where are you going?"


    "The restroom."


    She watched him take the elevator down instead of going to the restroom nearby. She wanted to know where he was headed.


    Noelle finally realized that she was in a corridor that overlooked the second floor. From where she stood, she could clearly see the room Frank and Xenia were in.


    Something about the situation felt off. Just then, she saw Cedric exit the elevator on the second floor.


    The door to the room opened, and Frank and Xenia stepped out, apanied by staff who appeared to be saying something.


    Frank seemed to be very displeased. Nheless, he led Xenia toward the elevator.


    Cedric didn''t move. It was as if he''d been expecting them.


    Frank frowned when he saw Cedric. "What are you doing here? Is Noelle with you?" He figured that the restaurant must be clearing guests out because someone important was arriving. Although the Liddell family was quite influential in Aldoria, the restaurant belonged to someone even more powerful from Yasnia.


    Xenia immediately added fuel to the fire. "That can''t be. This restaurant only wees members. How could a school doctor afford to be one? Noelle must have brought him in." Although Cedric was handsome, it meant little to Xenia if he was merely a school doctor.


    Cedric''s gaze turned cold. "Escort her out."


    Instantly, two waiters appeared out of nowhere and approached Xenia. Panicking, she quickly hid behind Frank. "Frank, I''m scared!"


    cing himself firmly in front of Xenia, he demanded, "What is the meaning of this?"


    "Exactly what I said. She''s too noisy, and I need a word with you."


    Cedric''s firm tone left no room for discussion.


    Frank nced around and noticed that the vicinity had been cleared. A flicker of doubt crossed his mind. Did this doctor have something to do with the evacuation of the restaurant? Last time, Frank wasn''t able to locate Noelle when Cedric took her away, even with the Liddell family''s resources. He''d also tried digging into Cedric''s background but to no avail.


    Cedric was aplete mystery to him. Frank couldn''t be sure if the man was trying to gain Noelle''s trust for calcted reasons, but that didn''t seem likely.


    After all, Noelle had never left Aldoria before. It was impossible that she would have offended anyone.

 Noelle and Cedric Chapter 38

    Frank also happened to be curious about Noelle and Cedric''s rtionship. So, he turned to Xenia and told her, "Wait for me outside."


    "But Frank-"


    "Do as I say!"


    Xenia had no choice but to leave.


    Frank studied Cedric. It was now clear that Cedric was no ordinary man.


    "Where''s Noelle?" asked Frank.


    "I don''t need to answer you," Cedric replied coldly. "But she''s under my protection now, so I don''t want you guys doing anything to hurt her again before her exams." "Hurt her? I wouldn''t hurt my sister! The real question is, what is a doctor like you trying to gain from her?"


    Frank''s suspicions about Cedric were only deepening.


    Cedric''s stare was piercing as he curtly said, "That''s none of your concern."


    "Of course it is. She''s my sister."


    Frank recalled how Cedric had called the police thest time, forcing Lucas to move out and


    keep a distance from Noelle.


    With his hands in his pockets, Cedric''s eyes had an arrogant glint as he said, "You should be worrying about your fake sister instead. And stop pretending to care about Noelle." Just then, the elevator doors opened, and a middle-aged man stepped out.


    Frank immediately told the man, "Mr. Wilcher, there''s an unknown guest here." He was trying to use the restaurant manager to uncover Cedric''s identity.


    The manager nodded respectfully at Cedric before turning to Frank. "Mr. Liddell, I''m afraid to inform you that we''re clearing out our vicinity and would need you to leave as well." Frank nced at Cedric. "What about him?"


    "This way, please." The manager avoided the question as a waiter appeared to escort Frank to


    the elevator.


    Before the doors closed, Frank saw Cedric standing confidently with his back toward him. From the manager''s humble posture, it was clear that Cedric was no ordinary school doctor. Inside the elevator, Frank''s thoughts turned to Noelle. He had no idea when she started hanging out with people like this.


    Frank thought back to her recent changes and wondered if Cedric was the reason she''d found the courage to stand up against the family. The very thought gave him a headache. He was determined to investigate Cedric thoroughly. He needed to move quickly, especially before his ill-tempered eldest brother found out.


    Frank pulled out his phone, but Noelle hadn''t picked up his calls or responded to his messages.


    Upstairs, Noelle watched her brother leave the restaurant and turned to see Cedric calmly making his way over.


    "They''re gone," he told her.


    Noelle was surprised. "How did you do it?" She hadn''t believed him earlier when he said that Frank and Xenia would be leaving. After all, this was Aldoria.


    Cedric stood before her and said, "I called a friend."


    "Your friend must be quite impressive. He has ess to the third floor and even got the restaurant to clear their guests out."


    Cedric replied nonchntly, "He''s not too bad."


    Noelle''s mood had lifted. She found herself growing curious about Cedric. "Who''s that friend of yours?" There were only a handful of families in Aldoria with such influence. Cedric reluctantly told her, "Someone from Yasnia."


    "No wonder, then. He''s probably some super-wealthy kid."


    Yasnia was where those with power and wealth gathered. Even Donovan spent most of his time building connections there.


    Yole University also happened to be the most prestigious school in Yasnia.


    Noelle studied Cedric with curiosity. "How are you friends with someone so rich? Were you ssmates?" She was beginning to doubt if he was just an ordinary school doctor. Chapter 39


    1/3

 Noelle and Cedric Chapter 39

    Noelle had always found Cedric mysterious.


    Cedric answered her question directly saying, "Yes, he and I are friends. The house you''re currently living in belongs to him." Friends were meant to be used as shields after all.


    Cedric turned to enter the private room as a waiter walked over respectfully. "Mr. Greene, here


    is the menu."


    "Hand it to her," Cedric said as he sat down. Heid backzily on his chair with his arm resting on the side, revealing an inch of his arm.


    Noelle did not take the menu either. Instead, she said, "You can just serve a few of your signature dishes."


    She had been here once in her past life, and she knew that the restaurant did not have a fixed menu. They would rotate their menu everyday and serve their customers whatever they had prepared on that day. However, the fact that the waiter had handed Cedric a menu only meant that Cedric''s friend''s identity was indeed extraordinary.


    At that moment, Noelle''s phone began to vibrate. She noticed that it was Frank calling, so she ignored it. However, Frank quickly sent her a message.


    His message read, "Noelle, that restaurant has closed its doors and cleared out its customers for some urgent reason. We''re waiting outside in the parking lot. Where are you?"


    Noelle was filled with confusion as she read Frank''s text. The restaurant was obviously still operating. She considered that Cedric had perhaps asked his wealthy friend for a favor.


    After giving it some thought, she replied to Frank, "You guys can take your leave first."


    Frank proceeded to question her about her location, but she ignored his following messages.


    When she looked up, she was met with Cedric''s dark gaze. He asked, "Was that your brother, Frank?"


    "Yeah. He just left."


    "Alright. We''ll be able to enjoy our meal now." Cedric was extremely calm, as if everything that had just happened waspletely normal.


    Noelle found the situation strange. She could not help but question if he was really just a doctor. He did not seem like someone with such a simple identity.


    However, she quickly dismissed her thoughts, believing that she was just overthinking things. If Cedric truly had a strong background, then why would he work as a mere high school doctor?


    Perhaps he had only asked his friend for a favor so he could stand up for her. She couldn''t help


    but ask, "What did you say to Frank just now?"


    Cedric ced his hand on the table and said, "We simply exchanged a few words."


    She had clearly seen how dark Frank''s expression had been just now. On the other hand, Cedric had his back faced against hers, so she could not see his expression. However, no matter how she viewed their interaction, it didn''t seem like just a casual chat. After a moment of hesitation, Noelle said, "Sir, I know you''re being kind toward me, but we''re currently in Aldoria. If Frank decides to target you, there''s a chance he''ll make things difficult for you."


    She did not want to drag the people around her into her problems.


    He asked, "So, are you nning to move back home?"


    Noelle smiled and said, "That''s right. I''ll only have to stay there for a few more days. I''ll be free once I''m done with my exams."


    She wished that she would be the protagonist in the novels, where her life would only be smooth sailing after being given a second chance at life. However, the reality was much harsher than she had anticipated.


    In her past life, she was dependent on her brothers and obeyed all of theirmands. Now that she was living a new life, she wanted to gain her independence.


    In order to do so, she had to get into a reputable university and build the future she wanted for


    herself.


    When Cedric saw the smile on her face, he knew that she had her own ns. Thus, he held back the words that had been at the tip of his tongue. He understood that he had no right to interfere with her life.


    Once they were done eating, Cedric looked at her and asked, "What else do you want to do?" Noelle considered his question before saying, "I want to y the game and grind dungeons." At the moment, grinding dungeons in the game was her only way of relieving


    stress.


    As Cedric stood, Noelle observed his tall figure. Remembering that she had seen him with a beautiful woman sometime earlier, she asked, "Why are you here today? Were you nning to have a meal with someone?"


    Cedric stood by the elevator and paused momentarily. Then, he said, "I had something to take care of."


    Noelle pursed her lips. Was it really just something he had to take care of? A date could indeed be considered an important matter to take care of.


    Realizing that her emotions were slightly off, she quickly collected her emotions. The man who she had feelings for should be her online lover from her past life, the man who would


    appear before her once she took her college entrance exam.


    Cedric treated her very well. There was a high chance that he had only felt sympathetic for her


    in the beginning, but he had ended up giving her a tremendous amount of helpter on.


    She could not let their rtionship change into something awkward orplicated.

 Noelle and Cedric Chapter 40

    Cedric and Noelle returned to their apartmentplex.


    When Noelle logged into her ount, she received a notification saying that someone had sent her a friend request. She nced at the username and realized that it was actually Lucas. She had only rejected Lucas'' request to join his team a few days ago, so she never expected that her arrogant brother would contact her himself.


    Noelle did not ept his friend request but proceeded to team up with Cedric to clear a dungeon.


    Theypleted the round with three other random yers. Once the round was over, she received another friend request.


    She then realized it was from the yer who had joined them in defeating the previous dungeon. Remembering that the yer had been quite skilled, she epted the friend request. Almost immediately, she received a message from that yer.


    The message read, "Hello. I''m Lucas Liddell, the captain of Team Luminark. I believe you''re a talented gamer. Would you like to join our team? We can discuss the terms and conditionster." ? Noelle frowned. "Why is he everywhere?"


    She never thought that Lucas would send her another friend request via his alternate gaming


    ount.


    Cedric turned to look at her. "What''s wrong?"


    Noelle replied, "Lucas just used his alternate ount to invite me to his team. However, he doesn''t know who I am."


    After all, she was also using an alternate ount.


    Cedric nced at her. "If his team doesn''t find a talented yer to join them, they''ll lose the first match during the finals."


    "That''s why he''s so anxious now. He''s a prideful man. He''s probably reluctant to invite those well-known yers. So, he can only resort to recruiting rookies to train."


    Noelle understood Lucas too well. After all, Team Celestial under the Greene family from Beville was too strong. In her past life, she could not even guarantee that she would be able to win the championships if Magnus, the captain of Team Celestial, hadn''t dropped out at thest minute.


    Noelle said, "Team Celestial is very strong. I heard that King had personally trained their team leader, so he''s very skillful."


    "He''s alright. He can''t even master the 12-hillbo," Cedric replied.


    Noelle looked at him in shock. "Not everyone car master the 12-hitbo."


    "Didn''t you manage to?" Cedric refuted.


    "That''s because..." She paused when she realized that she had nearly had a slip of the tongue, Everything that had happened in her past life had not happened yet.


    Cedric narrowed his eyes. "Because what?"


    Noelle halted again before she said, "It''s because admire King, very much. I really like him, so that''s probably why I managed to learn the 12-Hitbo. It was purely based on sheer luck." Cedric nced at her. It was apparent that Noelle wasn''t telling him the truth. He wondered if she truly taught herself the 12-hitbo or if someone had taught her how to pull it off.


    Noelle did not reply to Lucas'' message as she continued to y another round.


    Meanwhile, Lucas rubbed his temples in frustration when he did not receive a reply. His chin was also covered in stubble.


    Training for the past period had been disappointing, and he had not found a skilled gunner. He reyed a recording of Noelle''s gamey during the repechage. Her wless execution of the 12-hitbo and graceful airborne maneuvers were magnificent. Lucas was truly proud to have her as his sister. Over thest few days, he had tried to pull off the 12-hitbo but failed. He had to admit that Noelle was indeed talented. However, the p he had given her had strained their rtionship. He called Frank and asked, "Frank, how has Noelle been recently?"


    Frank replied, "She''s still the same as always. She refuses to listen to any of us. However, she has improved tremendously during her most recent exams. She''s now ranked tenth ce in her grade." "Tenth ce! That''s such a big improvement indeed," Lucas said.


    Then, he remembered back when Noelle had ranked 100th ce in her grade. His first thought when he heard the news was that she had cheated. He had truly believed Noelle wasn''t that smart to begin with.


    Looking back, he realized that he had been too harsh toward her. Noelle had always been smart since a young age, and her results had always been excellent. He wondered when things had started to change. It seemed like it had begun to change when Xenia first moved into their home.


    Frank looked at the box that contained the emerald ne and sighed. "Lucas, do we''ve neglected Noelle too much over the years?


    "Frank, do you feel that way too?" you think


    The two brothers fell into silence before Lucas asked, "Do you think she''ll forgive me if I apologize to her again?"


    Lucas had already mentally prepared himself when he asked Frank his question, but he wanted to fix his rtionship with Noelle.


    He truly regretted hitting her that day. He had not done it on purpose.

 Noelle and Cedric Chapter 41

    Frank sighed on the other end of the phone and said, "I don''t think it''ll be that easy. It seems like Noelle is truly hurt this time."


    He had tried to coax her, but there hadn''t been any improvements. In fact, Noelle hadn''t even replied to his message, nor did she return home after leaving that restaurant. In the past, he would have immediately sent someone to look for her. He might even threaten her by saying that he would call the police.


    But now, Frank was too afraid that he would only anger Noelle further. So, he could only wait for her reply.


    More importantly, he was wary of that mysterious school doctor.


    It was no wonder that he could not find any trace of Noelle in the past.


    Lucas was in denial as he said, "Frank, Noelle has always had a great rtionship with us.


    "Doesn''t she love us the most? I believe that all of the misunderstandings will be resolved, and everything will be fine if I exin myself and put in the effort to coax her." Frank frowned. "Don''t appear before her while she''s preparing for her exams."


    . "I know not to cross the line."


    Lucas ended the call, knowing what he had to do to cheer Noelle up. He had just been reluctant to do it before. Nevertheless, it was a trivial matter.


    Lucas then pressed open his chat with Noelle and sent her a message.


    When Noelle finished ying her game, she returned to her room and saw an unread message as she got ready for bed.


    She had assumed it was a message from Frank but was surprised to see that it was actually a message from Lucas when she clicked on the message.


    The message read, "Noelle, let''s meet at the cafe opposite your school once you finish ss. I have something I''d like to say to you."


    Noelle skimmed through his message and recalled the p Lucas had given her. She then deleted his number from her WhatsApp and went to sleep peacefully.


    Early the next day, she took a cab to her school alone as Cedric was not working that day.


    When she arrived at her school, she saw a luxurious and eye-catching car parked at the side of the road, and a number of people were gathered around it. Looking at their uniforms, she Chapter 41


    could tell that they were students from a different school.


    When she got out of her cab, someone shouted, "Noelle''s here!"


    She watched as the people surrounding that car immediately dispersed as a handsome school uniform exited. He assessed her with his gaze, making her feel ufortable.


    guy


    in a


    She immediately recognized the boy. He was Justin Parham, Xenia''s crush from the private school next to theirs.


    She had never expected that he would approach her. She watched as he arrogantly asked, "Are you Noelle Liddell? You''re quite beautiful."


    Noelle looked at him with a pair of bright and shining eyes. She was indeed fair and beautiful. Justin smiled in satisfaction as he said, "My name is Justin Parham, and I''d like to be friends with you."


    The girls around them immediately shrieked when he finished speaking.


    "Justin is so direct when he''s trying to flirt. He''s so handsome!"


    "However, all of Justin''s girlfriends onlyst for a month at most. I can''t even count how many times he''s changed his girlfriend. It''s a shame so many girls still fall for him."


    "It''s because his family is rich. He''s also generous, so normal girls can''t resist his charm." "Noelle''s family is pretty well-off, too, but her family isn''tparable to those from Yasnia. Noelle''s lips twitched as she listened to the crowd''s remarks. That was because Justin had said the same thing in her previous life. However, he had said them to Xenia. She found the turn of events ridiculous.


    At that moment, Xenia alighted from her car and immediately saw Justin standing before Noelle. Her expression immediately darkened. It turned out that Noelle really did have her sights set on Justin.


    Xenia immediately walked over and said, "Noelle, you were out all night yesterday. Frank was worried sick. You seem to have a close rtionship with that school doctor, but how can you spend the night with him outside?"


    As expected, Justin immediately frowned when he heard Xenia''sments. He seemed to find it hard to believe that someone who looked as innocent as Noelle would be so open to such things.


    Noelle looked at Xenia. She smiled faintly, sending a chill down Xenia''s spine.

 Noelle and Cedric Chapter 42

    Chapter


    42


    "Noelle, are you mad at me? I''m just giving you some advice as I''m worried that that man will trick you," Xenia said.


    Noelle collected her gaze and said impassively, "Please keep your insincere kindness to yourself." She was well aware that Xenia intended to ruin her reputation. Fortunately, she also had no intentions of being involved with the yboy before her.


    With that said, she turned around and headed toward her school with her bag on her shoulders. Her face was emotionless, but her presence was overwhelming.


    Everyone around them immediately parted ways for Noelle to pass through.


    After all, Noelle was now famous after sessfully pulling off a 12-hitbo during the gaming match. She was the esports industry''s new fan favorite.


    A number of esports teams were hoping to recruit Noelle to join their team. However, because she was from the Liddell family and was Lucas'' sister, not a single team dared poach her. She also gained a lot of admiration due to her rapid improvement in academic results and her gaming skills.


    Once Noelle left, the whispers from the crowd grew louder.


    Xenia bit her lips, turned to Justin, and said gently, "Are you Justin Parham? Noelle just has a big temper. Don''t take it personally."


    He asked, "Does she often stay out all night?"


    "She doesn''t stay out all the time. After all, our family is quite strict with her. However, she''s been getting close with one of our school doctors. It caused an argument with our family, causing her to stay out all night."


    Xenia looked anxious as she added, "Justin, don''t spread what I just told you around. It won''t be good for Noelle''s reputation."


    Justin watched Noelle''s retreating figure. The look in his eyes had clearly changed.


    Meanwhile, Xenia lowered her gaze as a hint of malice shed across her eyes.


    When Noelle arrived at her ssroom, several boys had also made their way there to peek at her.


    The minute she sat down, she noticed that there were many more love letters on her table than thest time. She briefly nced at them before collecting them and throwing them into the trash.


    Several loud wails came from outside the ssroom.


    "She didn''t even read your love letter before throwing it in the trash."


    Chapter42


    "My letter wasn''t the only one that had been thrown into the trash. Yours got thrown, too!"


    The noise grated on Noelle''s nerves as she did not have time to deal with such trivial things.


    Xenia was immediately ufortable when she entered the ssroom and noticed the stack of love letters. She used to be the most popr girl in their ss, but Noelle had surpassed her popritypletely. She had never expected such a thing to happen. During their break, Noelle felt like her stomach was aching. So, she went to the restroom. After some quick calctions, she assumed that her period wasing, causing her cramps to act up again.


    When she emerged from the restroom, Xenia walked up to her and asked, "Noelle, what do you think of Justin?"


    Noelle''s tone was indifferent as she replied, "We''re not close, so I wouldn''t know."


    Xenia said, "But I think Justin is a good man...''


    "Can you stop being so annoying? If you like Justin so much, you can always make the first move. You don''t have toe up to me with all that jealousy." Xenia''s eyes turned red. "That wasn''t what I meant to do."


    One of Xenia''s followers immediately retorted, "Noelle, did you really think that Justin has fallen for you? The Parhams are way out of your league."


    Noelle chuckled. "If the Parhams are out of my league, then who else is in their league? People like you?"


    The students around them nodded after listening to Noelle''s retort.


    Someone said, "That makes sense. After all, Noelle is the true daughter of the Liddell family, and Xenia is just an adoptive one. They aren''t in the same league." Another person quickly replied, "That''s enough. Don''t let them overhear you.


    Noelle did not care and turned to leave.


    On the other hand, Xenia lowered her head. Her expression was filled with hatred. She had


    done everything she could to rece Noelle and refused to give up on the man she loved.


    Once school ended, Noelle walked toward the gate and realized that there was an evenrger crowd than in the morning gathering.


    She frowned as an ominous crept up her heart.


    Walking past the school gates, she immediately saw Justin leaning against his car with a


    bouquet. There were even candles that had been arranged to spell out her name.


    "Noelle!"


    "Say yes!"


    The crowd began to shout when they saw her.


    Noelle immediately turned to grab the fire extinguisher by the guard station and walked toward Justin. Then, she aimed the fire extinguisher at the candles and put them all out.

 Noelle and Cedric Chapter 43

    Chapter


    43


    White foam immediately filled the sky.


    Justin was so shocked by Noelle''s actions that he turned pale. He asked, "Noelle, what on earth are you doing?"


    Although he was a wealthy yboy who had grown ustomed to seeing all sorts of things happen in life, he had never seen a woman rushing up to him with a fire extinguisher in hand. After Noelle put out all the candles, she turned to look at him with annoyance. "I don''t like you, and I don''t wish to see such childish gestures outside my school gates."


    She was already annoyed because of her period, yet Justin and Xenia still dared to approach


    and annoy her.


    Justin said, "Noelle, you''re quite interesting. I really like you and your personality!"


    She turned to aim the extinguisher at Justin and deployed it. Justin was so shocked by the turn of events that he cursed loudly while his followers quickly ran up to shield him.


    She then threw the fire extinguisher onto the ground and said coldly, "Stop bothering me.


    Their exams wereing up soon, so she did not want to be bothered by men like Justin. Those men would only waste her time.


    "Noelle, how could you do such a thing to Justin? He chose to publicly confess his feelings for you because he likes you. Even if you don''t have feelings for him, you shouldn''t humiliate him like this."


    Xenia appeared just at the right time.


    Noelle frowned with annoyance and said, "This has nothing to do with you. You can fuck off as


    well!"


    A flicker of confusion shed across Xenia''s expression as she did not expect the usually cold Noelle to get angry and scold her.


    Noelle brushed the white foam away from her hands. She found the smell disgusting.


    Ever since she talked to Donovan in the restaurant the day before, it has be much more challenging for her to maintain her emotions.


    Noelle was about to leave, but Justin was not about to let that happen after being publicly


    humiliated like that. He shouted, "Noelle, stand right there. Who the fuck said you could leave?


    11


    However, she continued to walk away without even looking back as she exuded an air of defiance. Chapter 43


    2/3


    Feeling embarrassed, Justin turned toward hisckeys and said, "What are you all standing there staring at? Go and grab her for me! I want to teach her a lesson. Does she really think she can mess with me and leave unscathed?"


    Xenia stood by the side and smiled coldly as she watched the scene unfold. She thought that Noelle was an idiot. She couldn''t believe that thetter could reject Justin so harshly after he had confessed to her. She questioned Noelle''s intellect.


    Xenia was particrly interested in seeing how hard Noelle''s days would be in the following days after offending Justin. She really wished that it would affect Noelle, causing her to do badly in her college entrance exams.


    Suddenly, Lucas ran over from the other side of the road, his expression dark. "I''d like to see who would dare toy a hand on her!"


    Noelle was slightly stunned when she saw Lucas. Then, she remembered Lucas'' message inviting her to meet at the cafe opposite their school. She had not replied to his message and had deleted his number then, as she had no intentions of meeting him. She never thought that


    he would actually show-up.


    Lucas stormed over and red at Justin. "You little punk. How dare you dare set your sights on my sister? Have you asked her six brothers for permission to do so?"


    Justin''s expression morphed into unease after seeing Lucas. However, since he was from Yasnia, he looked down on the high society of Aldoria.


    Justin snarled, "Your sister aimed a fire extinguisher at me. How should we settle this offense?


    11


    Lucas retorted, "I saw everything clearly. You were the one who harassed my sister first. She used the fire extinguisher to stop your candles from bing a fire hazard. "She had also aimed the fire extinguisher at you to stop you from harassing her. I think her actions werepletely reasonable and understandable.


    "Even if you have your connections, we are currently in Aldoria. If you n on staying here peacefully, you should stop making a fuss."


    Justin''s expression immediately changed. "I dare you to say that again."


    Xenia immediately came up to ease the tension. "Lucas, Mr. Parham wasn''t the only one at fault here. Noelle could have rejected him outright if she did not have feelings for him.


    "I don''t think that he''s the type to cling onto someone and pester them. However, Noelle had directly used the fire extinguisher on him. Don''t you think that she''s crossed the line?"


    Justin took the opportunity Xenia had given him and said, "Exactly! I have plenty of admirers. Why would I obsess over one girl? Seeing that temper of hers, I''ve already lost all my interest in her!" Chapar


    Lucas, however, frowned as he nced at Xenia Something about her words had rubbed him


    the wrong way. He questioned why Noelle, the victim of harassment, had to refuse Justin" politely". After all, she did not owe him anything

 Noelle and Cedric Chapter 44

    Lucas turned to Justin and snarled, "I don''t want to say too much to a brat like you. If this happens again, I''ll just go and have a talk with your parents!"


    Then, he turned to grab Noelle''s wrist and said, "Get in the car. We''re leaving!"


    Noelle subconsciously tried to break free from Lucas'' grasp, but she ultimately got dragged


    into thetter''s car.


    Xenia quickly ran over and asked, "Lucas, are you mad at me because of what I''ve said just now? I was just stating facts, as I didn''t want you two to start fighting. "After all, Justin has his family''s support in Yasnia. If we were to argue here, Donovan would have a hard time when he encounters the Parhams over there." Lucas had been pissed, but he calmed down considerably after hearing Xenia mention


    Donovan''s name.


    He said, "If Donovan finds out that that little punk had harassed Noelle, he would definitely go after the Parhams."


    Xenia was at a loss for words as she was filled with difort. Ultimately, she and Noelle were still treated differently. She also wondered why Lucas was there.


    . So, she asked, "Lucas, haven''t you been busy? Why do you have time toe and pick us up from school now?"


    Lucas discretely nced at Noelle, but thetter continued to stare out of the car window as if she hadn''t heard their conversation. He was immediately unhappy after seeing that Noelle was ignoring him, but he quickly kept his temper in check. After all, he was there to make amends with Noelle.


    Lucas said, "I''ve moved out for some time, so I was curious about how the two of you were doing."


    Xenia noticed that Lucas kept staring at Noelle and could guess why he was there. She figured that he probably hadn''t found anyone suitable to join his esports team.


    Noelle was in a bad mood as she continued to watch the cars pass by through the window.


    When she returned to her senses, she realized that she wasn''t back at the Liddell residence but at the base of Lucas'' team training camp. The ce was filled with different pictures and posters of their team.


    Noelle did not expect Lucas to bring her here. The second she got out of the car, several people rushed out and surrounded her.


    "Congrattions on joining our team!"


    22


    "Noelle, could I get your autograph?"


    "Noelle, could you tell me the secret behind mastering the 12-hitbo?"


    Noelle immediately frowned. She had not agreed to join his team.


    Lucas took the opportunity to speak out.


    Lucas took the opportunity to speak out. "Alright. Let''s stop scaring her. Shall we go have lunch?"


    Noelle was then "pushed" to the canteen of the training camp.


    Meanwhile, Xenia''s mood fell as she watched the scene unfold before her.


    Lucas noticed Xenia''s retrained smile and exined, "Xenia, I''m sure you understand my


    team''s current situation.


    "We haven''t found a suitable gunner for the team, and Noelle is our best bet. So, I have to ease the tension between us."


    Xenia replied, "Lucas, I understand. You don''t have to exin anything to me. I was also partially to be med for what happenedst time.


    "I''ll apologize alongside youter, too. I hope she can forgive me. Once the whole family is part of the team, I''ll do my best to handle logistics and support you!"


    Lucas immediately sighed in relief when he saw Xenia''s understanding expression. He knew that Xenia wasn''t as petty as Noelle, nor did she have such a bad temperpared to thetter. However, Xenia''s smile darkened when Lucas left. She slowly returned to her usual self before heading toward the canteen.


    Noelle was pushed inside and immediately saw arge banner that read, "Wee to the Noelle!"


    team,


    It was only then that she realized that things were horribly wrong. She quickly took out phone and sent Cedric a message. "Could youe pick me up?" She had also sent him her location. Then, Lucas walked up to her, wearing an ufortable expression. He said, "I know I was wrong during the repechage. I shouldn''t haveid my hands on you.


    "During the past few weeks, I have reflected on my actions and am truly remorseful. Hence, I would like to formally apologize to you in front of everybody here. I hope that you will be able to forgive me." Noelle stood rooted in her spot, looking at the banner before her. She found the entire situation just utterly ridiculous.


    Her eyes were dark as she slowly lifted her head. It seemed like some people just needed to be taught a lesson!

 Noelle and Cedric Chapter 45

    Noelle wondered if Lucas'' actions could even be considered an apology. That was clearly Lucas'' way of forcing Noelle to ept everything that he had arranged.


    Lucas'' heart immediately dropped when he saw Noelle''s cold expression. His confident facade immediately crumbled. He had thought that Noelle would surely understand his sincerity after the lengths he had gone to apologize to her.


    He had never humbled himself like this to anyone in his entire life-Noelle was the first!


    Xenia took the opportunity to say, "That''s right. Noelle, Lucas has prepared an apology banquet for you today. I''m sure you can see how sincere he is and how much effort he has put into making things right with you."


    Lucas said ufortably, "Noelle, you can request anything of me. I''ll fulfill them for you."


    Noelle raised her eyebrow and said sarcastically, "I have one simple request."


    "Which is?" Lucas sighed in relief. As long as Noelle would raise a request, she was willing to forgive him. He knew that Noelle was just throwing a tantrum because she felt that he favored Xenia more. Once the whole fiasco was over, he would definitely find a chance to teach her a


    lesson.


    "From today onward, I don''t want you to appear before me anymore. I also don''t want you to take it upon yourself to make these decisions for me."


    Lucas'' expression immediately tensed as he felt his mind go nk. Then, Noelle turned to leave without hesitation.


    As she left the training camp, she was met with the heat. She found the summer heat to be annoying.


    Lucas chased behind her. Then, he looked at her solemnly and said sincerely, "Noelle, what do you want me to do to gain your forgiveness? Just say the word, and I''ll do it."


    Noelle had finally lost herst shred of patience. "Did you not understand what I just said? Maybe you should go back to school and start over with your education."


    Lucas could not believe that Noelle would be so heartless. "Noelle, we''ve been very close since we were kids. Are you really nning to hold this against me forever?


    "Are you really never going to see me as your brother for the rest of your life just because of one impulsive mistake I''ve made?"


    Noelle only found the situation ridiculous. Was it really just that one mistake?


    Lucas still had not figured out the reason behind her departure from the Liddell family. However, she was not obligated to exin anything to him. She did not want to look back andpromise herself anymore. Noelle''s gaze was cold as she said, "You can believe what you want to."


    Lucas seemed to have been defeated, his eyes filled with shock and disbelief. He could not believe that Noelle did not see him as her brother anymore.


    Xenia quickly rushed up and stood before Noelle. "Noelle, this entire incident was my fault. I am the cause of everything. I''ll move out of the Liddell residence today, and you''ll never have to see me again."


    all for your care Xenia turned to look at Lucas through teary eyes and said, "Lucas, thank you toward me throughout the years. I am extremely grateful for all that you''ve done."


    Lucas subconsciously reached out to grab Xenia''s hand. "What are you doing? This has nothing to do with you. This is between Noelle and me."


    "No, you don''t understand the situation, Lucas. It has everything to do with me, so I must bear the responsibility!"


    Xenia shook her head, and her teary eyes made his heart melt. He couldn''t help but sigh and say, "Noelle, why can''t you just be as understanding as Xenia?"


    Noelle raised her eyebrow and said sarcastically, "If that''s the case, then isn''t she enough for you? Stop bugging me."


    Lucas retorted, "Noelle, you keep saying that we''re biased toward Xenia, but have you ever stopped and just reflected on your own behavior? People respond to kindness. If you were more understanding, things wouldn''t havee to this." Noelle said, "So keeping our distance is the best solution for all of us." She immediately walked out onto the road. It was empty, and there were barely any cars around. She just wanted to leave that ce.


    However, Lucas stood before her and eximed, "I think we should just talk and clear things up!"


    The sharp sound of a car horn pierced the air. Lucas turned and saw a ck luxury car speeding toward them at full speed, showing no signs of slowing down.


    "Lucas, be careful!"

 Noelle and Cedric Chapter 46

    Chapter


    47


    Noelle was slightly stunned when she heard Cedric say that her hands weren''t meant for cooking. She had thought he would be happy to know that she could cook.


    Cedric stood there and said calmly, "You don''t need to do such things to please me."


    Noelle felt a heavy and suffocating feeling in her heart. She had acted on instinct earlier, simply wanting to do something for him, but he seemed to have seen right through her. She tucked her hair behind her ear awkwardly and said, "A-Alright then."


    "A housekeeper would drop by to make us some food," Cedric said.


    Noelle did not insist on cooking anymore as she secretly nced at Cedric, thinking of how amazing he seemed. He reminded her of the man she had a crush on in her previous life. That man had also tried to make her see how poorly her brothers had treated her. However, she refused to ept the truth, which eventually led to her tragic demise.


    The way Cedric spoke was also very simr to that man. So, she could not help but wonder if Cedric was the man she had met in her past life. Soon, she was left in a dilemma.


    If only she had met that person face-to-face in herst life, she would definitely be able to


    recognize him now.


    Soon, a housekeeper came over and quickly made a table full of food. Noelle could feel herself drooling when she realized that the table was full of her favorite dishes like spicy marinara chicken and grilled beef. She lowered her head and began eating earnestly


    Cedric watched her as she ate and asked, "Did you not have these dishes while you were living with your family?"


    Noelle paused momentarily. "Xenia doesn''t have the best health, so she can''t eat spicy food That''s why the meals at home are always nd."


    That meant that she rarely got to eat what she liked at home.


    Cedric''s Adam''s apple bobbed slightly, and he felt a dull ache in his chest. Even his breathing -felt constricted.


    Noelle was supposed to be a wealthy socialite, yet her life was worse than an ordinary girl''s. He should have looked for her sooner.


    Noelle was stuffed after she finished eating. She wiped her mouth and nced at Cedric. He was sitting there eating elegantly and gracefully.


    She briefly froze, suddenly realizing how different they were when they ate. The stark contrast left her stunned. She wondered how someone could look so good while eating.


    Cedric set his cutleries down leisurely and asked, "Are you done staring?"


    Noelle quickly collected her gaze and mumbled, "How would you know that I was looking at you if you weren''t looking at me?"


    @


    After their meal, Noelle went to her study room to work on her homework.


    Cedric sat in the living room for some time before heading to the balcony to make a call. He ced his hand on the railing and said, "Go find out who confessed to Noelle this afternoon at her school gates.'' "1


    "Ced, did someone confess to that kid? Isn''t that a good thing?" Alfred asked.


    Cedric''s voice was slightly cold as he said, "He''s from the private school next to hers. I heard that he''s famous in school for his looks andes from Yasnia."


    Alfred replied, "Oh, it''s him. You don''t need to look into it anymore. I know who he is. He''s Justin Parham, one of my cousins. He seemed to have caused amotion in Yasnia, forcing him to transfer to a school here." Cedric looked annoyed as he said, "You had better warn your family members to stop bothering Noelle."


    "Are you really going to be that protective? Everyone has their youthful moments. Besides she''ll be in college soon and will eventually have a boyfriend."


    "Shut up. She can''t afford to be distracted right now."


    Cedric nced toward the study and saw Noelle sitting quietly as she studied diligently.


    Alfred could not help but say, "Fine. I''ll talk to my uncle about it. But honestly, Ced, aren''t vou being a bit overbearing?


    "What if she actually likes Justin? That guy has a face that girls tend to swoon over, and he definitely knows how to charm them. Maybe Noelle has feelings for him too."


    Cedric''s voice was filled with annoyance as he said, "If your intelligence matched your ability to run your mouth, your mother would feel much more assured."


    Alfred eximed, "Damn, Ced. No need to get so mad just because I said a couple of things! Don''t forget that you''re an engaged man. Remember who you had dinner with yesterday." "My private matters are none of your business," Cedric said as he ended the call.


    He paused momentarily before heading into the study and nced at the questions she was working on. "You''re a bit slow. Can''t you even solve this?"


    "Well, I''m trying here," Noelle said. Her stomach felt quite ufortable, so it was getting harder for her to focus. It could be because she h


    Act Fast: Free Bonus Time is Running Out!

 Noelle and Cedric Chapter 47

    Xenia ran straight toward Lucas, and he subconsciously reached out to pull her away. However, when he turned around, he noticed that Noelle stood rooted to the spot. He immediately realized what he had just done and shouted in fear, "Get out of the way!"


    Noelle looked at him expressionlessly with a dark gaze.


    With a sharp screech of the brakes, the car stopped by Noelle''s side. The windows were rolled down, and Cedric''s handsome face appeared. He said gently, "Get in." Noelle smirked. She knew that it would be him!


    As she climbed into the car, Lucas'' voice sounded out, saying, "Noelle, you can''t leave with him."


    She turned to see Lucas rushing over toward them. She immediately rolled up the windows to block everything from the outside.


    Lucas chased after them for some time before stopping defeatedly. He mmed his fist on the


    road in frustration. He wondered how things had ended up


    that way.


    The realization that he had instinctively left Noelle behind just moments ago deeply unsettled


    him.


    Thinking back to Noelle''s piercing gaze, Lucas could not shake off his rising panic. He wondered what his steps were.


    Although he had instinctively chosen to protect Xenia earlier, it did not mean that he did not


    care about Noelle. Not to mention, Xenia had run over in an attempt to save him. He couldn''t possibly leave her behind. Lucas assumed that Noelle, who was as smart as she was, would'' understand that. Nevertheless, he wasn''t sure, nor was he confident.


    Xenia approached him with a worried look. "Lucas, are you alright? I''m sure Noelle will be fine. After all, she didn''te homest night either. She was also probably with that school doctor." Lucas'' expression changed. "Noelle has been led astray by that man. Sure, she used to throw tantrums, but she never stayed mad at her family like this!"


    Noelle had changed, so he had to find a way to set everything back on track.


    In the car, Noelle rolled down the window again and enjoyed the breeze from outside. She did not say a single word, and Cedric also remained silent as he drove her back to her apartment. Chapter 46


    Noelle entered the elevator and secretly nced at him. "Are you mad?" She noticed that his expression wasn''t quite right when she entered the car.


    Cedric looked at their reflections in the elevator mirror and said, "You''ve improved. At least you thought to ask me for help when you were taken."


    Noelle exined, "That''s because everything had happened very suddenly. Someone had confessed to me at the school entrance, so I aimed a fire extinguisher at them.


    "He was from Yasnia, so he wasn''t someone I could mess with. As things were unfolding, Lucas appeared and stood up for me before he forcibly pushed me into his car. I never thought he would take me to his training camp." She also never thought that Lucas would arrange for so many people to congratte her on joining their team when she had not agreed to anything.


    The old Noelle would have been guilt-tripped intoplying, but she refused to feel guilty as the person she was now. That way, the Liddells wouldn''t be able to guilt-trip her into anything.


    "Who confessed to you?"


    Noelle looked up. "One of the more handsome guys in the private school next to our school."


    Cedric narrowed his eyes. "Is he the one that you have a crush on?"


    "How could it possibly be him?" Noelle nearlyughed out loud. When the elevator doors opened, she stepped out.


    Cedric watched her leave and said stiffly, "Kiddo, you should not get into a rtionship so early on in life!"


    Noelle replied, "I know. You''ve already told me that multiple times now. So stop lecturing me like an overbearing dad!"


    Cedric slowly followed behind her, frowning. He seemed to be thinking deeply, as if he was thinking about something.


    Noelle realized that there were several fresh vegetables and fruits in the kitchen and asked confusedly, "Are you nning to cook?"


    "What are you thinking about? I was nning to have a chefe over and make us lunch when you messaged me."


    Noelle felt slightly guilty, so she suggested, "How about I cook from now on? I''m actually pretty good at it."


    Ever since Cedric had taken her in, she had always wanted to do something for him.


    Cedric narrowed his eyes. "Since when did you learn how to cook?"


    "During my time in the Liddell residence, I would often cook for everyone, especially Donovan and Frank. Frank has a sensitive stomach and only eats the food I cook..." Noelle paused momentarily before saying, "Regardless, I learned to cook a long time ago."


    Back then, she had purposely learned how to cook from one of the housekeepers to please and win her brothers'' favors.


    Cedric seemed unhappy as he slowly said, "Kiddo, your hands aren''t meant for cooking."

 Noelle and Cedric Chapter 48

    Chapter


    48


    Cedric also noticed that Noelle did not look well. She seemed slightly dazed, and her lips were pale. He reached out to touch her forehead, but her forehead wasn''t hot. He asked instead, "What''s wrong?" Feeling his cool palm, Noelle replied weakly, "I have a stomach ache. It''s probably because I ate too much spicy food earlier."


    It had been a long time since she had eaten that much, so her stomach probably wasn''t used to it..


    Cedric retrieved his hand and went to take some digestive pills and a cup of water for her. She weakly swallowed the medicine.


    Then, Cedric took her pencil and said, "Stop studying. You should rest today."


    She was indeed feeling ufortable, and she had suspected that her period had arrived. So, her expression immediately tensed when she stood up and felt something flow in her lower region. She knew that this would happen!


    Noelle proceeded to rush into the bathroom and was met with a streak of blood; her period had indeed arrived. She wondered what she should do now.


    She just remembered that she was in her apartment, not at the Liddell residence. She had also forgotten to stock up on pads.


    Her original n was to buy some after school, but Justin''s confession and the whole fiasco with Lucas had caused her to forget all about it.


    Cedric waited outside the bathroom for a long time. Seeing how she was taking so long, he knocked on the door worriedly and asked, "Is everything alright in there?"


    Noelle hesitated momentarily before asking, "Could you help me buy something?"


    "Sure, but you can tell me about it once you''vee out of the bathroom."


    Noelle was getting anxious as she replied, "I can''te out for the time being."


    Cedric''s frown deepened as he said, "Be honest with me. What''s wrong?"


    "I''m on my period," Noelle said, her face flushing red.


    She had been by her brothers'' sides since she was she was young. They were all men, so they did not understand many things about women. A housekeeper had taken care of her during her first period. Cedric stood by the door. "Your period?"


    "That''s right," she said softly, feeling incredibly embarrassed. After all, it was a private matter.


    Cedric sighed in relief. "I''ll head out and buy some pads for you. Wait for a while."


    Noelle sat on the toilet alone as she waited for him to return. She inexplicably felt a strong


    sense offort.


    Cedric headed to the nearest convenience store and stopped in front of the sanitary products aisle, staring at the selection in silent contemtion.


    The store clerk, a young woman, immediately perked up when she saw the extremely handsome man enter the store.


    But when she realized that he was standing in the sanitary products aisle, her heart sank. She believed that he was buying them for his girlfriend.


    She approached Cedric and said, "Hello, are you buying some pads for your girlfriend? Would you want the day-use or night-use pads? We also have flex foam sanitary pads that are great for summer but a bit more expensive." Cedric pointed with his slender finger. "Wrap all of them up."


    "All of them?"


    He nodded coldly. "Yes."


    The clerk said, "She won''t use that many in a month. How about getting one pack of each type to see which type she prefers?"


    Cedric said coldly, "Alright then."


    The store clerk quickly wrapped the sanitary pads up and suddenly asked, "Does your girlfriend need anyfort food to soothe her period pain?"


    Cedric paused momentarily before saying, "She does."


    The store clerk proceeded to wrap up some choctes and sweets. She could not help but feel envious of his girlfriend. She wondered how that woman had managed to find such a handsome and considerate man.


    Cedric carried the bag and headed back to the apartment.


    Alfred appeared out of nowhere and asked, "Ced, what did you buy? Why are you carrying so many items?"


    His eyes twitched as he caught sight of the items in the bag. "If I''m not mistaken, those sanitary pads... are for women? Ced, is this some new hobby of yours?"


    Alfred couldn''t help but wonder when his friend had ever been that consid¨¦rate of a woman. Something didn''t feel right, as there was no way Cedric''s rtionship with Noelle would ever

 Noelle and Cedric Chapter 49

    Cedric looked at Alfred coldly and asked, "Why are you here?"


    Alfred replied, "I had nothing to do, so I decided toe over and apany you."


    "Well, you can leave now," Cedric said as he walked away.


    However, Alfred continued to follow him. He said, "Don''t be so heartless. I don''t want to leave yet."


    He proceeded to shamelessly look into Cedric''s stic bag. "Choctes and sweets? Are these for Noelle''s period?"


    Cedric said coldly, "That''s right."


    "If I hadn''t witnessed it myself, I would not have believed that you were actually out buying women''s products-with choctes and sweets at that. How considerate of you." After all, Cedric had never been that gentle or attentive to anyone from the opposite sex since a young age. Girls had always been the ones circling Cedric.


    "Be mindful, and don''t scare her," Cedric instructed before returning to the apartment. He walked over to the bathroom and knocked on the door. "I''m back with the goods." Noelle made her way over. Her face had quickly turned red when she heard his voice. She proceeded to crack open the door and reached out her slender hands.


    Cedric handed the stic bag to her, and her hand immediately sank from its weight. She


    wondered how many items he had bought.


    She closed the door and smiled when she saw the different brands of sanitary pads inside. She


    figured that he probably didn''t know which type she used, so he had bought them all.


    Once she had changed, Noelle emerged from the bathroom only to find a man sitting on the couch. She didn''t recognize the man, and she felt slightly awkward. Alfred waved at her. "Hello, kiddo! I''m Cedric''s friend."


    "Oh, it''s you." Noelle knew that she was staying at Cedric''s friend''s ce. He had also helped them vacate that restaurant and throw Frank and Xenia out.


    Alfred asked, "Did Cedric ever mention me? Did he say any bad things about me?"


    "No. I just wanted to thank you in person for letting me stay in your apartment.


    Alfred smiled. "Don''t worry. I have many houses, so I won''t drop by often either."


    At that moment, Cedric came out of the kitchen with a cup of hot chocte and handed it to Noelle.


    Noelle was shocked as she had never expected Cedric to be so considerate. She held the warm cup and said, "Thank you."


    Cedric''s expression remained nonchnt as he said, "Once you''ve finished it, you can head to your room to rest."


    Noelle nodded and slowly sipped on the cup of hot chocte, and her whole body felt much better. She lowered her gaze as it had been so long since someone had shown her such kindness.


    She stole a nce at Cedric. She assumed that he was probably treating her very well because he pitied her. After all, she was the one who had shamelessly insisted on finishing her homework in the school''s infirmary. Noelle recalled that day in the restaurant and remembered how Cedric was dining with a beautiful woman. She figured that he probably had plenty of women in his life.


    After all, he was so much older than her and very handsome. It was only natural that women would want to pursue him.


    Noelle quickly averted her gaze, packed her things in the study, and returned to the unit next door.


    Once Noelle had left, Alfred teased, "Ced, don''t you think you''re treating her a bit too well?"


    "You talk too much."


    "I''m just giving you a friendly reminder. Are you underestimating how effective your looks are on women? Most girls won''t be able to help themselves, especially when you''re treating them so well.


    "What if she ends up having feelings for you?"


    Alfred had noticed the look Noelle had given Cedric. It was clear that there was something there as it was easy for him to read through the thoughts of a young woman. Cedric sat on the couch and said, "She has someone she likes."


    "Who?"


    "She didn''t say."


    Alfred scoffed and said, "If that''s the case, you have a problem.. There''s a high chance that the person she likes is you."


    Cedric pursed his thin lips. "Don''t say such nonsense."


    "I''m just reminding you of that possibility. I don''t want to see you get entangled with her when you haven''t resolved your feelings.


    "There are plenty of ways to help her, but aren''t you crossing the line with how much you''re support you''re giving her?"


    Cedric replied, "You don''t know this, but she''s had a tough life with the Liddells."

 Noelle and Cedric Chapter 50

    Alfred said, "She has six brothers protecting her. How could she possibly not be living well?"


    Cedric said unhappily, "She also has an adoptive sister, the daughter of her family''s old driver. The Liddells treat her sister very well, whereas Noelle is often ignored and treated unfairly."


    At first, he had also assumed that Noelle was living afortable life. But now, he realized that she was just pitiful. He could not help but feel his heart soften and be filled with an urge to be kind to her whenever he saw her. Alfred sighed when he heard Cedric''s exnation. "I''ve always thought her brother''s attitude in the infirmary that day was strange.


    "I assumed she was being naughty, but it turns out that there''s more to the story. Judging by how obedient she was just now, she doesn''t seem like the troublemaker people make her seem to be."


    Who in their right mind would be biased to such an extent? How could they be so protective of their adoptive sibling while ignoring their biological sister?


    Cedric said, "That''s why I wanted to make things up to her. If her parents hadn''t been in that ident, she would not be living such a harsh life." He turned his head and looked down, concealing the sadness that shed across his eyes.


    Alfred could not help but say, "What happened back then was an ident. You can''t put all the me on yourself. If you want to treat her well, go ahead. You two are also in somewhat of the same boat."


    However, Alfred could not help but be filled with worry. He felt Cedric was crossing the line with how well he was treating Noelle. Perhaps even Cedric himself hadn''t realized that he was crossing the line.


    There was a thunderstorm the next day, and Noelle stared at the rain with a troubled expression. It was the first official day of her period. Her stomach would definitely act out if


    her shoes were to get wet.


    As she packed her bag, she heard the sound of the door opening.


    Alfred waved his hand and said, "Good morning, Noelle. It''ll definitely be hard for you to call a cab, considering the heavy rain. Why don''t we send you to school today?" Cedric stood by the side, nced at her, and said, "Let''s go."


    Noelle epted their offer, and her mood had significantly improved.


    They headed to the parking lot. When Noelle saw that ck luxury car, she turned to Alfred and asked, "Does that car also belong to you?"


    Cedric picked her up yesterday in that car. Last night, as shey in bed, she felt the urge to look it up. Only then did she learn that the car cost millions of dors.


    Alfred chuckled awkwardly before saying, "That''s right. This is my car. Do you see those lines? Isn''t he a beauty?" It was not every day that he had the opportunity to im rights over a car. He would be a fool not to take that opportunity. Cedric sat in the passenger''s seat and looked at his friend coldly. "You can drive then."


    "Alright!" Alfred eximed happily. After all, he had set his eyes on that car a long time ago. It was a shame Cedric had bought it before he could.


    Noelle sat in the back seat, filled with envy as she watched them interact. Because of Xenia, she had never had the opportunity to make any friends. Hence, she was envious and wanted something simr to what Cedric and Alfred had.


    The rain was pouring heavily, and there was slight traffic on the way there. There were also a lot of cars parked at the school gates'' entrance.


    Cedric got down first, holding a ck umbre. Then, he walked toward the back seat''s car door.


    Noelle froze momentarily before she opened the car door and got down.


    The rain was so heavy that it blurred everything around her, yet not a single drop touched her.


    His long, slender hand held the umbre, exposing just a portion of his arm. Therge umbre then shielded her from the rain, leaving a dry, protected space just for her.


    "Is there only one umbre?" Noelle asked.


    "Of course not! Noelle, you can take this umbre and head to ss," Alfred called out as he braved the rain to grab another umbre from the back seat. Clearly, he was trying to keep Cedric and Noelle at a distance. Cedric''s expression remained unchanged as he handed Noelle the umbre. When she took it, she could still feel the lingering warmth of his hand on the handle.


    She lowered her gaze and murmured, "I''ll head in now.''


    She was in a good mood as she headed into the school when someone shouted, "Noelle, wait! Can I share the umbre with you?"

 Noelle and Cedric Chapter 51

    Noelle subconsciously frowned when she heard Xenia''s voice.


    Xenia had already run under Noelle''s umbre as the former held her bag over her head to shield herself from the rain. She put on an innocent expression and said, "I lent my umbre to a ssmate. Could we share?"


    "No," Noelle said before turning and walking away without ncing at Xenia.


    Xenia stood there in disbelief, quickly getting soaked by the rain. She could not believe that Noelle dared to refuse to help her in front of so many people!


    Her expression darkened. Initially, she wanted to use this opportunity to mend her rtionship with Noelle. She had noticed the changes in Frank and Lucas, so she was filled with worry. She wondered if she would still have a ce within the Liddells if they had reconciled with Noelle and coaxed her to return home. Hence, she decided to try to make amends with Noelle.


    Xenia never thought that Noelle would outright reject her. However, since that was the case, she felt that Noelle should not me her for being cruel.


    Alfred had been watching everything unfold from inside the ck luxury car. "Nelly seems to have quite the temper. She just rejected that girl without hesitation."


    Cedric''s gaze was dark as he said, "One cannot be too kind."


    Xenia had been the one behind most of Noelle''s sufferings. Although her brothers may be blind to it, he knew that Xenia was not a simple girl.


    When Noelle arrived at her ssroom, she hung her umbre at the back of the room. After a while, Xenia entered the ss, wholly drenched and looking extremely pitiful.


    Even Lionel could not help but ask, "Xenia, did you not bring an umbre with you today? Why are youpletely drenched? You''ll get a cold if you stay soaked throughout ss." Xenia''splexion was pale as she said, "I''ll be fine."


    Betty immediately eximed, "It''s all because Noelle had abandoned Xenia and walked away with her umbre. She''s the reason why Xenia is soaked. She''s horrible." Noelle''s expression was filled with frustration. They wereing at her again.


    However, before she could say a single word, her ss president, Rachel rk, immediately retorted, "I saw Xenia giving her umbre to someone else.


    "She then forcefully demanded Noelle to share her umbre with her. However, Noelle wasn''t willing to do so. I don''t see anything wrong with that."


    Betty quickly fought back and said, "It was pouring heavily outside. Even if Noelle wasn''t willing to share her umbre with Xenia, she shouldn''t have just left her alone in the rain."


    Rachel retorted again and said, "But Xenia could have just shared her umbre with the person she lent her umbre to. Why did she insist on squeezing under Noelle''s?


    "She knew that Noelle didn''t like her but still went out of her way to make things difficult for her. Then, she turns around and uses Noelle of abandoning her.


    "Who''s really overstepping and trying to guilt-trip other people into doing things?"


    Rachel''s firm words exined the situation clearly and logically. However, Noelle was a bit puzzled that Rachel had witnessed the whole situation and still chose to stand up for her. After all, she never had friends before. Betty was at a loss for words and could only say, "Regardless, it was wrong of Noelle to abandon Xenia."


    Xenia never thought someone would speak up for Noelle, as thetter had always been isted in their ss. With an understanding expression, she turned to Lionel and said, "Mr. Kramer, I''m fine. It''s all just a big misunderstanding." Lionel coughed and did not question them further. "Alright then. Let''s start with today''s lesson.''


    Xenia was left standing awkwardly. She was fuming. She hadn''t expected Lionel to drop the matter so easily. She cursed inwardly and wondered why things hadn''t gone ording to her n.


    During break time, Noelle headed to the restroom. When she emerged from her stall, she overheard Betty bad-mouthing about her to someone else.


    When Noelle appeared, the people by the sink fell silent.


    Betty said sarcastically, "Some people like to act all high and mighty after doing something wrong. They think they''re untouchable because they''re from a rich family!" She had even purposely flicked the water on her hand at Noelle. Noelle was already in a bad mood due to her period, yet Betty was still trying to test her limits. She immediately kicked a bucket toward Betty, causing thetter to shriek. "What do you think you''re doing?"


    Noelle looked at her coldly and said, "If I catch you doing this again, I''ll shove that dirty water down your throat and wash that filthy mouth of yours!"

 Noelle and Cedric Chapter 52

    Chapter


    52


    Noelle slowly walked up toward Betty, scaring her and causing her to take a few steps back. Then, she said coldly, "Since you know that I''m the daughter of the Liddell family, you had better watch yourself and behave. Otherwise, I might just hand over proof of you helping Xenia cheat.


    "Once that happens, Xenia might be able to get out of the cheating allegations unscathed, but I''m not sure if that would be the case for you."


    Ever since the whole cheating incident, Gwen had been on leave and had yet to return to school.


    Although Noelle''s face was pale, she looked angry and vtile. Betty was so scared that she immediately ran away.


    When Noelle left the bathroom, Rachel approached her and said, "Noelle, if Xenia reports you


    to the teacher, I''ll testify against her for you.


    "I clearly saw that Betty had insulted you first and was gossiping behind your back."


    Noelle''s expression softened when she realized who was speaking. "Thank you."


    Initially, she had nned to ignore Xenia and her minions. However, they seemed to be just begging to be taught a lesson.


    Rachel pushed her sses up her nose, appearing slightly guilty. "I''m sorry. We had all misunderstood and isted you for so long due to Xenia''s tricks."


    Everyone in their ss was convinced that Noelle wasn''t a good person and that she had


    bullied Xenia.


    Noelle''s tone was filled with nonchnce as she said, "It''s all in the past.''


    Indeed, she did not have any friends in school because of Xenia. However, she still had many things that she wanted to do, so she had no time to hold onto such minor grudges.


    When Noelle returned to her ssroom, she did not even bother to spare Xenia a nce. The warning she had given Betty was also meant for Xenia.


    The rain continued to pour throughout the day.


    When ss ended, Noelle received a message from Cedric asking her to wait a while. So, she took her umbre and headed over to the infirmary.


    However, she never expected to see Xenia on the infirmary bed with an IV drip when she entered. Noelle had thought that Xenia was supposed to be picked up by the Liddells. She wondered why she was here instead.


    Cedric was adjusting the IV drip by the side when he saw Noelle enter the infirmary. He immediately said, "Wait for me for just a while longer."


    Noelle nodded. Suddenly, Xenia said weakly, "Noelle, you''re here. Frank said he''de over to pick me up, but he hasn''t arrived yet. Could you help me call him to ask when he will arrive?


    Noelle pursed her lips. "Do you not have your own hands?"


    "Xenia, are you alright?" Lucas had just walked over in the rain when he saw Xenia on the bed. He immediately frowned and turned to Noelle.


    "Xenia is sick now. What''s wrong with helping her to make a call? Even if you have a problem with us, you shouldn''t take it out on Xenia. She doesn''t owe you anything." He had clearly heard how cold Noelle''s voice had been when she refused to help Xenia. Noelle was unfazed, as she was already used to hearing Lucas me her for something.


    On the other hand, Cedric said coldly, "As Xenia''s guardian, aren''t you responsible for looking after her? How is any of this Noelle''s fault?"


    Lucas retorted unhappily, "If Noelle hadn''t refused to share an umbre with Xenia this morning, Xenia would not have gotten sick.


    "Noelle, I know your results have improved considerably, but you can''t use such tricks to get Xenia sick. You already know that she''s always been weaker than others. How can you want to try and chase her away?"


    Noelle''s expression remained unchanged as she said, "Because I hate her."


    "Noelle, how can you be so cruel? Xenia''s father had saved your life! How can you treat his daughter like that?" Lucas could not help but lose his temper.


    He was only filled with disappointment when he saw Noelle''s cold expression remain unchanged.


    "Noelle, you''ve changed ever since you started bing friends with that school doctor."


    Cedric chuckled as he said, "You don''t think that Noelle''s has changed. You just don''t think have that much control over her since she has refused to join your team. you


    "You''re upset because you can''t control her like a loyal pet anymore, so now you''re angry and humiliated. In the end, you''re just bitter that you can''t profit from her anymore." Lucas was furious as he stomped his feet and asked, "Noelle, do you feel that way too?"

 Noelle and Cedric Chapter 53

    Noelle remained rooted to her spot as she looked at Lucas calmly. She said, "That''s right."


    "Very well then!" Lucas immediately ripped out the IV drip from Xenia''s arm and carried her. "Let''s go. We won''t get treated here."


    Xenia quietly wrapped her arms around Lucas'' neck, secretly feeling smug. Lucas walked over to the door and looked at the pouring rain.


    Considering his small umbre, he looked at the big one in Noelle''s hand and said righteously, "Give me your umbre. This small one is enough for you."


    Noelle found the situation ridiculous. She questioned, "Why would I?"


    "Because you''re why Xenia is sick, so it''s only right that you give us your umbre."


    Cedric walked over, his expression stoic, and stomped on the small umbre Lucas had kicked over.


    His gaze was cold as he said, "You lot could demand things from her because she had treated you all like her brothers. Now that she no longer sees you as family, do you think you still have the right to demand anything?" Lucas felt like he was about to explode. "Noelle, are you sure you want to act like this and make everyone''s life difficult? First, you go and get yourself involved with this man, and now you''re turning against your family?" Noelle remained quiet as she took the big umbre and made her way to Lucas. Her eyes were dark as she opened the umbre and covered herself from the pouring rain.


    Lucas'' expression remained neutral as he said, "It''s not toote for you to return to your senses. That school doctor has bad intentions, and he''s just trying to take advantage of you!"


    A secondter, Noelle reached out to p him. The p left Lucas utterly stunned.


    Lucas would''ve thought he was dreaming if it weren''t for the stinging pain on his cheek. He hadn''t even thought to dodge as he was holding Xenia in his arms. He also couldn''t believe that Noelle had actually dared to hit him. Seeing the situation unfold before her, Xenia quickly said, "Noelle, how can you p Lucas? Even if you aren''t willing to swap umbres, you shouldn''t hit him-''


    Before she could finish her sentence, she shrieked as Noelle reached out to p her, too. And just like that, the world fell silent.


    Noelle''s eyes turned red, but her voice was cold and indifferent. "So what if I hit you? You can say whatever you want about me, but you don''t get to insult him!" She turned and stomped over to Cedric. "Let''s go!"


    2/2


    Cedric hadn''t expected Noelle to stand up for him like that. He took the umbre from her hand, and they stepped into the pouring rain together.


    It took Lucas a while before he managed to snap out of it. Then, he quickly rushed after them, the rain pelting down on him and Xenia.


    Xenia was already feeling unwell from her cold. She felt even more miserable under the pouring rain. She was both annoyed and frustrated. She wondered what Lucas was doing.


    However, she did not dare to throw a tantrum, so she faked a cough instead. "Lucas, I feel dizzy and unwell."


    Only then did Lucas remember that he was carrying someone. Reluctantly, he said, "Xenia, I''ll take you back first."


    By then, Noelle and Cedric had already disappeared into the distance.


    When Noelle got into the car, she noticed that Cedric''s shoulder was wet from the rain. She figured that it must have happened when he held the umbre for her just now as he had tilted the umbre toward her. Cedric started the car''s engine and remarked, "Well, weren''t you quite brave just now?"


    Noelle appeared embarrassed as she said, "I didn''t want to hear them continue ndering you!


    "Are you really that mad?"


    Noelle paused and said, "After all, you''re my first friend. I don''t wish to see other people talk bad about you." She did not care about how Lucas thought of her at all. He meant nothing to her. However, she would not allow Lucas to nder Cedric. Cedric remained focused on the road ahead while the corners of his lips lifted slightly. When they arrived at their apartment, the rain was still pouring.

 Noelle and Cedric Chapter 54

    Noelle''s phone rang. She noticed that it was Frank calling. She quickly turned her phone to silent mode and ignored it.


    Frank was exasperated when he saw that Noelle had refused to answer his call. He turned to look at Lucas and said, "She''s not answering my calls."


    "Frank, I already told you that it was only a matter of time until she went off the rails, yet you keep letting her do whatever she wants. She hasid her hands on me and Xenia this time."


    Frank asked, "Didn''t you p her before as well? Things are even now."


    "How can that be the same? I am her brother! Also, Xenia hasn''t done anything to anger either."


    Frank sighed. "I know, but Noelle isn''t as easily coaxed as before. If you didn''t have an umbre, you could have just asked Aiden to send you one. Why did you demand that she give her umbre to you?" Lucas already knew that Noelle had a bone to pick with them, so why did he insist on making Noelle surrender to his requests? Wasn''t that just asking for trouble?


    Lucas retorted, "I just wanted to save us some time. Also, how is she supposed to use such a big umbre alone? If she didn''t want to share, so be it. But why did she have to hit us?"


    The more Lucas thought about it, the angrier he became. "This won''t do. I''ll send her a message to talk things out.


    He wrote, "Noelle, where are you?"


    The second he sent that message, he received a notification saying that his message could not


    be sent because he had been blocked.


    Lucas paled as he gritted out, "She blocked me! How dare she do such a thing?"


    Frank felt helpless as he said, "I already told you not to act rashly. You''re still under surveince, so you can''t meet her. If she calls the police, you''ll be taken to court."


    "Does she think that I''d be afraid of her? I''ll just pretend that I never had her as a sister!"


    Lucas mmed his phone on the ground, his expression dark. He never thought that Noelle would block her, so he felt humiliated.


    "Stop saying such stupid things. She''s now in her rebellious phase, and she''s upset because of what she''s been through. Plus, that school doctor is egging her on. That''s why she''s acting like this. "But at the end of the day, she''s still our sister. That fact will never change."


    Frank''s gaze was determined as he said, "I will find a way for her toe home. Stop doing stupid things if you don''t want to lose Noellepletely."


    Only then did Lucas fall silent.


    Lucas had only taken two bites during their meal when hemented, "This honey garlic chicken is horrible. Where''s the previous chef?"


    Gordon hesitated momentarily before saying, "Ms. Liddell used to make the chicken for you. She would vor the chicken based on your preferences. Those other chefs don''t know her recipe."


    Lucas was stunned. He stared at the te of chicken, seemingly deep in thought. He had never noticed or appreciated those small details Noelle had done for him before.


    Ever since Noelle left, his life and esports team had be a huge mess.


    When he realized he''d been blocked, his first reaction wasn''t to feel angry. Instead, he had been filled with a strong sense of panic.


    He had never expected Noelle''s departure from his life to affect him so much.


    Early the next day, Noelle went to school as usual, but Xenia had taken a sick leave.


    Frank stood by the corridor and watched as Noelle entered the ssroom, sat up straight, and studied seriously.


    When he saw her sitting there, he felt a strong sense of nostalgia. He felt that Noelle had indeed changed a lot in a short time.


    After a moment of hesitation, Frank asked Lionel, "How has Noelle been for the past few days?


    Lionel said, "She''s improved greatly. I just hope that you, as her family, will be able to pay more attention to her and not let anything else affect her current state. I''ve always believed that she was a bad student, but it seems that she couldn''t focus on her studies because of you all."


    "What do you mean she was affected by us?"


    "In truth, Xenia''s results have always been average. However, Noelle is an intelligent kid. Is it possible that you''ve all put too much focus on Xenia, so Noelle had purposely done badly to alleviate some of the pressure on Xenia?


    "It is not my ce to say this, but Xenia has always been a bit petty. Perhaps that is one of the reasons why Noelle''s results had beencking throughout the past three years," Lionel said carefully.


    Frank''s expression darkened when he heard Lionel''s words. Had Noelle deliberately held herself back to avoid pressuring Xenia?


    He thought of Noelle''s recent changes and how her academic performance had skyrocketed recently. His chest felt like it had been stabbed with a knife, leaving a dull, aching pain.


    Struggling to stand steady, Frank asked, "Mr. Kramer, could you have Noellee out for a moment?" He needed to ask her himself if that was indeed the case.

 Noelle and Cedric Chapter 55

    Noelle looked up at Lionel and saw Frank standing outside of her ssroom. She pursed her lips and ended up walking out toward him.


    She remained indifferent, saying, "You had better not say a single word if you''re here to tell me to take notes for Xenia."


    She didn''t even need to think to know that Frank hade to her school to help Xenia apply for sick leave. Based on Frank''s track record, Noelle knew that he was definitely here to make her take notes for Xenia. He would probably even ask her to bring back all of Xenia''s homework.


    Frank was immediately filled with a tightness in his chest. "Noelle, is that really what you think of me?"


    Noelle was beginning to lose her patience. "Are we done here or not?"


    "Noelle, I remember that you always used to do well in school. However, your grades started bing unstable and had gotten worse over time.


    "Was it because of Xenia? Did you deliberately score simrly to her or intentionally try to score worse than her?"


    Noelle paused, her eyes filled with confusion. She wondered how he had learned about this. She didn''t think that there was a point in bringing this up now.


    Frank immediately understood that he had guessed correctly when he saw the look in her eyes. He felt sad. Why had they never noticed the change in Noelle? Why had they never noticed that Noelle was also always very kind toward Xenia?


    Perhaps they did, but they had grown ustomed to favoring Xenia, who had started out in their family as an outsider. But as time went on, they had also grown used to ignoring Noelle''s


    need for attention.


    Noelle was slightly annoyed. She asked, "What''s the point of you asking me these questions? Don''t you have anything else better to do?"


    "Noelle, you just have to give me a simple yes or no answer."


    "What''s the point in you asking me that?"


    Noelle took a step back and increased the distance between them. She looked at him stubbornly and said, "Frank, if you''re really here to apologize or to make things right with me, then please don''te and bother me until the college entrance exams are over." Frank smiled bitterly. The guarded look in her eyes was like a stab to his heart! Noelle truly did not trust them. Ultimately, he said with difficulty, "Alright. I promise you that."


    Noelle looked down. "Thank you."


    "Noelle, you don''t have to thank me for anything


    With a slightly boarer voice, he add carefully Where are you maying for the time being?"


    Noelle immediately looked at Frank plowly the westered what schemes he had up his sleeve


    Frank''s heart was filled with bitterness as


    never lived on your own before, and I''m worried


    "Ten''t minunderstand. It''s just that you''re out how you''re doing


    His younger sister, who used to follow him eveure, was now treating him like a stranger. However, he only noticed the change toote in


    Noelle said coldly, "I''m doing fine."


    In her past life, she had to resort to sleeping on the streets when she had been chased out of the Liddell residence. She had been harassed by beggars and had to scour the trash to survive. She had already survived the worst of the worst. Frank considered it before saying, "I think you should move back home. Lucas will probably tell Donovan about what had happened, and you know his temper


    "He''ll definitely ruin your exam preparations and probably cause trouble for that school doctor.


    "As long as you''re willing to move back home, we won''t interfere with what you do and where you go. Is that alright with you?"


    Noelle fell into silence.


    "Noelle, you don''t have to give me an answer now. You can return to ss and give it some thought. If you don''t want toe home, I''ll help you cover things up with Donovan." When Noelle heard Frank''s words, she felt ufortable. She didn''t want to owe him anything. Still, she decided to return to her ssroom to think things through first. Frank gave her onest look before heading to the school''s infirmary,


    Cedric sat in his chair with his arm on the armrest, hiking up his sleeve and exposing his watch. When he looked up, his stare was cold


    Frank nced at the doctor before him and was shocked when he noticed Cedric''s watch. It was expensive-a limited edition watch that could not be bought with money. That meant that the doctor before hi was no ordinary man.

 Noelle and Cedric Chapter 56

    Frank said, "I''m here to discuss Noelle''s situation with you. She can''t keep staying with you."


    "So?" Cedric replied.


    "If you truly care about her, stop encouraging her to act out against our family. If my brother finds out about this, she''ll be confined to the Liddell residence, and that would only affect her preparations for the college entrance exams.


    "I just hope that we can all avoid unnecessary trouble until her exams are over. It''ll be for her own good. What do you think?"


    Cedric said slowly with a hint of arrogance, "You don''t have any right to talk to me, just like how not a single one of you can force Noelle to concede with your request.


    "Otherwise, what happened to yourpanies during the repechage will only happen again."


    Frank''s expression immediately changed. "Was that your doing?"


    During the repechage, the original n was for him and ke to attend thepetition. However, something suddenly happened to thepany, so they could only choose to forgo thepetition. ke was still swamped with his work, dealing with issues rted to a TV series, and could not


    return.


    The look in Frank''s eyes immediately sharpened as he looked at Cedric. "Who on earth are you? What''s your goal in approaching Noelle?"


    He wondered how a mere school doctor could do so much damage and questioned Cedric''s reasons for getting close to Noelle.


    Cedric''s tone was filled with arrogance as he said, "That has nothing to do with end of the day, not one of you can stop Noelle from doing what she wants.


    you.


    At the


    Frank gulped. "But she will agree to move back. Although she pped Lucas and Xenia yesterday, she is still a kind child."


    Cedric chuckled. "She had just started her period and could not afford to get wet from the rain. But what did your family end up doing? Does your family even deserve her kindness?" Cedric''s words hit Frank like a truck. What had they done? Lucas had forced Noelle to give up


    her umbre for Xenia.


    Unable to answer Cedric''s question, Frank left the infirmary feeling defeated.


    During their lunch break, Noelle headed to the infirmary after finishing her lunch.


    When she saw that Cedric was still eating, she approached him. "Are you not done eating yet? It seems like the school employees'' meals are much better than ours."


    "Do you have something to say to me?" Cedric put down his spoon gently. Looking at her face, he immediately knew what she wanted to say.


    Frank knew Noelle well, so he also knew where to strike.


    Noelle hesitated momentarily before she said, "Frank and I had a chat today. I''ve decided to move back home to avoid any unnecessary drama."


    "The choice is yours," Cedric said coldly.


    Noelle looked at him and said, "Alright. Then, I''ll head back to my ssroom now."


    Ultimately, he did not get the chance to exin herself. When she left the infirmary, she heard a voice beside her. Alfred said, "Nelly, Ced has a short temper. Don''t get mad at him. That''s just how he is."


    "I know. I''m not angry."


    "Then why do you want to move back home? Aren''t your brothers all biased toward that fake sister of yours?"


    Noelle hesitated momentarily before saying, "I''m just scared that Donovan will find out about it and cause some trouble. He has a bad temper, and I''m worried he''ll do something bad to Cedric."


    "It seems like you have quite the conscience on you. He didn''t treat you so well for nothing." Noelle was slightly embarrassed. "Frank and I had discussed things thoroughly. So moving back won''t be too much of a problem, and I''ll be able to avoid many problems from happening.


    "1


    When Noelle left, Alfred strolled into the infirmary and asked, "Did you hear that? She''s doing it all for your sake. She wants to protect you. Why are you putting on such a pissy expression? What if you end up scaring her?" Cedric frowned. "Do I need her protection?"


    "You''re right. No one would dare to provoke you, but she doesn''t know about your true identity. It''s rare to find a kid with such good character." "That goes without saying." However, Cedric still felt a strong sense of difort in his heart.


    Frank really did understand how to manipte Noelle.


    None of them cared about her when she was still living with them. But now that she left, they dared toe groveling back and force her to return. Alfred smirked. "By the way, Ced, I''ve always wondered about something. How did Nelly learn your 12-hitbo? That''s your signature move!" Act Fast: Free Bonus Time is Running Out!

 Noelle and Cedric Chapter 57

    Cedric loungedzily in his chair as he slowly lowered his gaze. He replied, "I''m not sure as well."


    "It really wasn''t you that taught her how to do it step by step in secret?" asked Alfred.


    "She said that she learned it herself."


    Alfred was extremely shocked. "No way! Did she really learn that by herself? Plenty of people have been trying to learn from you ever since you made it famous with your 12-hitbo, but no one''s been able to actually learn it no matter how hard they tried." Anyone who had yed the role of a gunner knew just how difficult it was to learn King''s 12- hitbo! It required not just talent but also a sharp mind.


    Unless they were personally taught by King himself, of course. But hardly anyone could ever acquire such a privilege. And thus, no one had ever managed to learn it by themselves.


    Yet, Noelle was the very first to do so!


    Everyone in the gaming world was specting about the connection between Noelle and King.


    Cedric''s long fingers lightly tapped the table as he said, "She''s brilliant and talented."


    He believed that Noelle would even surpass him in the future.


    Once sses were over, Noelle headed to the school gate. Aiden was already respectfully waiting for her outside the car. She turned to nce at the infirmary before climbing into the vehicle.


    When she returned to the Liddell residence, she looked around and felt rather unfamiliar. In her previous life, she had cherished her home and family more than anything else. But now, she felt like a stranger in that ce.


    Noelle entered the main hall. Frank stood up and greeted her. "Oh, Noelle, you''re back! Let''s eat! I''ve already had the kitchen prepare your favorites."


    "I''ll be eating in my room from now on," said Noelle before heading upstairs.


    Frank turned to Gordon and said, "Prepare a portion for her and take it upstairs to her room.*


    Gordon was rather displeased. "Mr. Frank, it''s clear that Ms. Liddell has an issue with Ms. Quigley. If word gets out, people might think that Ms. Liddell doesn''t want Ms. Quigley at the dinner table."


    Xenia quickly replied, "What are you talking about, Gordon? I''m sure that Noelle simply prefers eating in her own room to save time."


    "You''re way too kind, Ms. Quigley."


    Frank frowned and said, "It''s fine. If she doesn''t eat downstairs, so be it. Nobody will know about what happens inside our house so long as we don''t talk about it anyway."


    Gordon finally fell silent, albeit unwillingly. Xenia began to feel uneasy as she noticed the shift in Frank''s demeanor. She could not afford to lose being their favorite.


    Xenia cleared her throat with a cough and said, "Frank, I tried making some medicinal congee. Would you like to try it? I know it''s not as good as Noelle''s, but I''ll keep practicing to improve it." Frank immediately softened up to Xenia. "You really don''t have to trouble yourself."


    "It''s no trouble. Your stomach isn''t doing well, Frank. So you should take better care of it. I''ll help care for you in Noelle''s ce until she calms down."


    Xenia was looking rather pale as she had not yet fully recovered. Frank smiled sincerely and replied, "It''s the thought that counts.


    He tasted Xenia''s medicinal congee and immediately felt that it was far below Noelle''s. Nevertheless, he still ate a few spoonfuls of it so as not to offend Xenia.


    It only caused him to miss Noelle''s cooking even more, leaving him with an empty feeling in his heart.


    Meanwhile, Noelle entered her room and immediately noticed that her belongings had been tampered with. She was extremely displeased and decided not to dwell on it as she would soon be moving away. Gordon brought a tray of food to Noelle''s room. "Ms. Liddell, your dinner is here."


    He could not help but speak his mind as he continued, "If I may be blunt, Ms. Liddell. Yo re finally returned home after so long, so why not have dinner together with everyone else? If word were to get out, people might think that you''re deliberately avoiding Ms. Quigley and refusing to share a table with her."


    Noelle looked at Gordon with annoyance.


    She felt that Gordon had always favored Xenia more than anyone else, to the point of treating


    thetter as if she were his daughter.


    In Noelle''s past life, Gordon had helped Xenia with all her schemes, which always resulted in Noelle being med for everything.


    Noelle''s eyes turned ice cold as she raised her hand and knocked the food tray out of Gordon''s hands.

 Noelle and Cedric Chapter 58

    Noelle looked at Gordon and said, "Know your ce, Gordon. You''re just a butler. You don''t tell me what to do." Gordon was slightly angered. "Ms. Liddell, I may be just a butler, but I still have the right to speak the truth!" "Oh? And why should I listen to you?"


    When Noelle returned to the Liddell family that time around, she had already run out of patience. Back then, she believed everything would be fine if she remained indifferent to or ignored things. But some people, like Gordon, never knew when to stop.


    The other housekeepers notified Frank that something had happened upstairs. He rushed to Noelle''s room and saw the food spilled on the floor. "What happened, Noelle? Is the food not to your liking?"


    Gordon seemed on the verge of tears as heined, "Mr. Frank, I was just kindly advising Ms. Liddell not to eat alone in her bedroom as it might cause rumors to spread.


    "Not only did she p the tray off my hands and spill the food, but she also said that I have no rights as a butler to reprimand her."


    Frank frowned and replied, "Gordon, you, in fact, don''t have the right to reprimand her."


    Gordon was shocked as he had never expected Frank to side with Noelle.


    Xenia immediately stepped forward, stood next to Gordon, and said, "Frank, Gordon''s just trying to help. Like my dad, he''s been with the Liddell family for many years. He may just be a butler, but he''s always been loyal to us." Frank''s expression softened a little. "I didn''t mean it that way."


    Noelle, however, simply did not want to see any of them. "I want all of you to get out!"


    Frank replied, "I''ll have someone clean up the spilled food and bring you another tray in a bit."


    He then left the room and turned to Gordon. "Show Noelle some respect, Gordon. Don''t say anything that you shouldn''t."


    Frank also just realized that a mere butler had dared to lecture Noelle. He reckoned that it was because the household staff had grown ustomed to the rest of the Liddell family''s mistreatment of Noelle and began to follow suit. He felt that he had failed Noelle as her older brother.


    Xenia stared at Frank''s retreating figure and began to panic slightly. She felt that Frank had changed, as he would have undoubtedly also sided with Gordon in the past. She knew that she had to find a way to stop this from progressing further.


    After Noelle''s outburst, the housekeepers quickly cleaned up the mess and brought over another dinner tray. And this time, no one lectured her again.


    After finishing her homework, she opened WhatsApp to invite Cedric for a game together.


    Noelle noticed that she had received a new friend request from none other than Lucas.


    She nced at the request and immediately clicked on the "Ignore" button, not even refusing it. She did not want to be lectured by him or listen to his condescending apologies. Noelle sent a message to Cedric. "Want to clear some dungeons, sir?"


    She then went to boot up herputer while waiting for a reply.


    Noelle saw a news update that reported, "Team Celestial has invited King''s disciple to join their team, leaving Team Luminark devastated!''


    Curious, she clicked on the article for a better look.


    It seemed that Magnus, the captain of Team Celestial, had publicly issued an invitation for Noelle to join their team.


    Lucas, however, also publicly rejected the offer on Noelle''s behalf. "My sister will never join your team!"


    Noelle was both confused and surprised by Magnus'' invitation to join his team. She wondered if he was unaware that she was Lucas'' younger sister.


    She then received a notification that a friend wasing online. She immediately invited Cedric to her party.


    Reverse Time: "Who are you?"


    SweetNelly: "Is that you, sir?"


    ReverseTime: "The fuck? My older brother''s actually ying games with a girl!"


    Magnus was so shocked that he fell to the ground.

 Noelle and Cedric Chapter 59

    Chapter


    59


    Noelle was shocked after reading the reply. She messaged, "Are you his younger brother?"


    Magnus struggled back up from the floor, his hands still trembling as he typed up a reply. Yeah. I''m his adorable, obedient, and incredibly talented younger brother! Anyway, when did he get himself a disciple? Why don''t I know about this?" He wondered if that girl from the Liddell family was indeed Cedric''s disciple.


    Magnus asked, "Are you Noelle Liddell?"


    "Yes, I am. Has Cedric talked about me before?" replied Noelle.


    She did not expect that Cedric''s younger brother would know about her.


    Magnus was so shocked that he continuously murmured a string of curses to himself. His hands were still trembling as he picked up his phone to make a phone call to Cedric.


    Cedric answered the call instantly and asked, "What''s wrong, Magnus?" He was sitting in his study in front of hisputer, rubbing his temples as he closed a program window.


    Magnusined, "It''s not fair, Cedric! I can''t believe you secretly took Noelle as your disciple and taught her the 12-hitbo! You never even taught me that! Am I even your younger brother, for real? I must''ve been adopted! Boohoo!" Cedric immediately tensed up. "How do you know that?"


    "I just logged into your ount, and she was already looking for you. We talked briefly, and she told me all of that herself!"


    Only then did Cedric notice the messages that Noelle had sent him earlier.


    "Log out of my ount now!" said Cedric.


    "You still haven''t told me why you taught her the 12-hitbo! Don''t you know that sh my opponent in the tournament?"


    Cedric''s tone was instantly stern as he insisted, "Like I said, she learned it herself! I''m giving you three seconds. Log out now!"


    Magnus memorized Noelle''s username before reluctantly logging out from Cedric''s ount. Why are you panicking so much, Cedric? Is she your new girlfriend? Don''t worry. I fully support your decision to pursue true love instead of an arranged marriage!" "Shut it. What did you say to her?"


    "I didn''t say anything. I only told her that I''m your younger brother."


    Cedric immediately hung up the call and logged back into the game to find Noelle still online.


    2/3


    He had genuinely panicked. For a split second, he almost thought that Noelle had figured out his identity.


    Cedric stared at Noelle''s online status for a long time and did nothing else.


    Noelle, too, was rather confused by Cedric''s ount suddenly logging off and on and then doing nothing afterward.


    She wondered if Cedric''s ount had been hacked, but after some thought, she decided that nobody would be interested in hacking an alternate ount.


    She decided to send Cedric a message on WhatsApp. "I think someone logged onto your ount. Were you hacked or something?"


    Cedric read the message and finally invited Noelle to his party. He then exined, "It was someone else who logged in earlier."


    Noelle replied, "It was your younger brother, right? That''s what he told me anyway. I almost thought that you were hacked." "Don''t worry. I wasn''t hacked. Don''t worry about him either."


    Noelle did not probe further. As they began running dungeons together, she suddenly said, '' Team Celestial''s captain actually invited me to join their team!" Cedric immediately frowned and asked, "When did that happen?" He wondered if Magnus was trying to cause trouble again.


    She replied, "It happened just earlier. I was surprised by it, too. I saw that Team Celestial''s captain publicly taunted Lucas, probably to provoke him."


    Cedric opened the game''s news update and immediately spotted the pinned announcement. He then calmly replied, "There''s no need to take it seriously."


    "Of course not. Team Celestial is a solid team. They''ll probably make it into the national team someday."


    Cedric instinctively replied, "You''re not bad yourself."


    Noelle''s eyes widened in surprise while he awkwardly turned his head to the side. He continued, "With my help, you''ll be the best yer ever." His tone carried a hint of arrogance. Noelle smiled and replied, "I''d like to join the national team if I ever get the chance. It''d make our country proud."


    She never had the opportunity to do so in her previous life, as Xenia had taken the spot.


    Cedric calmly replied, "It will be easy for you to do so. But for now, we''ll think about it after your exams.


    Noelle then logged off after the both of them finished running dungeons.


    Cedric immediately called Magnus, and the call was picked up immediately. "You''re finally calling me, Cedric! I''ve been dying to know just what your rtionship is with that disciple of yours!" "First of all, you must not tell anyone about this, especially our family."


    Magnus immediately straightened his back and replied, "Of course. I would never sell you out!


    "Second of all, Noelle doesn''t know who I am yet, so we can''t leak my identity."


    "Of course, Cedric. There are way too many gold diggers out there these days, after all! You can only build an actual normal rtionship by hiding your identity. But I gotta ask, is my future sister-inw still underage or something? Cedric! Are you going for a minor?"

 Noelle and Cedric Chapter 60

    Cedric was slightly annoyed. He snapped, "It''s not what you think it is. Stop asking questions and don''t do anything unnecessary, understand?"


    Magnus shrank his neck and replied, "Okay, okay. I get it." He wondered why Cedric was so angry about him asking a few questions.


    Cedric eventually shifted the topic away after finishing listing out his instructions. "So you wanted to invite her onto the team?"


    "Yeah. I did think of that, but it''s mostly just to annoy Lucas. He''s got no skills, yet he''s barking the loudest. I heard that he doesn''t get along with his sister, so I thought I''d take advantage of the situation." "Wait until her exams are over if you want to recruit her. Before that, don''t bother her so as not to distract her."


    After Cedric hung up the call, Magnus immediately turned around to add Noelle as a friend in the game. He wanted to figure out the exact rtionship between her and Cedric.


    He had never seen Cedric hang out with a girl before, let alone treat her so well!


    A month passed in the blink of an eye.


    Noelle watched as the countdown hanging in the ssroom turned to zero. She had been waiting a long time for that to happen. From this moment, she would start anew and correct everything that had gone wrong in her previous life. She headed to the infirmary after sses were over.


    Alfred waved and greeted her. "The exams begin tomorrow. Are you nervous, Nelly?"


    She replied, "I''m not nervous at all. If anything, I''m looking forward to it."


    Noelle looked at Cedric, who was sitting on a chair in his white coat. Even though his attitude was indifferent, she knew that he was a good person at heart.


    When their eyes met, Cedric noticed the anticipation within her eyes and quickly understood her thoughts.


    He calmly said, "Good luck."


    Noelle smiled and replied, "Thanks. I''ll be going now. Bye!" She had gone to the infirmary just to hear those two words from him in person. There was almost no one else aside from Cedric who genuinely wished her good luck. After she left, Alfred clicked his tongue and said "What a sweet little disciple you have there! It makes me want to get one myself."


    Cedric ignored hisment and simply closed his eyes to feign a nap.


    "Cedric, shouldn''t you be going back once her exams are over? Or are you nning to look after her for the rest of her life?"


    Cedric slowly opened his eyes, revealing a profound gaze in his ck eyes.


    He never thought about how long he would watch over Noelle, as he had always been doing


    whatever he wanted.


    The college entrance exams had begun.


    Noelle managed to get a good night''s sleep and woke up refreshed the following day. She headed to the kitchen to make pancakes for breakfast.


    Meanwhile, Xenia was still coughing weakly, seemingly not yet fully recovered from her cold. Frank was visibly concerned. "Are you okay, Xenia? You''ve been sick for an entire month!"


    Gordon was slightly panicking. "The bad cold must have been because Ms. Quigley was drenched in the rain."


    Noelle pretended not to hear anything, as it was none of her business.


    Xenia tried to smooth things over and said, "It''s just my body being weaker than normal, Frank. It''s my fault for being so careless to catch a cold from the rain."


    "Don''t think like that, Xenia. Just do your best, and don''t put too much stress on yourself for now."


    Noelle simply focused on eating her breakfast and ignored everyone else. She had been preparing for the exam for so long. She refused to allow anything to ruin her mood now.


    Later on, Frank personally drove Noelle to the school for the exam. It started to rain on the way. While it helped cool down the morning sun, it also caused traffic to build up.


    Xenia, still looking pale and sickly, said, "Good luck on the exam, Noelle."


    Noelle turned her head to look out of the window and said nothing.


    Xenia bit her lips in frustration and cast a quick nce at the driver seat, but Frank remained silent. If this had been in the past, Frank would have definitely reprimanded Noelle on the spot. Xenia had worked hard for an entire month, but nothing had changed! The car soon arrived at the school. When Noelle got out of the car, all of her stationery fell out of her bag. As she bent down to pick up the scattered items, she realized that all of her tools were defective!


    Noelle briefly panicked and wondered what had She looked up at Xenia and realized that only the


    Noelle briefly panicked and wondered what had happened.


    She looked up at Xenia and realized that only thetter could have done such a thing.

 Noelle and Cedric Chapter 61

    Chapter


    61


    Noelle''s eyes turned patch ck as it she were teach in devout sottiere.


    Xenia took a step back. "Why are you staring at me like that, Note? It''s not like I''m the one that dropped all your stationery to the ground


    Estepped over and asked, "What''s wrong, Noelle?"


    Noelle used a lot of her intength to suppress her anger. "The stationery is all brokers"


    He took a look at the scattered stationery, and his expression shifted. "How did this happen? For now, just head inside, Noelle. I''ll buy new ones for you right away Noelle began to regret staying in the Liddell residence. She realized that she had made a colossal mistake.


    She immediate he thought about calling Cedric instead, as she did not trust Frank


    Xenia then suggested. "How about I give Noelle my stationery instead, Frank? I''ll wait i


    This time. I''ll go and buy it right away


    for you to bring me the new ones.


    Frank then turned around to Noelle and continued, "You can trust me, Noelle. Just head inside for now and wait for me. You''ll bete otherwise."


    Noelle pie Frank onest look before heading inside the school and waiting at the exam hail


    Time was running out because of the dy caused by the heavy rain and traffic,


    Slot help but smus about all of this


    Xenia passed by Noelle with her umbre and feigned concern. "Thope that Frank ms it back before the exam starts."


    Noelle held on her ownrge ck umbre anal just stared straight ahead while ignoring Xenia''sments


    Embarrassed by theck of response, Xenia stomped her foot and walked away. She was actually extremely displeased as the had nned for Noall to realize that all the stationery was broken when the exam had already begun. It was safe to say that Noelle had gotten lucky


    rain began to parar even harder as Noe called Cedric Cedric picked up instantly and asked, "What''s wrong, Noelle? You should already be in the ssroom by now!"


    The rain t


    "All of my stationery was sabotaged. I''m now waiting for Frank to bring me new ones, but he still hasn''t returned yet."


    Cedit immediately sat up straight. "Wait for me in your seat."


    Noelle continued to state outside after the phone call ended until the teacher reminded her that it was time to head inside the ssroom. She trusted Cedric


    Noelle weed the ssroom to look for her seat. then sat and waited until the bell rang


    Justthen Brace, the principal


    if, hurried into the ssroom with son stationery in hand. He handed them to the invigtor for a quick check before handing them to Noelle


    the wondered why the principal himself was delivering the stationery. However, there was no time to think about such matters as the exam was about to start Time passed by from second to minutes to hours. After the nest w


    Noelle could finally let out a bath of pellet the stepped out of the exam hall and looked up at the sky in a great mood.


    When Moelle arrived at e school gate, Frank finally ded over to her "How was the exam, Noelle? The rain get heavier just now, and Aiden identally took a wrong turn. It took me a lung tita sa buy some new stationery by the time i got back, it was already toote? Gentile body was do sucked from head to toe, and his face was filled with nothing but guil


    cover as she had already expected for this to happen. She was not even angry at the mie at all. If anything, she had already potten used to being disappointed by her pider Bothria. Now that the no longer cared about t she would no longer felbart by their actions. idigtaly ?nimmed by fecelle''s calm demeanor. "What''s wrong, Now le? Say something! You can yell at me, too, if you want!?


    ?Humble buck a step back and put sosne dritance between her and Frank.


    and the bolli, saying, "You''re Late, and Did you manage toning the stationery over time? Oh no! Nolle''s exam must have been disastrous without any was extremely happy when caught sight of Noelle''s emotiondess expresslin inverwhelmed will pult "Trusoury, Noelle This is all my fault. If you fail this exam, I''ll you study for another year to retake it!"


    Noelle just noted and replied, "It''s fair, Frank Let''s just leave it at that


    Frank became brojem in te as he wondered what Noelle nuan


    He would rather Noelle lose her temper and am setting on him instead of being so chnt and different

 Noelle and Cedric Chapter 62

    Frankie as it Noelle saw him as merely a stranger!


    Noelle turned and walked in the opposite direction, where Cedic had been paletly waiting for her, holding a ck umbre. She ran up to him and asked. "Was it you who asked Mr. York deliver the stationery to me? Cedric noticed the smile on her face and figured that she was not affected by the incident. He suppressed his anger and calmly replied, "Yeah.


    "Thanks a lot, Cedric. You really saved me!" replied Noelle. She then rabbed her stomach and continerd, "I''m starving! Let''s get something to eat. I still have to prepare for the exam in th


    Apanicked Franken up to her as she got into the car. "Where are you going, Noelle? I need to talk to you!"


    He held onto the car door and anxiously looked at Noelle inside the car. Noelle was as expressionless as before. "There''s no need to talk"


    "Noelle, realy didn''t mean to bete


    She remained unfazed. "I know that already. Can you let good your hand now?"


    But Frank did not let go; rather, he did not dare to let go. He had a bad feeling that if he were to let go of his hand, Noelle would nevere back.


    Alfeld not take it anymore and stepped up to grab Frank by the cor. "Dude, you''re just being pathetic!""


    Frank was about to lose his temper. "The older brother! Who the hell do you think you are?"


    Alfred sneered and replied, "I''ve never seen an older brother that only makes their younger sibling''s lives worse! Har stationery came from your house, and it just so happened to be broker right before the exam "After all that, you told her to wait for you and swore up and down that you''d return with new ones, only to show upte! Just how evil can your entire family be?"


    Alfredcould not just stand around and do nothing after having witnessed Noelle''s hardships firsthand


    Anyone could tell that stationery would not just break for no good reason. Alfred could not stomach their behavior and treatment of Noelle.


    Frank was stunned "I didn''t know that."


    Alfred had no filters when it came to scolding others. Then go and figure it out! What do you think you''re doing trying to force Nelly to forgive you?


    "This time, it''s just her stationeries being tampered with. The next time, it could be the food that she''s eating being tampered with! What if she gets dianthes and can''t make it to her exams? I''m worried about what''s next toe!" Frank was shoved. He stumbled backward. He could only watch as Noelle and the car drove off. It was the first time in his 30 years of living that he had ever felt such fear and panic. Xenia ran over with feigned concern. "anic, it''s only normal for Noelle to be angry. You werete, after all. But the exams are vitall We should stillince her toe back home!" She could not manipte things any further it Noelle were gone.


    Frank''s voice turned hoarse as he mentally broke down. "Where''s Gordon? He''s the one who prepared the stationery!"


    He wanted to find out the truth about why Noelle''s stationery was defective.


    Xenia began to panic a line. "Why do you suspect Gordon, Frank? He also prepared my stationery, and there''s nothing wrong with mine."


    Frank just ignored her as he stood back up with a stiffened expression and left.


    Xenia immediately tested Gordon, writing, "Frank''s about to investigate you. Be careful."


    Even though Noelle managed to get away, Xenia belved that the incident would still have affected Noelle and caused her to perform worse in the exams. Judging from Noethe''s demeanor, it was clear that she did not want to deal with Frank anymore. It was perfect for Xania


    Naped out the car window and not bred that rain had lightened up. The inside of the car was silent.


    the node and eplied, "I was thinking


    and calmly spoke up: "Don''t let this affect you Anyway, you shouldn''t return home for the next few days."


    ach innte convenient to stay at the apartment as well


    The rain had fly stopped by the time the attracoon riam begin


    Noelle proceeded into the exam hally wout any hirups this time, and although the math questions were sl


    When the belt th


    i were slightly difficult, she was still extremely confident about the exam. erans hall, she heard her fellow studentsining about how gruelingly hand the math questions were


    When Noelle arrived on the school gate, she saw bank again, the hesitated momentarily before lowering her head and turning around to walk in the opposite direction. "Noelle, I''ve brought Gordonlure to apologize in you," said Frank

 Noelle and Cedric Chapter 63

    Noelle continued walking away, but Frank quickly caught up to her and cast, "Noelle, I''ve ahrady investigated the matter. It was Gordon''s mistake, and he''s here to apologize to you." Gordon then stepped forward and said. "My eyesight has deteriorated over the years, Mc Lablell, Sol diehu''t notice that une set of stationery was defective. This is all my fault, so please Tren Xenia chimed in as well "God


    Needle stood still in ce. her expression still as cold and indifferent asever. She could not believe that they thought that a mere apology would be sufficient after all that they petting old so it can''t be helpedtilist mistakes like this happen. You should just let it go, Noelle"


    iras pulled up to the side of the road, and Alfred stepped out of it, aheady reprimanding them on the spot. "What a joke! Are you honestly going with the whole "aring eyesight" excuse? Why itiei just so happened to mess up Nelly''s set of stationery and not yours, Xenia?"


    Codic lowered the car window and stared straight at Noelle "Get in!


    Now Die hummed and walked toward the car without any hesitation


    (hunted forward and pleaded. "Wait, Noelle! We


    (may his hand and replied. "Absolutely not!"


    takes to stop being angry


    ady figured out what''s happened. Can youe back home with us?


    stopped out of the car and shoved Frank aside. "Why don''t you look for a mirror so that you can take a look at your selfish face!"


    I''m just worried about her!!!


    c reasoned in a single breath, "If you cared about her, you wouldn''t be facing her to ept your apology before her exams are over And when she doesn''t ept your apology, you''ll (unprasonable and throwing a tantrum.


    important right now in her mental and emotional state. But the only thing you care about now is to clear yourself of the me for the defective stationery and force her to ept even considered how your actions are afferring her! If that''s not selfish, what


    aims for words for a moment, as he had never meant to do any of that. "I was worried that Noe might misunderstand what had happened. That''s why I wanted to exin it co Cedric meeted and replied, "ut did you ever think about whether or not it''s the right time for her to listen to your exnation? What if your words affect her, worsening her performance i think your apology is able? Do you honestly think that you''re absolved of all responsibility simply because you''ve apologized?


    Frank was left utterly speed-less.


    Tenia gritted her teeth angrily and said, "Trank''s just concerned about Not! How could be ever wish to hurt her?


    1. e. "You''re that fake younger sister, right? Did you guys n to apologize one after another to show how good you are at apologizing? What are you even pretending


    of you and then apologize after? by your logic, that would absolve me of all responsibility, no? Nelly doesn''t need any of your selfish and self-serving acts of concern


    dus Noelie bend down to get into the car, Frankepped forward once more and ploaded, "I really didn''t mean it that way, Noelle. I simply panicked fed of Joning Noelle


    chim through the car window and ca


    Traimly replied, "I know I''ll go home after the exams are ov


    felt like a jumbled mess. Even though Nort ting what Noelle was thinking


    loddetant replied, "Wright, alrigh


    Most importuitly, it might


    tmy fault for not thinking things through. I''ll wait


    cround your exams are over to exin everything to you." willing to let her gra, Bait he did not dein way any longer was to ordinary person, and he was hot confident about forcing has way against Cestic. Xenida grated bu


    eth with frustration as she watched Noelle leave. She could not believe that Frankatically just let her ga frigrad consent, unce misce andiaid, "Trank, if Noelia in''ting home during day wci what''s going to happen it Denyan finds it about this?

 Noelle and Cedric Chapter 64

    Frank''s expression turnedcold. He said, "As long as none of us say anything, Donovan won''t know." Kenia was rattled. She said, "0-Of course."


    Now that Noelle was not living in the Lidell residence, Xenia could no longer y nicks on her.


    When Noelle returned to the apartment, Alfred was still voicing hisints. "Just what kind of people are they? Why are they forcing you to ept their apology so urgently?" Alfred used to think that Frank was just biased


    But now that he had seen it for himself, he saw that it was not merely bias, Frank waspletely blind to Noelle''s feelings


    Noelle poured Alfred a ss of water. There''s no need to be angry, Allied, I''m not mad at them."


    "it could you not be?"


    Noelle remained as expressionless as ever as she spoke. "I''m used to it. I''ve always been


    Alfred clutched his chest and replied. Tock I can''t take this anymore. I''m stepping out to the balcony for a smoke to calm down."


    Cedric soon approached them with a fruit ter. He ced it down before Noelle and said, "Eat some fruits. They''re good for your brain."


    Noelle blinked at him and asked, "Why did you scold me?


    "Are you seriously still nning to go back after the exama?


    She finally realized that he had overheard that part of the conversation


    Noelle packed up the truir nter and replied, "I need to return and park my stuff, of course,


    Cedric on the couch and said "Just don''t do anything stupid"


    Her gaze was Him. "know. I won''t be forgiving them, and i won''t let them get to me."


    The rest of the exams went smoothly


    After finishing the final subject, Noelle felt that a huge weight had been lifted off her soldiers. She had endated so much just for this day, and it was now finally over


    Noelle walked out of the ssroom in a great mood. She passed by groups of students who were still discussing the exam with Xenia among the cord.


    Sophia turned to Noelle and asked, "How was it, Noe? 1 heard that you had some stationery malfunction during the first exam. It sounded you have it rough, but as long as your answers are fine, they shouldn''t deduct your marks." Xenia feigned concern and said, "It''s fine, Noell. It will be okay even if the results aren''t that great."


    Noelle raised her eyes and red at her. "I''ll still score better than you anyway!"


    Kenia was shocked "Don''t be mad, Noelle "


    "Til still score better than you even if I''m mad!"


    Noelle''s words felt like a punch straight to the chest.


    Sophia just stared at Noelle in shock. She had know thetter to be timid to the point of almost being a pushover. Even though Noelle had toughened up over thest few months, Sophia had ever seen her speak like this Noelle seemed to have gotten quite the sharp tongue after the exams


    Nuelle slowly turned around and left. Her figure stood out among the crowd for being much more carefree than anyone else''s


    Xenia was so furious that her face turned slightly pale. She wondered if Noelle had gone mad or something. She then put on a pitiful expression and turned to Suphia. "I was just worried


    was dat buying it at all. "Whether you''re genuinely concerned or were simply trying to make fun of her, only you know the answer."


    A nearby ssmate chimerdin. "Tur''s right! Do you honestly think we can''t tell that you''re just putting up an act of being kind and all? Only Noelle would be foolish enough to allow you to bully hot for so many years!"


    Xemia''s eyes tutted red as Sophia led the rest of the cast away, leaving her alone. She continued to stand there by herself, het gaze turning resentful. She eventually ran up to chase after the 1st of the ys, in Frank would definitely show


    Meanwhile, when Noelle arrived at the school gate, she was not with a row of red-colored sports cars parked together to hold up a giant banner that read, "Nelly, we wish you good luck


    with a sessful examb


    The entire formation was undoubtedly a bit over the top

 Noelle and Cedric Chapter 65

    Noelle never expected to be greeted by such a scene. She remembered that in her previous life, both Frank and Lucas had shown up after she finished the college entrance exam, but their attention was duectedto Kenia She had always been the one that was ignored and forgotten. She never thought she would ever have the chance to be on the receiving end of such a grand disy. It would be a lie to say that the sight did not touch her Cedric''s tall figure was leaningzily against the car door.


    He looked up at her as she approached, revealing his refined and handsome face, which no longer carried his usualzy look but was instead reced with a serious expression.


    Noelle bit down on her lips and walked toward him.


    He looked at her with a gentle pane "Congrattions! It''s finally oves."


    Alfred waved the banner enthusiastically. "Nelly, this is the surprise that I''ve prepared for you! Do you like it?"


    Noelle blushed as she smiled. "Thank you, Alfred I just think that it''s a bit too much."


    He then sarcastically remarked, "We had to make it over the top! Unlike folks who only brought a single bouquet and called it a day."


    Noelle looked up and saw Frankering the street with a bouquet in his arms.


    In her pervious life, Frank had also brought a bouquet to the school, but it was for Xenia,


    Frankexcitedly crossed the road and said "Noelle, I wanted to park the car on this side, but all the parking''s filled, so I had to park further away across the street"


    He did not expect people to be sa shameless as to take up all the parking spaces and refuse to leave


    Alfred clicked his tongue and said, "You''d havee early to secure yourself a parking spot if you really cared. Trying to scramble on your feet nour that you''rete, huh? Doesn''t look sincere to me at a Isn''t that right, Cedric?" Cedric calmly replied, "It''s not something that someone who thinks that apologizing in beneath them would understand"


    Frank''s pron began to shift over theirments:


    Just then, Xenia aboarrived at the school gate. She ran straight to Frank''s side and eximed, "Frank, you''re here! Wow, the flows you''ve brought are so beautiful!"


    He felt very awkward as he had only bought a single bouquet of flowers. Nevertheless, Frank cleared his throat, ignored Xenia, and walked up to Noelle. "Noelle, I wish you sess on your college entrance examu!"


    Noelle looked at the bouquet and replied, "Thanks, but you should give these to Xenia. Otherwise, people might think you''re favoring me over her and spread rumors about how the adopted pirididateve flowers.


    Frank felt that the words she had spoken sounded oddly familiar. He hurriedly exined, "I bought these flows for you, Noelle I''ll get Xenix another er!"


    Noelle calmly but firmly asserted her stance. "We shouldn''t. I''m heavily indebted to Xenia ever since her father saved my life. You shouldn''t be so biased with me, Frank if there''s just a single bouquet, you should give it to Xenia ingread" Frank immediately froze as he realized why her words sounded oddly familiar. They were the exact words that he had said in the past. Whenever something was in short supply, Noelle would always step aside


    Frank telt a dull ache in his chest as he finally connected the dots. He finally realized that he had already wronged Noelle a long time ago. He painstakingly opened his mouth and said, Listen, Noelle Back then 1-"


    Noelle nonchntly interrupted him. "Let the past stay in the past, Frank. We should always be looking ahead to the future. I still have a ss gathering tonight, so I''ll be going now." She turned and walked up to Cedric "May Lask for a ride? Cedric looked at her and opened the car door without saying anything else.


    The whole row of red-colored spists cars revsed their engues and left!


    Frank watched as Noelle got into the car id departed lie wanted to stop her, but his feet felt as if beit


    s repeatedly reyed in his mind, and they stabbed into his


    bri heart filled with prabunny as she watch


    She then assumed that Noelle hated Cedric intend a few cats to show off Xenda was still extremely depleased. She said, "Da''t be upset, Fr "You don''t get it!" cart like daggers.


    being weighed down by a thousand pounds of steel. He was unable to take even a single the spouts cars dive away. She wondered how a mere school doctor could be so wealthy. ure Noelle understands that you meant well. We shouht just wait for her to calm down".

 Noelle and Cedric Chapter 66

    Frankfelt that Noelle was genuinely not going to forgive him this time


    Just then, Lucas actived and said, "The exams are over, right, Frand? I''ve already reserved a table at a restaurant. Let''s go and have a meal together."


    Xenia nodded and replied, "y. Let''s pa"


    Lucas then looked around and asked, "Where''s Noelle? Is she not out yet?"


    Xenia hid her annoyance with a sweet smile on her face. "Noelle just left with the school doctor. I''ve no idea where rented all the sports cars from, but they did put on quite the show Lucas" expression instantly darkened. "Why didn''t you stop het, Frank? The exams are already over, we can''t let Noelle do as she pleases!


    Frankfelt a little devastated "You''re right. The exams are already diet."


    He recalled No talking about looking ahead into the furate and wondered if she had decided in leave the Liddell for good


    Lucas had hesitated for a long while about whether toe to the school. He eventually decided to show up but unexpectedly missed Noelle. Frank was still unable to ept the reality of things. He turned around and said, "I still have some work to do. The both of you ran go ahead" "Frank, aren''t these flowers for Xenia?" asked Lucas


    Frank took a look at the bouquet and handed it to Xania. "I''ve made a mess today. Anyway, best wishes for your exams as well, Xenia -


    His mental state was in a mess. He had deliberately bought just a single bouquet of flows to give to Noelle, prming that he wasn''t just favoring Xenia alone


    Kenia epted the bouquet and Brigned happiness. Thank you, Frank. You know, being able to grow up in the Liddell family feels like a dreame true for me. But even so, I still know my ce. Once into college, I''ll move out and live alone in that Noello finally stops butting heads with all of you


    Lucas immediately said. "What are you talking about, Xanta? You''ve been our sister ever since you were adopted into the Liddells. We''re a family! We''ll handle whatever''s going on with Noelle, it has nothing to do with you!TM


    Xenia lowered her head. She wore an expression that made het seem fragile.


    Frank eventually spoke up. "Lucas in right, just stay with us, and don''t overthink thing


    When he left, he began to think that Xenia''s proposal was indeed a pretty good idea. But he also thought that it would be highly unfair to Xenia, who had never done anything wrong Frank believed that there must be some other way to win Noelle hack. They were siblings, after all. They were of the same flesh and blood-a family!


    Noelle sat in the passenger seat of the red sports car. She was in quite a good mood as she extended her hand out of the window to feel the wind.


    Cedric''s car eventually came to a stop at a red light. "Text me when your ss gathering''s over."


    "I''m thinking of going back home.


    "It''s time you think it through and settle thi


    once and for


    Noelle''s original n was to leave the Liddell as soon as the exams were over. She did not want to stay there even for a moment longer Cedric continued, "What do you intend to du?"


    Noelle smiled and replied, "I''ll cause a scene before I leave so that they won''te and bother me again


    His long fingers rested on the steering wheel. He couldrell


    The was not as weak as he had imagined


    She patiently endured the time spent with the Liddells as she did not want to be distracted during the exams. He thought that it was smart of her


    But the Liddels had no idea and assumed that she was throwing a tantium.


    Cedic dropped Noelle off at the restaurant. She then went to the ss gathering by herself. The lively atmosphere after graduating felt like an appropriate send-off to her less fortunate previsus life. After the meal, Noelle took a tax back to the Liddell residence.


    Gondon was extremely shocked upon seeing her. "Ms. Liddell, you''re back?!


    Noelle replied, "This is my house. Is it strange for me to return home?" the no longer held herself back and crudely responded to Gordon before heading straight to her bedroom.


    However, the saw dat Xenia''s belongings were scattered around her room.


    Gordon hurried forward and exined, "M.. digley''s room was leaking two days ago, so she had temporarily moved into your room for a few days. Mr. Frank mentioned that since you''re both pals, you wouldn''t mind too much about it." Noelle slowly cased her head, resealing any gate. She then picked up the used bedsheets and all of Xenia''s belongings and tossed them into the hallway.


    Gordon was both shocked and furious. Mr. Lidd-, how could you do this?"

 Noelle and Cedric Chapter 67

    het eyes carrying nothing but indifference. She looked at the items scattered on the ground and proceeded to close the door,


    Gordon stopped her and said, "Ms. Liddell, you can just tell me if you have an issue with me hat I believe that Ms, Quigley has never done anything to provoke you Noelle snotted in response. She then turned around to pickup a lighter before tossing it outside. The me ignited from books, and everything quickly caught on fire.. Geen''s face red pale from shock "She''s crazy! She''s gone mad! Help! Someone,e and put out the fire!"


    Noelle finally shut the door with a loud bang. She could smell faint barninging from outside the room as the calmly booted up herputer to y a game.


    When the logged in, she saw several notifications for private messages.


    One of them was from Lucas "I promise that you''ll be wellpensated if you join my team. If you have any other requirements, just tell me about them, and I''ll do my best to satisfy them


    "Team Luminark is backed by the Liddell family, so you don''t have to worry about funding Other than that, a brother of mine owns a film productionpany. We could even help you transition into the entertainment industry if you''re interested


    "Whether you''re still a student or already a working adult, I can assure you that joining Team Luminark will be worthwhile. You don''t even need to be a full-time team member, so you don''t have to worry about your personal life being affected. Please consider any propaul." Noelle was highly amused by Lucas'' message. She did not expect him to be this persistent. She wrote her reply. "Till think about it''


    "


    Noelle wondered what expression Lucas would show if he learned that the alternate ount belonged to her she could not help but look forward to that moment,


    Right after finishing a dungeon run in the game, aloud knock sounded on her door. "Noelle! Come out here now!" he could hear Lucas voice calling for her, but she ignored him and calmly sorted her inventory in the game. Suddenly, the door was kicked open with a bang


    Lucas stormed into her coom furiously. His anger deepened when he saw that Noelle was busy ying hes game.


    He refused to believe it at first, but after looking at the burnt items out in the hallway, he was stunned. "What the hell are you doing, Noelle? Why did you throw Xenia''s stuff out in the hallway and wet them on fire?"


    He could only wonder why Noelle had be


    Noelle logged out of the game and ruined in her chult. She calmly looked up at Lucas and asked, "Weah? What about it?" Her tone was nothing short of defiant


    Lucas was so angry that the veins in his temples bulged. "Listen, Noelle. I know that you''re angry at us for favoring Xenia over you and mistreating you for all these years. If you have a problem with us, take it out on us! But Xenia doesn''t owe you amthing! Don''t you forget that her father saved your life?"


    Xenia clutched onto her burnt textbooks. Her eyes were ced, and she seemed devastated. "It''s fine, Lucas. I''ll move out to live by myself. I''m already an adult, after all! I don''t have the right to continue freeloading off the Lidells"


    "Don''t say that, Xenia. Just wait until d''s back We''ll show him what Noelle trally is like! Now that the exams are over, we no longer have to bold back "Lucas, If leaving the house will help you all get along and convince Noelle to join your team for the finals, I''m ready to do it in a heartbeat!" replied Xenia. Luras scotted and exined, "Noelle, do you honestly think you''re irreceable? Listen, the team doesn''t need you anymore"


    Noelle raised her eyebrow with sigue as she recalled Lucas private message just moments prior. She was rather impressed by how multifaceted Lucas was. He smugly continued, "I''ve already found another talented gunner, and she said she''s considering joining my team. You can no longer hold this over me!


    Kenia raised her bead and asked, "Do you really manage to find someone, Lucas?"


    "That''s right: She replied to my message just an hour ago."


    Norde had a pretty good idea about the "someone" Lucas was referring to


    But that "someone" had only said that she was considering the offer and had not yet agreed to anything


    She looked up, has pris full of mockery "Are you sure she join you, Lucas?"


    Locas felt that he finally had the upper hand over Noelle fot once. "Of course! Team Luminark offers unrivalled benefits. She has no reason or to join us! There''s one that can''t perruit with the richi amount of money! ¦°¦¯¦©


    "I''ve already given you a chance before, Noelle You didn''t appreciate it, so you had better not me me." Noelle''s lips ledinou smile. honesty coulda caje lesa."

 Noelle and Cedric Chapter 68

    Chapter


    68


    Lecas no longer needed to hot himself back now that he was no longer


    shopes on Noe. He demanded, "Noelle, you should apologize to Xenia now!"


    Noelle raised an eyebrow and exined, "This is my soos she moved in here without my permission. I have every right to do what I want.


    "There''s a good reason to that! And so what it Nenia stayed in your room for just a few days? It''s not like you''ll get hurt or anything"


    Noelle replied. "Then who didn''t you let Xenia stay on the team, Lucas? Is it because she sucks at the game? Afraid that she''ll drag you down? oh, how can you be so perry, Lucas? Don''t you know that Kenia''s grades dropped because she worked hard to train for thepeticion? How could you just ce her into the role of a mere substitute?


    imilly tram, aren''t we? Xenia may be bad at the game, but she''s trying her best, no? So what if you lose? It''s not like you''ll get hurt or anything


    She spoke so fast and to the point that Lucas was teeded speechless


    Noelle sneered as she wondered if Lucas was already at his limit. When he had used the same words to put-trip her, he had always acted as if he were doing the right thing,


    Now that she had wed his own words against him, he seemed to be unable to handle IL


    Lucas Lace turned red from anger as he retorted. "You''re hopeless, Noelle! If you don''t apologer to a right now, I''ll no longer consider you my sister?


    Noelleughed out loud. "That''s perfect. Saved me the trouble."


    "Yeah, you said that yourself, Noelle! Don''t you regret it! With that, he stormed off from the hallway


    Kenia stood thereb


    here by herself as she looked at Noelle with teary eyes. "Noelle="


    "You should get lost too!" replied Noelle before shutting her door


    Jania was furious. She wondered if Noelle had truly gone crazy. But since Noelle had agreed to sever ties with the Liddell, it had also made things easier for Xenia


    After shutting the door behind her, Noelle returned to herputer. She logged back into the game and was once again greeted by Lucas'' message I even included a draft of the contract to join his team it was apparent that he was in a hurry.


    Noelle recalled Lucas'' arrogant antitude moments earlier and replied, "I take a look at the contract first."


    Lucas replied, "No problem. Take your time. If you have any other requirements, just let me know, and we can discuss them.


    Noelle could not help butugh as she read Lucas'' oddly polite tone


    In has previous life, Lucas had never treated her with such a respectiful attitude, even though she had been training tirelessly andpeting for his team. She felt that people like him were truly the scum of the earth.


    The following day, Noelle slept soundly until she woke up naturally. When she headed downstairs for lunch, Frank had just returned home.


    Lucas immediately can over to Frank andined, "Listen, Frank Noelle''s beingpletely out of line!!


    Frank sneaked a nce at Noelle and saw her usual nonchnt expression. He then exined, "It''s my fault. I shouldn''t have let Xenia stay in Noelle''s room. It''s only normal that she wouk Le upset."


    as was shocked. "What are you talking about, frank? Xenia stayed in Noelle''s room for just two days! What''s the big deal about just two days? Xenia''s father saved her life once! Trank delt as if he was being stabbed in the heart as he listened to the familiar yet hurtful words. He found himself between a rock and a hard ce. If he were to side with Noelle, Xenia work und


    hast. He had no idea what to do at the sooment.


    cup. "Frank, I''ve thought long and hard about it and decided that it''s best if i move away."


    sely stopped her. "What are you talking about, Xenia? This is all Noelle''s fault. It has nothing to do with you!!


    Goods Chimed in as we "Mr. Frank, please help persuade Ma. Quigley to abandon the thought of moving away the hain''t done anything wrong!"


    Frank remained silent the sind the entire conversation.


    Noelle felt a headache from all the node surrounding her the then flipped the dining tablet, sttering all the food onto Xenia and Lucas. The entire ding them fell silent


    After she flippedover the dining table, Noelle casually wiped her hands as it nothing had happened


    Lucas was shocked by her sadden outburst. He questioned. "ve vonst your mind, Noelle?" She had never once arted so erratically, going so far as to burn Xenia''s belongings with a lighter. It was unlike Noelle at all.


    Noelle kicked a nearby chair and impatiently replied, "You''re all too noi! If you don''t want to sit and eat, don''t bother

 Noelle and Cedric Chapter 69

    The genuinely did not have the patience le to deal with them. She did not want to for her appetite from watching Xenia also put on her pitiful act


    Xenia stated toy. It''s my fault it''s all my fault! You should me me for all of this


    "You''re way too kind, Kenia. It anyone were to leave, it should be Noe" replied Lucas.


    Noelle instantly agreed. "Yeah, sure! I''ll leave!" Now that she had achieved her goal, she did not need to stay around any longer and continue wasting time.


    Frank immediately exined. "You can''t leave, Noelle. This is your home! Where else would you go?"


    "Just deactivate her credit card, Frank We''ll see how long she canst out there by herself" said Lucas.


    Noelle was ured as she did not take Lucas'' words to heart "Whatever." was a memory!


    ory that she would never ever ever forget. She realized that


    In her previous life, she had ended up wandering the streets and begging for food when her credit card was deactivated. It was a she had to vain her own money to survive.


    Noelle returned to her room, grabbed a backpack, and staffed it with some cloches and her ID, leaving everything else behind. Frank began to panic. "Don''t haten to Lucas, Noelle. Didn''t you say that you''d being home after the exams?" Noelle''s gaze was as calmas ever. "Yeah, I did say that."


    She knew that Frank and Lucas would have probably interfered with her exams if she had not said so. Now that the exams were oven, nothing was left to hold her back. And with that, she had no reason to continue putting up with the Liddells. Frank splied. "We''re a family, Noelle, ''s only normal to have a few disagreements but it''s fine so long as it''s nothing major, right? I know that you''ve been wronged in the past. I promise that I''ll make it up to you."


    He had not slept a winkst night but did not dare to approach Noelle either. As certain things became dear to him, memories of the past continued to stab into his heart like daggers, keeping him awake through the night.


    He realized that Noe had been treated undalily since the Liddell family adopted Xenis. And with how many years it hadsted, Frank could not bear even to imagine all the pain Noelle had gone through.


    The more he attempted to think about it, the more panicked he became


    Noelle smiled and calmly replied, "Don''t say that, Frank. I''ve been considering looking for a part-time job after the exams and learning to live alone. You can let Xenia have my room. Her father saved my life, after all. It''s only right to treat her well" Luck walked over and snorted. "You should''ve done that a long time apoli


    He believed that Noelle was, in fact, afraid of cutting ties with the family.


    Nelle en continued, "Now that the exams are over, Xenia should return to the team andpeting just because she sucks at the game, it wouldn''t be fair


    Luca expression shifted as he replied, "O-of course see to it''


    her training she''s a member of Team Luminak, after all. You shouldn''t bar her from


    the then nodded and said, "That''s great Alright. I''ll be leaving now. Just let me know it anythinges up. With that, she headed downstairs without even looking back once Lucas started to panic. "Are you really just gonna let her go, Frank". told her to leave? Weren''t you the one who said that you wanted to cut ties with her?


    Frank smiled helplessly and replied, "What else can I do? Weren''t you the one who told


    was just staying it out of impulset


    "Listen, Luras. The words you say don''t just disappear from our memory?


    The datage caused by buttal words wooldaemu


    Frank felt extremely helpless Looking at Lures, he uwa tellection of his past self.


    Xenia noticed Frande''s demeanor change and said, "It''s okay, Frank I''ll move out instead Alter that, you should convince Noelle toe home."


    Frank shook his head andiepled. "I''s fine. You can stay with us." The issue with Noelle would not be trialed by simply having Xenia move away from the house However, Kenda insisted, saging. "The already made up my mind, Hank. Thank you for taking care of me for all these years." She then left to pack her things. Trank''urlunge of attitude was properise way tooted Xenia knew that it the did not make a drastic move herself, he would begin to suspect her. anything wrong!


    nia''s never felt nate ?lving with us because of Noelle Frank, can''t you see? Noelle''s just throwing a tantur by force Xenia to leave! But Xenia has never done


    "Holle had endured a lot over the years."


    "But Kenia''s father and Noelle del So what it Noelle coffeinte? the deantobe puteti


    Frank struggled to beatle after listening to Ences" reply. He clutched onto his chest as he gasped for ali The next moment, he fell unconscious and copsed onto the thor

 Noelle and Cedric Chapter 70

    Trank continued to callout Noelle''s name even as he copsed. He realized that he had failed his younger sister. He was the one at fault. He was wrong, so utterly wrong.


    After leaving the Liddell residence, Noelle took a taxi to the apartment. She had Emally left the Liddells for good


    She arrived at Cedric''s door. It sukdenly swung open as she was about to knock on it.


    "Congrattions, Nelly!" shouted Alfred With a loudpop, the party popper in his hand shot out color confetti at Noelle.


    Noelle was a little startled by the warm wee, Cedric was standing near the dinner table with a small cake next to him.


    She was intrigued as she asked, "Is it someone''s birthday today?"


    Alfred stood still and replied, "You''re free from the Liddell now. It''s like the first day of your new life, no? That''s why we got you a cake to celebrata!"


    Alter learning about Noelle''s life within the Liddell family, he could not help but feel sympathy for her. He decided that he wanted to see to her freedom through to the end Noelle felt her eyes warming up slightly. "Thank you."


    No need to be so formal, Noelle We''re friends! Come on Let''s eat. After that, it''s time to blow out the candles and make a wish."


    Noelle quietly considered her wish. She wished never to have any ties with the Liddell again and to live the rest of hot life on her own terms.


    Alter the meal, Cedric asked, "What do you want todo now? No matter what she chose to do, he would ensure that she achieved it


    Noelle thought for a while and replied, "I''m thinking of going into live streaming


    Now that she had left the Liddell family, it was time for her to start earning her own money.


    Alfred said, "oh, perfect timing. There''s a Hall of Fame rankingpetition happening tonight. You could stream your gamey while participating in the tournament" Noelle remembered about the Hall of Fame event.


    In her previous life, she obtained a very high rank on the leaderboard, but Lucaster took away her ount and gave it to Xonia for her streaminstead As a result, all of the glory that came from having such a prestigious ranking went to Xenia.


    No one would ever know about all the effort she had put into the game to secure a top-ten spot on the leaderboard. She refused tot such a thing happen this time around.


    Ciclocked at her and asked, "Which site would you like to stream on?


    Alfred suggested. "How about Flestorm?t''s a reliable and well-establishedpany, and their support for new streamen is excellent, too?"


    More importantly, Faestorm was apany owned by the Greene family.


    Cedric red at Alfted as a warning.


    Il just stream.


    stream at whichever site makes the most money," replied Noelle. She had also heard about Firestorm, apany owned by the Gree family of Belle


    Lucas alsounched his own stream ng tform called Starlight, but it was not as popr as Firestorm.


    Starlight hand skyrocketed in poprity in her previous life after Noelle won the finals. As a result, it even became a publicly listedmpany


    This time, without her help, Lucaspany would mostly end up in bankruptcy.


    selle eventually registered an ount on Firestorm with the username "SweetNelly",


    She finished setting up her stream Instead showing her face, the camera only showed her hands on theyboard.


    Thanks to her experience tum her previous life, she navigated through the game''s dungeons with ease and began racking up points easily Meanwhile, Alfred nuitecould the study and asked, "Why don''t you help her with the points?" "She doesn''t need my help he''ll be able to quality for the top 100 preliminary stage tonight."


    "You''re seriously that confident in heel Nelly some gifts on her streamter. Don''t forget to reimburse me, okay?


    Aliged joined Noelle''s sti vam and saw that there were not many viewers yet, but there was already a troll Barking within her chat.


    "The lock in tha? Nice hack, the Look at the sour pol


    "If she''s not wing cheats, I''ll stiram myself eating dirt!"


    #1 bet she lose in her first PK-ranked match athen the preliminaries."


    Noelle naturally noticed thements


    Mute andmote people joined the stream out of custosity because of the toll''s usation of Noelle chearing


    When her first yer Killmatch began, she eliminated opponent with just a single move! With that, bet chat erupted into a frenzy,

 Noelle and Cedric Chapter 71

    N''s pedigin Atiy of strength was undoubtedly the best i


    Loensistently finished each manch in under three mibutes. She Headily advanced tha


    fence there whandeteether. As she proceeded into her second and third yer Kill matches, she


    o the tanks as the easily crusherall her opponents.


    During the yei f?ll matches, Noelle was reminded of her past life. She recalled home happy she felt when ying in thepetitions


    In just a few hours, the number of viewers in het stuen had altrady exploded to mo,gol


    The chat was going wild


    spotta be senuating right?"


    The Hall of Fame ranking event doesn''t allow strauts as it would unfairly impact the leaderboard rankings!"


    "Sis should change het name to SaltyNell for teal:


    sking all et us salry!"


    Alfred was bbergasted as he watched the stream is topoprity. "Are you seving this, Cedric? Was your disciple abeys this amazing? This isn''t even a PK match anymore! It''s like she''s


    Cedric smiled as he watched Noelle''s rank progress rapidly on the leaderboard. "I''ve always said that she''s very talented." There was a trace of pride in his words


    Noelle soon achieved a stunning to-win stavak and secured her spot in the top 100 preliminaries for the Hall of Fame event. Only then did she take a break to drink a ss of water. The event had alread concluded for the day, and the top 100 preliminary yer kill matches would begin the following day.


    He stream had already reached 150000 viewers, and the number of followers had also skyrocketed.


    Even Noelle was genuinely surprised by how many viewers she had palled in.


    sew plenty ofments asking about who she was and how she managed to be so skilled at the game.


    she turned on hei microphone and exined, "Hall, I''m a new streamer who happens to really love this game. I really hope that you will follow my stream. Anyway, I''ll be streaming again


    omarow at 7:00 pm for the next round of PK matches"


    Allied immediately sent her tier rockers on stream as a gift.


    Noelle led and said, "Thank you for the subs, everyone. I''ll do my best and rank even higher courrow"


    With that, the ended the stream. She sighed in ret. She had actually been nervous throughout the stream,


    the recalled in has previous life, Xenia was extremely skilled at interacting with her fans during her streams, winning over more viewers.


    But Noelle Jew that she was not as sociable as Xenia, so she had to resort to attracting fans with her skills.


    Allied entered the study and pped his hands. "You''re amazing, Nelly! You advanced through the ranks to easily!


    ? was slightly embarrassed. "I wanted to rank up quickly to attract more fans. I really need some money after


    ''ve gained so marry fans in just a single stream! The First team will definitely be contacting you soon to get a proper contract! Hell, with your skills, I think professional teams might way to scout you!" When the logged in to her ount for the stream, Lucas sent her another message al


    about signing the contract, but she ignored him


    The replied, "I don''t know yet. For now, I just want to focusing and making some money."


    Alfred-curiously asked, "By the way, Nelly, I''ve been meaning task-hour did you learn that 12-hitbo!"


    elle was puzzled as to why he was asking this question again, the nced at Cedric, who had also asked her same question before, and wondered if they were doubting her answer. She pouted and replied, "Because I like King I''ve always been a fan of his practiced his signature more in secret. Howstly, I was also surprised when I seeded with the 13-hitbo


    Alfred unsely hoked at Cedic as he asked, "Holdin, wait Who dill you say you like?"


    ving to poke fun at lum alter Noelle said i


    Alfred''s pace and tuined to back at Cedric as well.


    Cedric leasedapotuit the desk and looked at Noelle. "It''s gettingte. Don''t stay upte, you''ll not be able to grum any Laller."


    creturned in her bedroom and showered before lying on


    kedafier graoding the game for hours


    Her phone and started scaling tighter social media. She case across a post from tia "Thank you Lucas to hosting in to the first ce on the

 Noelle and Cedric Chapter 72

    As Noelle led at Xenia showing off on social media, she was reminded of how her ount had been stolen from her in her previous life. She proceeded to hide the post without any hesitation. She would no longer have to bother dealing with the Liddells anymore. amer you? Her vnder sounds a lot like yours."


    Noelle soon received a message from Sophia with a video attached. "Noelle, is this streamer


    She looked at the video and recognized it as her own livestream from.eather.


    Noelle did not show her face on her stream as the camera was pointed at only her hands on her keyboard


    and the did not want the Liddells to find out about her stream before the achieved


    sess with it, lest they tried to interfere with her efforts.


    So, she replied, "I don''t know either. She did not want to admit that it was het. Noelle eventually put down her phone and quickly fell asleep, exhausted by the livestream Meanwhile, in the room next door, Cedric red at Alfred and said. "If you don''t know how to pick your words, then just don''t speak"


    Alfredreplied, "Come on, now. I was just curious! Who would''ve thought that she''d say she likes you!"


    "There are many different ways to like someone or something"


    After all, liking someone was not solely about romantic feelings between a man and a woman,


    Alfred excitedly continued, "I''ve already gotten soms editors to edit Nelly''s stream from earlier. I''ll ensure that her videos hit the trending page in no time! She''s definitely going to be gaming star this summer!!


    Cedric watched Allred edited video. Noelle was performing exceptionally well in it.


    Before long, the video had already gone viral. Countless people began specting about SweetNelly''s true identity.


    As the mer of Starlight, Lucas had also received me about SweetNelly''s overnight boom.


    But as he looked at the username, he grew extremely excited "She gained 100,000 followers in one night?!


    "Sar, the yer that you wanted to recruit was also named ''Sweethelly'', no? It''s the me person. They have the same username, their character looks the same, and they''re also ying a "Yeah. It has to be the same picion," said Lucas.


    The yer that he had been trying to recruit for a while now was none other than SweetNelly. He hadn''t expected her to start live streaming out of the blue, especially on Firestorm. It was the most significant rival to his own Starlight streaming tform Lucas logged into the game only to find that SweetNelly had already logged off. The contract he had attached to his message a


    He then watched a few seconds of the video''s beginning and closed it without examining it further.


    also did not receive any responses.


    "We need to bring her over to Starlight no matter what! She''s definitely being hounded by people getting her to sign on to their team and stuff right now. We must get in touch with her ai soon as possible sold Luck He refused to let Firestorm at her away just like that.


    Kenia walked into the office with a thermal food container and asked, "Lures, who are you recruiting for Starlight this time?"


    "It''s the gunner 1 mentioned before. It turns out that she started streaming on Firestorm and amassed 100,000 followers in just one night!11 she joined Team Luminark, it would be a game- danger!" Xenia''s expression turned awkward upon hearing that the streamer had gained 100,000 followers in a single night.


    Che had been working hard for so long that she only managed to reach the milestone of 100,000 follows that day. And yet, someone managed to gain the same number of followers in just a single night! pup


    Lucas noticed Xena''s expression and said, "You''re also very excellent yourself, Xenia, Keep up the good work! I make sure that you win the Best New Influence Award!"


    "Thank you, Lucas. I''m taled with my own progress as well. By the way, I made you supper. Eat up so you don''t end up with stomach problems like Frank, okay?"


    "You sure are thoughtful, Xenia, not like a certain sorutone,


    Luras dood instantly turned sour upon thinking about Noelle. -


    Kenda man pleased by Lacas conteni


    ? may not haar been able topare against someone who gained 100, followers overnight, but even so, she was still


    sch better than Noelle.


    Xenia decided to search for the livestream video of the now-famous Shelly. But her mind wantpletely nk when she heard the streamer''s voice. Stereognized the streamer''s voice to be none other than Noelle lecsell.

 Noelle and Cedric Chapter 73

    Kemia batened to Bkelly''s voice again and again. She was about certain that the streamer was me her than Noelle herself!


    However, as the sei vam never showed the streamer''s tave,


    was impossible isdetramine who it was from the keyboard and fingers alone:


    Kenia began to park. She wondered as did not gi''s voler.


    Loan finished his meal and exited this office in find Xenia standing in the hallway. "What are you doing out here, Xenia? Aren''t you hot?"


    i was a mix of emotionis just finished watching SweetNelly''s video. Have you watched it yet, Lucas?"


    Xenia''s expressim wava


    outtekiner imlu spoke at the very tail end of the video.


    Lucks shook his head and replied, "I didn''t finish it, but I know her well enough. I don''t even need to see it to now that she''ll definitely athvance through the preliminaries tomorrow. That''s why we must home her onto our tform" Like, what''s hot teal name? Or rather, what does she look like in real life


    "kot yet. The absays thought that there''s some special reason as to why she doesn''t want to sign contract yet. Now that she''s streaming over at Firestorm, I reckon she''s trying to increase her valorate yer."


    Lucas believed that he could otter as much money as he needed to entice the streames to sign the contract


    Lucia" contidem reply made Kenia wonder if she had just been mistaken. It SweetNelly really were Noelle, then thetter would not have let Xenia bully het so easily.


    aemia reckoned that their simr was just a coincidence. Doppelgangers were a thing, after all. She breathed a sigh of relief as she convinced herself that the streamer could not


    The next day, Noelle peacefully slept until her body woke her up. She then looked at her phone and saw that she had received a few messages


    One of them was from frank "What lend of part-time job are you doing right now, Noelle? Is it tough? How abouting to work at mypany instead! It''s nothing too tiring"


    at the message and just closed it without sending back a reply. She was busy preparing for her livestream in the evening


    beaded to the rooms ment door and saw Chic on the halony speaking rapidly on the phone


    yes Bart won''t lose in the game," replied Noelle anything was confident in her own ab


    She shifted bau gaze back to buy and stared at the tall, slenderman leaning onto the railing with one hand


    Gandh


    Cedric bersed her gaze and turned around to Jockeyes with her his deep, ck eyes continued to stare at her, he spoke a few more words into the phone and hung up Noelle quirky looked away, but she also noticed from the corner of her eye that he had moved to the living room.


    Cedric exined, "I''ll rating outter take care of something might not being back tonight


    Happening and asked, "Isn''t the school fareak right now?


    d this uat and exined, "Oh, it''s not that. It''s for my business, and I do to help me with seats"


    Noelle knew Aliljard catte trom a wealthy family, dhe didn''t press on further.


    During lunch, the terene a call bran Tayo''s agents "tello, I''m representative from Enstorm Ene. you the streamer known as SweetNally?


    Thepany sers great potential is you and soild like a discus acut with you Could you able to WhatsApp so that I can send you the contract and various other materials for


    We hung up


    edup at Ledia


    Allied?mmediately replied, "Don''t aperto, anything jour yet you should wait un


    Acoin. Entertainment just contacted me going to try and botuli pou nicha nima?" Meanwhile, the very owner of the so called study na


    Taller you like stranought before negotiating any any was just standing night there. Alred felt he had performed a heroic deed, lighting for Noelle''s best interests! by further That stiky capitalistpany in is probably

 Noelle and Cedric Chapter 74

    Cedric ignored the hysterical Ntied and turned to Noelle. He told her, "Wait for me to return before you neporiate anything with Firestorm Entertainment."


    Noelle was not in a push either. "May,"


    After Cedric and Alfred left the apartment, she reviewed Firestorm''s contract and saw that the terms were rather appealing. However, it requited her to stream for several hours every and participate in thepany''s promotional events. As of now, she needed to do live streaming for money, but her goal was not to


    What Noelle really wanted to do was join the national teams and be a professional yer whopeted in tournamenti


    She decided to think about the contractter, she logged into the game to upgrade some of her repipment


    After all the yer kill matches she had gone throughst night, her geats needed some tuning and maintenance. But as soon as the logged in, she was bombarded with hundreds upon


    hundreds of friend request!


    Some of them were free managers of podesimal teams, and some of them were from fans.


    Noelle quickly reviewed all the friend requests but did not ept any of them. She then closed the friend request window entirely.


    After that, she was greeted by a new message from Lucas, who was as respectful as ever. "Hello, Sweethelly. I watched your streamst night. You were amazing! But I''d like to advise not to sign the contract with Firestorm as they often do not have the best interests of their streamers in mind.


    "I''d like to invite you to stream on Starlight instead. We''re backed by none other than Moonbright Entertainment itself! Not only can you be reamer, but you''ll also be given an opportunity to break through into the entertainment industry!"


    Noelle recalled that Xenia had indeed transitioned into the entertainment industry and had done well with ke''s support.


    Her lips curled into a prin as she replied, "Nothanks"


    With that, she began adjusting het gear.


    Noelle soon sw Luras sending her several more messages in rapat session, but she did not even bother to read them.


    She turned her attention to the list of yers who made it into the preliminary rounds and saw that ten yers had advancedst night


    thury were the ten yers against whom she would have topete in the yer Kill matches that night


    The sole winner would earn the moth rank, after which they could finally challenge the other yers on the list to a yer Kill match.


    She scanned the lot and recognized a few familiar names, most of them yers of various professional teams. However, she did not see the yer with the username Reverse Time.


    Noelle recalled shut she had first encountered Reverse Time during the Hall of Fame event in her previous life to was thanks to the guidance that she had managed to Eight her way into th


    She had always suspected that RewriTime was Cedric himself because he had also used the same username in the game


    But the timing did not add up, leaving Noelle uncertain whether they were the same person.


    She wondered if he had altered the course of her previous life, making it impossible for her to meet that person again The thought left her a little docouraged


    That evening. Noelle


    vestream right on schedule.


    con as she went live, she was greeted with a viewer count of 100,000 views.


    chat was being flooded with question as well as spections.


    "I think she''s hacking for sethe''ll slip up during the PK matches today"


    *you''re all just salty, bor just because you guys suck at the game doesn''t "Why doesn''t she show her Lareil she''s p


    you should be harassing female yers!" uiterly not hacking? Alraid of being expooval for getting boosted, kah?"


    chat, the suddenly saw thater nodots being sent in his stream,


    dane a name and duckedher tongue when the saw that it was from Team Lumenach. The donat was tone other than Lucas homself. cibiu are the real deal! And let me be frank! i want dogecruit hop to my team!"


    The that sy upled into an upri


    orld, oullin verilud ount left no room to doubt about impersonators


    A mocking sandle appeared in blue''s far as she calmly saki, ""It''s time for tonight''s PK matches!"


    Lucas allonst fell out ofushalt upon listening kokai Heterognized the yoke to be nate aller than follo

 Noelle and Cedric Chapter 75

    "Noelle finished speaking and didn''t care if Lacas recognized her weice. She logged in and stated her first yer Killmatch of the day. She knew that the yers there were all highly skilled.


    Her first ces Kill match began. The opponent was a tank, which was a role that was hard in talis


    He mocked her, saying, "Hey, little girl I might let you have a few moves if you start beggingrum. After all, you won''t be able to keep the rank you got by hiring a booster."


    Noelle didn''t respond and struck immediately


    Erve minutesbet, the opponent waspletely wrecked Noelle hadearity won.


    After each round, there was a three-T


    -minute break


    Noelle''s live stream was once again filled withments.


    "Where''s that arrogant guy from just now? Come vet and stream yourself eating shit!"


    "Looks like someone''s a little salt today


    Lucas stared at hisputersen, thinking he had misheard. He thought that the streamed SweetNelly sounded exactly like Noelle. He didn''t think that was possible and wondered if - something was wrong with his hearing.


    He looked at his secretars, James Newport, and asked, "Did the streamer just spal


    James nodded. "Yes Judging by ber voice, she sounded like a young, soft-spoken girl. Is there a problem?"


    Lucas dicht reply. He stared at the screen, his emotions in turmoil How could he not have thought of it? Noelle''s childhood nickname was Nelly. Thus, SweetNelly was undoubtedly Noelle! For a moment, Locas talt like he couldn''t breathe. If the streamer was indeed Noelle, he couldn''t poly imagine what that would mean


    At that moment, Xenia walked over, "Lucas, what''s wrong? You don''t look so good"


    Lucas gulped. "That str


    sounded exactly like Noelle! Could it really be her?"


    "Lucas, I thought the same when I heard the seamen''s voice in the video yesterday. But I think it''s just a coincidence. After all, some people look exactly the same, so it''s not strange for Two people to sound the same


    Lucas sigted intellet. "You''re right. It might be just aoden." He didn''t want to believe that it was Noelle either. He could now imagine the possibility for the streamer to be Noelle! James szidencitedly. "Mr. Liddell, the streamer''s followers have increased to 200,000, and the live stream now has 100,000 viewers!"


    Lucas immediately checked. To it increasing that quickly?"


    "Yes. It''s because she hasn''t lost a single match, and


    ing effortlessly each time!


    "If we can recruit her to our team, we''ll definitely win the fina


    Lucas'' eyes lit up with joy. That was exactly what he was thinking,


    Xenia stood by, barely able to maintain her unit. She wondered if there would still be room for her if this person joined the team.


    Lucas might even give that person the Best New Turner Award Xenia felt jealous but didn''t dare to say anything.


    Listed for two hours. She wont match in a row and sessfully climbed to the 100th tank


    As she looked at her desuits, she smiled.


    muassaged her sore wrists as gifts flooded into the livestream


    Noelle unmined her inde and said, "Thank you, yone, for your piles. I''ll continue to rank up tomo


    Te''s my first time stream


    streaming today, so I''m still pretty inexperienced."


    "Queen, please give us!"


    meal, I want tube a bal girl


    of trash those stupid boys!"


    "Dear Nelly, don''t logott so soon! You''w go to maintain your rtionship with us fans: Interact and chat with us!


    Noelle replied, "As for the pannen tutiaial, I don''t think I''ll have enough time for that today. But we can discuss how I won those ten matches just now.""

 Noelle and Cedric Chapter 76

    Noelle reyed the screen recording of her matches and exined them in detail. She spoke calmly and logically, and her analysis was spot on.


    Alter analyzing the first match, the artegant opponent from earlier publicly apologized in the live stream chat. "Sorry, Ms. Nally, I was being diumspectful earlier. Is it toote to apologize?! Noelle sospended softly. It''s okay I won the match anyway."


    "akto. She''s so generous yet so smug about it!"


    "You totally won me over. It''s so rare to see skilled young women like you, I''ll definitely support you."


    Noelle continued analyzing all ten matches. By the end, she felt like her jaw would fall off. She drank some water and announced, "Lor''s and the stream for now. We''ll continue tomorrow." At that moment, the screen was filled with countless pocket gilt.


    Noelle felt frustrated when she saw Team Luminark''s name appear. She wondered what Lucas was up to. After all, hadn''t she already rejected his invitation that afternoon?


    She assumed that he would''ve recognized her voice and was confused as to why he was still trying to recruit her


    Noelle thought it was absurd.


    Lucas left ament in the livestream chat, saying, "As long as you join starlight, you can set any conditions you want, and we''ll make you the number one female gunner!" Just as Lucas prepared to leave anotherment, he suddenly realized he had been shadowbanned.


    "What''s going on? Firestorm can''t handle it? They actually muted mel


    Lucas immediately tagged Firestorm''s offical ount. "What''s the deal? She''s too talented just to be a streamer. If she joins Team Luminark, she could win awards! What can you offer her?" Magni immediately replied, "I can invite her to my team!"


    Mags had been watching SweetNelly''s live stream too. He immediately called Cedric "Cad, Noelle has to sign with Firestorm. We''re a family, after all. We can''t let such talent fall into the hands of outsideas Cedric was in a VIP room during a business meeting. He replied calmly, "You want her to sign such an exploitative contract from Firestorm?"


    Magnus was taken aback. "I Nelle says yes, she can set whatever conditions she want!"


    After all, Mamus wasn''t the actual boss if Firestorm Entertainment it was his bother.


    Paying his fure Lister-in-Law was moving money from one pocket to another. They were family, after all.


    "Task her


    After Cedric hung up the phone, heunched the Firestorming tform. The head on the front page was Noelle''s matches from that night. Her followers had increased to 300,000!


    He watched the video of her analyzing the matches and thought it looked incredibly professional, without professional team training, analyzing matches in such a seasoned manner would be impossible Cedric sensed something amiss. There were things about Noelle that he didn''t know. At that moment, he received a screenshot of Noelle''s fan count, along with a happy emoji. He smiled and replied "swiL" Noelle had waited a long time for his response, only to receive a simple three-word reply. Was there nothing else for him to say? Noelle was a little disappointed and wondered if Cedric was perhaps upied with work


    She calcted her ie from her streams over the past few days. It was a decent amount. There was also a contribution from the rocket gifts Lucas had sent Naturally, she wasn''t going to turn that down. She earned the money with her own skills!


    Noelle received a notdication from her ss group chat. "Everyone, pleasee to school tomorrow to submit your college application and take graduation photos!" The next motting, Noelle went to school


    When she entered the ssrooms, someone asked, "Noelle, are you suret Nelly?"


    Her voice is exactly the same as yours. We thought it had to be you."


    "reali, Noelle, just tell us! We''re so jealous of you. You''re awesome!


    Noelle let a little awkward.


    Xenia walked in a well


    berry scoffed and said, "Stop going,


    Noelle nced up. "Oh, trally


    rounded by hers. She clenched her Jaw in annoyance


    yone. If Noelle were really the streams, she would''ve been unting it on instagram by now."

 Noelle and Cedric Chapter 77

    Noelle looked determined. Xenis grew increasing use. After all, the streamer sounded to simr to Noodle. So much that they seemed like the same person!


    However, she didn''t want to admit that Noelle was actually the streamer. She doubted that Noelle was that impressive.


    Betry mocked londly, "Noelle, step acting like you''re all that. The streamer didn''t even show her face. It''s just a coincidence that you both sound alike. Stop ttering yourself?" Sophia stood up for Noelle and id,


    is great too. She achieved a 12-hitbo and won the repechage!"


    Exartly Someone here drapped the


    hole teams down in the repechage. If it weren''t for Noelle, you wouldn''t haw won:


    "Yeah. Xenia, you''re just jealous that Noelle is more skilled than you!"


    Xenia''s eves imunediately reddened. The boys in the ss immediately started defending Xenia. "Noello, you''re making Xenia cry. Apologize right now!


    Noelle looked unfazed. "It''s true that she can''t y."


    Xenia wasn''t going to take it She looked pintul and said, "Stop arguing, everyone. It''s true that I''m not that skilled. No matter how hard I try, I can''t catch up to Noelle. But I''m not jealous of her. Instead, I''m happy for her" Noelle smirked coldly. "At least you know your ce. Keep working harder from now on."


    Xenia was taken aback. She didn''t expect Noelle to take advantage of the straation. But the boys continued defending Tenda "Noelle, you''re just slightly better at gaming That doesn''t mean you can show off like that." "Yeah, you made Xenia cry. You should apologize to her."


    Noelle''s smile froze. "Who are you to talk to me like this?"


    "Noelle, you''re going too far!"


    Sophia stood next to Noelle, looking at the boys. "trop standing up for Xenia. All she does is cry whenever something is wrong, always looking pitiful, It''s so annoying!"


    "I know, right? Just use your words. Do you think crying can help justify yourself!"


    The girls in the ss couldn''t stand Kenia being so take all the time. Every time she started her waterworks, she would be forgiven for her actions. The girls had had a problem with Xenia for longtime..


    Xenia cried even more after being criticized Her weeping in front of the boys made them feel bad for her


    Noelle grabbed her things and let the ssroom. She refused to waste any more time there, and she didn''t want to see anyone from the Liddell family, including Xenia.


    Sophia caught up to her and said, "Noelle, don''t let what Xenia says affect what you want to do. We''re all your fans, and we will support you''


    Noelle sensed that Sophia and the others already knew that she was SweetNelly. She smiled shyly. "I mean, it''s not that I don''t want to say it


    "You don''t need to exin anything to us. We know. It''s just in case some bitches get jealous of your big fan base and try to stir up some drama " Xenia was a petty person. If she knew that Noelle was the now-popr streamer, she would certainly start crying again. Noelle found it utterly grating She sighed in reliet "Thank you for understanding"


    "Noelle, you finally showed up. I thought you were going to avoid us forever."


    Luras was waiting at the school gate. He saw a familiar figure on the field and lew it was Noelle. For the past few days, Noelle hasn''t answered any phone calls or replied to any tests. Worse, the blocked Lucas'' number. Thinking about that made Lucas angry. Why Noelle saw Lucas, bet expression became cold. She looked at Soph and the others and said, "I''m going now. See you


    She turned around and walked out of the school. She nned to ignore Lucas.


    Lucas greweven angrier. "Noelle, stop right there! Frank was so angry that he was hospitalized for a few days. We couldn''t get a hold of you. Ever since you were young, Frank treated you the best Now Flur lie''s sick, you won''t even go see him!" T


    Noelle was surprised to hear that Frank had fallen ill

 Noelle and Cedric Chapter 78

    Noelle stopped in her tracks. She recalled that Frank only had minor stomach issues in her past life. Aside from that, he was healthy.


    "Noelle, how long are you going to sulk? Frank was already begging you to go back. What more do you want?


    "It was just an ident that your stationery for the college entrance exam was damaged.


    "Gordon already apologized. What more do you want from him? His life?"


    Noelle stood still, listening to Lucas scolding her as if she hadmitted some heinous crime. She turned around, her expression calm. She asked, "Which hospital has Frank been admitted to?"


    "Now you''re asking? It''s toote. I''m not telling you." Lucas was irritated. He felt like Noelle no longer cared about their family. In the past, even a minor cough from Frank would make her anxious. But now, Noelle''s cold-heartedness left him disappointed. Noelle nodded. "Fine." She continued walking.


    "Noelle, are you really not going to visit Frank?"


    "I asked. You''re the one telling me not to.


    Locas more frustrated Test speaking out of anger. You can''t seriously not visit him!"


    coelle remained untared. "Frank has Xenia by his side. It wouldn''t make a difference whether I visit or not,"


    "How could it be the same? Nania imt even rted to us by blood." As soon as Lucas said that, he noticed Xenia walking toward them from the teaching building. The situation became awkward Everyone had heard his remark Xenia troos in ce Feeling embarrassed, she teared up.


    A hint of mackery fuckered in Nolleyes: "Lucas, you''re so mean for saying that. Even if Xenia is adopted, she did a great favor for the Liddell family. How could you say something so Guilt-tripping? She could do that, too


    Lucas'' fare immediately darned. He turned to Xenia and exined, "I didn''t mean it that way."


    Xenia wiped away her tears


    a reassuring smile. "I know. After all, you''ve always treated me like your men sister."


    Lucas sighed with relied "r''s good that you didn''t misunderstand me "He already found Noelle to be a huge pain. He could''t hands Xenia sulking, too.


    He turned to Noelle and said. "Xenia has always been obedient. She would never be as petty as you-throwing tantrums and even running away from home!


    Noelle couldn''t help but admire Xenia''s performance. She walked away, ignoring Lucas'' won


    However, Lucia won''t ready to give up. So he ran after her. "Noelle, have you been working some part-time jobs recently? Streaming, pachapa?"


    Lucas was still suspicious. He thought that Noelle''s wire was identical to SweetNelly''s. It was as if they were the same person. That''s why he wanted to confirm it himself bying to the Noelle nced up, giving an ambiguous smile. "Lucas, are you i trying tank if I''m that streamer called Sweat Nelly?"


    Lucas immediately became awoward. "Don''t overthink it.


    Nue kooliad ar him with moduny


    Back when the worked hard to win a cap for Team Lammark, Lucas had never paid her this much attention. Now that she''d left, be shamelessly came pestering her She spoke calmly, "o, do you wish that

 Noelle and Cedric Chapter 79

    Noelle looked at Lucas intently. She also wanted to know the answer.


    Judging from Noelle''s mocking expression, Lucas thought that he might have guessed correctly.


    He had already suspected it. After all, Noelle had always been talented at gaming. The person she was now, pulling off a 12-hitbo, was no longer the same younger sister who used to follow him everywhere. She had grown up and became even more skilled than him. Xenia watched from the side, feeling deeply resentful.


    She walked up and pretended to bepassionate as she said, "Noelle, if you really are SweetNelly, that''s amazing!"


    Noelle raised her eyebrows. "Oh really?"


    "Yeah! Now that you''re so skilled, Team Luminark will definitely win the finals. Right, Lucas?"


    Lucas looked ufortable. Deep down, he wished that Noelle would return to the team. He turned away and coughed. "It''s whatever to me."


    Noelle gave a cold smile. "I never said I wouldpete in the finals."


    Lucas'' expression froze. "What do you mean?"


    "Lucas, have you forgotten what you said you said that I was receable. You said that you''ve found other teammates, and I meant nothing to the team


    Noelle reminded Lucas of what he said at the Liddell residence. She was no longer the same person as she was before. After being mistreated so horribly, there was no way the would just return because Lucas asked her to It was impossible. This time. Noellet without looking back


    Lucas looked at Noelle, walking away, recalling his words from that day. At that tim he truly thought he coulda cult SweetNelly. That was why he had spoken that way. But now, he realized SweetNelly might actually be No. What he feared most hade true. Xenia said intentionally, "Lucks, could Noelle actually be Sweethelly? They have the same voice, and she didn''t even deny it just now


    Lucas printed B?s teeth. "I''m not sure either."


    "Lucas, it''s great if she''s the person you''re looking for. But that also means that she Jew all along and just watched you make a tool of yourself!" Kenia deliberately emphasized the word "fool"


    Lucas felt embarrassed. "But I don''t think it''s her. Based on her personality, if it really were her, she would have admitted it and bragged about it." Stok Noelle hadn''t admitted it directly, he didn''t think it could be her. Lucas could only reassure himself that way. Kanda sighed in relied. "I don''t think "Noelle hadn''t admitted it, so she''s definitely not SweetNelly!


    Noelle hailed a taxi and decided to head to the hospital. Although Lucas hadn''t told her which, she kw where Frank would likely be treated.


    When she arrived, she easily found our which room Frank was in. She stepped out of the elevator, hesitating to go to the room. Suddenly, the door opened Gordon eximed in surprise, "Mi Liddell, you''re finally here?"


    Noelle looked into the room. Frank wash'' there


    Gordon said coldy, "Mr Frank is receiving treatment. The doctor said that his anger was affecting his heart. He needs to focus on recovery from now on. Come with che,


    Noelle hesitated briefly but ultimately followed Gordon. The saw Frank on the bed with Xenia by his side. The scene locked praceful and harmonious.


    "For the past few days, M. Quigley has been bringing Frank his meals. You didn''t even bother to ask about it. It''s lous why Mr. Frank would treat her well


    Noelle cast her pace down pairily. "As long as he''s okay, that''s amough "She then turned and lein the hospital


    Gordon was right. With room for her anymore. After all, dida''i Frank love the soup op that Xenia made in her past life?

 Noelle and Cedric Chapter 80

    Not long after Noelle left, Frank returned to his hospital room. He noticed a bouquet of flowers in the trash can right outside his room and asked, "Did someone visit?"


    Gordon responded calmly, "No one important. I sent them away so they wouldn''t disturb your rest, Mr. Frank."


    Xenia took out a thermos and said, "Frank, try the medicinal congee I made. Have I improved?"


    Frank took a bite. "Yeah, you''ve improved a lot. Thank you for the effort, Xenia." But in his heart, he couldn''t help but think about the medicinal congee Noelle used to make for him.


    He had always enjoyed the care he received from Noelle. However, he had gotten too used to it and taken her for granted. He had been feeling regretful of how poorly he had treated her in the past.


    Seeing Frank''s distracted expression, Xenia said in a slightly resentful tone, "Frank, did you know? Noelle has been streaming recently."


    "She''s been earning money by streaming?" Frank felt bad for Noelle.


    He thought that she should''ve been livingfortably without needing to take on part-time jobs, let alonso working so hard streaming. After the live stream industry wasplicated... Xenia modded "Yeah, but she''s streaming on Firestum, apetitor of Lucas Starlight, Imagine how angry Lucas will be when he finds out!""


    Frank replied milly, "Serves hinsight. He''s the reason Noelle len!-


    Xenia was caught off guard as she didn''t expect Frank to react that way.


    She had expected him to sale with Lucas and condemn Noelle for joining a tival tfours and acting against the family''s interests. She even thought that he might cause trouble for Noelle and force bej to quit live streaming entirely. That was what she had hoped. But Frankcddition the way the hoped he would.


    Xema didn''t want Noelle topher, she contmund saying "Frank, you''re right. But it Noelle works for storm, it''s like she''s going against the Liddell family. If only she could quir


    Frank interrupted enia and said, "Noelle has the freedom to choose whichever tform she wants.


    Xenia sam Frank''s expression and stopped speaking, fearing that it would annoy Frank. She felt uneasy. Frank had really changed. She had worked so hard just to secure a small ce in his heart while Noelle didn''t even need to do anything, Frank forgave her anyway. Being rted by blood was indeed a significant factor


    Luras" washedment that day was. p on Xenia''s face, wilding her up from her sweet dream. In the end, she wasn''t truly part of the Liddell family! She needed to start nning for


    Noelle returned to her apartment. The housekeeper aived on time to cook for her. It was only a single serving. It was clear that Cedric and Allied were noting home to eat After finishing her meal, de lopped into the game to repair her equipment, as yer kill matches were scheduled forter that night


    Not long after she logged in, the received a message. It was from Lucas "Who the hell are you?!.


    Noelle kaew that it was only a matter of time before Lucas found out the truth. She didn''t n on hiding any longer but didn''t see the need to exin herself either. So she ignored the message and starind grinding dungeons alone,


    mt, many yers knew of her in the rivedumus invitations to jon teams. So, she randomly picked ou


    enly, the notionda familiar 10 joining the trans. It was Local


    teain channel. "You have time t


    tu prind dungeons but no tione to reply to my messages?" he asked usatorily.


    chapter By


    elle brand Lingai'' voice but didn''t bother to respond.


    The dinge raid had bepun, and Noelle was fighting monsters almgside her teammates


    Low, howeve, kept following her around, persistently asking. "What''s you deal? Not satisfied with our terms? What more do you want from us?


    was early aroonus. He didn''t know what to do for the final if he couldn''t recruit suitable teammates by the end of the month


    Noelle trommed. Dil Locatinget there were other yers on the team? Wasn''t he worried about people recognizing who he was?


    Soon after, a male voice came through. "Hey, isn''t that the leader of Team Luminask? If you want to recruit someone, you should at least be nice about it!" "keow, right?" Instead of recruiting, he sounded more like he was reprimanding." "Ma. Nelly, you should consider joining Team Celestial! I heard they have a good reputation and great perks."


    The mention of


    Celestial instantly set Lucas off. "She''s not allowed to!" He absolutely refused to let that happen.

 Noelle and Cedric Chapter 81

    Noelle heard Lucas'' voice but didn''t bother to respond.


    The dungeon raid had begun, and Noelle was fighting monsters alongside her teammates.


    Lucas, however, kept following her around, persistently asking, "What''s your deal? Not satisfied with our terms? What more do you want from us?"


    He was clearly anxious. He didn''t know what to do for the finals if he couldn''t recruit suitable teammates by the end of the month.


    Noelle frowned. Did Lucas forget there were other yers on the team? Wasn''t he worried about people recognizing who he was?


    Soon after, a male voice came through. "Hey, isn''t that the leader of Team Luminark? If you want to recruit someone, you should at least be nice about it!"


    "I know, right? Instead of recruiting, he sounded more like he was reprimanding."


    "Ms. Nelly, you should consider joining Team Celestial! I heard they have a good reputation and great perks."


    The mention of Team Celestial instantly set Lucas off. "She''s not allowed to!" He absolutely refused to let that happen.


    Lucas had always had a good attitude. That was until that day when he realized that SweetNelly might actually be Noelle. He lost hisposure.


    "Stop being so arrogant. It''s Ms. Nelly''s choice which team she joins."


    "Exactly. Mind your own business!"


    Lucas was enraged. "What does it have to do with you?"


    After all, the streamer was probably his sister. So he could speak to her however he wanted. Outsiders had no say in the matter. At that point, Noelle finally intervened. She said, "Stop arguing. The boss ising." "Okay, okay. We''ll listen to you."


    "Let''s give Ms. Nelly some respect. We may be amateurs, but we''re fair-minded and not afraid of these rich kids."


    Noelle didn''t respond and simply led her teammates to fight the boss.


    Meanwhile, Lucas seemed still angry. He refused to follow the rest of the team and tried to take on a different boss by himself, only to end up getting killed.


    Seeing Lucas'' defeat, the rest of the team couldn''t help but start mocking him.


    Lucas red at his ck-and-white screen. "Damn it!"


    James approached him. "Mr. Liddell, what''s wrong? Is the streamer still refusing to join us?"


    Lucas massaged his temples. "That''s not the problem anymore."


    If the streamer truly was Noelle, he didn''t know how to handle it. Her performance in her live streams over the past few days showed that she was experienced, skilled, and deeply knowledgeable about the game. It was as if she had undergone professional training. Lucas was puzzled. He remembered that Noelle hadn''t received any professional training before. He thought is strange and was certain that the streamer couldn''t be Noelle!


    If she really were Noelle, wouldn''t that make everything he''d said before a joke? Lucas wasn''t ready to face that possibility. He told James, "Find someone else."


    "We''re not recruiting the streamer anymore?"


    "Just do as I say! There''s no way we can''t find someone better than her."


    There was a raging fire in his heart. Seeing how skilled the streamer was only made his feelings moreplicated. If Noelle really were SweetNelly, was she ying him just to make a fool of him?


    When Noelle finished her dungeon runs, she noticed that Lucas had already logged off. She wondered if it was because he couldn''t handle the embarrassment.


    Noelle knew Lucas well and that he had a high ego. She contemted if that day''s events were a huge p to his face. However, she didn''t give it much thought.


    She felt tired and left the study to grab some water.

 Noelle and Cedric Chapter 82

    Noelle noticed Cedric sitting on the couch. "When did you return?"


    Cedric was resting his eyes on the sofa. Upon hearing her footsteps, he opened his eyes. "I just got back. Did you go to school today?"


    He had noticed the college application forms on the coffee table.


    Noelle nodded. "Yeah. To pick up the forms."


    "Nelly, your live streams are so popr. I suppose that Lucas knows about it by now. Does he regret losing such a talented sister like you?" Alfred asked while emerging from the bathroom, wearing a loose bathrobe. Water trickled down his hair. Cedric''s face darkened. "Get back in the room and put on some clothes!"


    "Oops. I got too excited and forgot."


    Alfred hurried back to his room to change. Who would''ve expected Cedric to be so jealous? Alfred wasn''t even showing much skin!


    Seeing Cedric looking tired, Noelle went into the kitchen to cut up some fruit.


    Cedric nced at the fruit tter. "Have you decided which tform you''re going with?"


    "No. I looked at Firestorm''s contract, which has strict streaming time requirements. Once school starts, I won''t have much time for live streams. My schedule will be too packed." Even without signing with apany, she still gets paid through the tform. The only downside was that she wouldn''t get the tform''s supported traffic any more.


    Alfred exited after changing. "That''s easy. You can just negotiate the terms with Firestorm directly. They''ll definitely agree to them."


    Noelle was surprised. "Why? I heard that Firestorm''s contracts are standard for everyone, and they rarely adjust them for neers unless you''re a top-tier yer."


    Alfred coughed. "You can at least try asking. Who knows? You''re so skilled. They would be a fool to turn you down."


    Noelle thought that Alfred was just joking around. She thought that he could perhaps use hiswork to help her, but she didn''t want to owe him anything.


    So, she shook her head. "Forget it. My earnings over the past few days have been decent. I''ll have enough for tuition and living expenses once school starts."


    Alfred responded while enjoying the fruit, "What about Lucas? He has to recognize your voice, right?"


    Cedric gave him a cold look. "Just eat and stop talking."


    Noelle chuckled. "I ran into him at school today, but I didn''t admit it was me. So he can''t be sure!"


    "He''s just insecure. Listen, Nelly. You should show your face and scare him when you''re streaming tonight! Let him regret it!"


    Noelle shook her head. "There''s no need for that. I just want to stay away from them." She didn''t want others to affect her life.


    Alfred wanted to continue talking, but Cedric stopped him with a look.


    After Noelle left, Alfred whispered to Cedric, "Why don''t you let me help her get back at them? She doesn''t need to do that on her own."


    It seemed that Cedric already had a n.


    ...


    It was half an hour before Noelle''s livestream. There were already many people waiting in the stream.


    Xenia was among them. When she noticed that Noelle''s fan count had reached 300,000, she was green with envy. Wasn''t it just being good at a game? How did she manage to gain so many followers? Xenia looked at Lucas beside her. "Lucas, what do you n on doing now?"


    Lucas stared coldly at the livestream. "Let''s watch first."


    Xenia gritted her teeth.


    Firestorm featured Noelle''s live stream on the front page, helping her gain a lot of traffic. Many fans joined the stream.


    "Ms. Nelly, you''re so professional at game analysis. Did you used to y with professional teams?"


    "I heard that Team Luminark''s captain really wants to recruit you. Which team have you decided to join?"


    "Yeah, Team Luminark''s captain is the top supporter for the stream. He''s here too."


    Noelle naturally had noticed that the top supporter was indeed Lucas. She said calmly, "Well, Team Luminark did approach me, but..." Lucas immediately got nervous.

 Noelle and Cedric Chapter 83

    Noelle stared at the screen and said calmly, "But my goal is to join the national team."


    "Ms. Nelly, you should join Team Celestial. That way, you''ll be able to achieve your goal."


    "Team Luminark only qualified for the finals because of the repechage. The team iscking in strength!"


    "Exactly. I heard they have internal issues, too. There''s a girl on the team who''s really skilled, but she was suppressed. It wasn''t until the team was about to lose that they let her y. She even pulled off a 12-hitbo!" Noelle read thements and responded, "As for which team I''m joining, I haven''t decided yet. The PK match is about to start."


    She logged into the game and began preparing for the yer Kill match.


    Meanwhile, Noelle''s response infuriated Lucas to the point that he smashed his keyboard.


    Xeniaforted him insincerely, "Lucas, calm down. She''s just arrogant because she''s popr now. She''s just trying to raise her value. You can just offer her a higher price."


    Lucas frowned. "It''s useless."


    "Lucas, let me help you. I have an idea."


    Xenia stared at the live stream, plotting in her mind.


    Noelle was in the middle of a yer Kill match when she suddenly sneezed several times, feeling a chill run down her spine. The brief distraction gave her opponent a chance tond an ultimate move that left her with low health. She immediately focused, using nimble positioning to take cover in a building. After hiding for a while, she found an opportunity to fly out.


    At that moment, she realized that she was about to do a 12-hitbo, so she quickly stopped herself. Even without a 12-hitbo, she easily won the match. After seeing her victory, she sighed in relief.


    Comments flooded the live stream. "If I''m not mistaken, that jumping form was a 12-hitbo, right?"


    "Yeah. As a fan of King, I practiced 12-hitbos countless times, so I''m very familiar with that jump!"


    "Ms. Nelly, were you trying to do a 12-hitbo?"


    Noelle knew people would react like that. She responded, "I''m a fan of King, too. I''ve practiced the 12-hitbo before. So, in that situation, I naturally tried to use it. But as you know, it''s tough to pull off!" She had almost blown her cover just now. She felt a little uneasy.


    There was a ten-minute break after the yer Kill match.


    "Ms. Nelly, someone from Starlight is calling for you. Are you going to respond?"


    Noelle clicked the link sent to her and ended up in Xenia''s live stream.


    Xenia sat in front of herputer, wearing a white dress with a heavy filter, acting pure and innocent.


    She had tears rolling in her red eyes. "Ms. Nelly, I don''t understand why you suddenly broke the contract and went to Firestorm. But Lucas was the one who discovered your talent before you became famous. He taught you so much about the team, and you suddenly just left. That''s so hurtful."


    Many haters flooded Xenia''s livestream with hatefulments.


    Noelle smiled coldly. "Firstly, I never promised to sign with Team Luminark. Secondly, what I have today is all thanks to myself."


    Xenia kept sobbing. "Everybody knows that a person without professional training can never be as skilled as you are.


    "Ms. Nelly, even if you want to break the contract, you should have done it nicely. How could you just turn to Firestorm?"


    Noelle was annoyed. She opened her chatroom in the game. "Here are all my conversations with the leader of Team Luminark. The truth is right there!"


    She publicly shared her conversation with Lucas. Since Lucas had been so pushy, she wouldn''t hold back anymore. The conversations were quickly captured and posted in thement section.


    "That dramatic girl should open her eyes. It was Lucas who was pestering Ms. Nelly. She never promised to join them."


    "Now they''re jealous of Ms. Nelly''s sess and trying to take everything from her? How shameless!"


    "Don''t think you can justify yourself by crying! The eyes of the public are sharp!"

 Noelle and Cedric Chapter 84

    Thement section of the live stream exploded with insults and heated arguments.


    Xenia watched the viewer count skyrocket in her stream, which made her heart soar with excitement. She knew drama like this would attract more followers.


    On the other hand, Lucas felt humiliated. He hadn''t expected SweetNelly to reveal their private conversation so publicly. He was certain that SweetNelly wasn''t Noelle.


    If it were her, she wouldn''t have risked tarnishing the Liddell family''s reputation like that.


    Since SweetNelly refused to cooperate, Lucas decided he wouldn''t hold back.


    He logged into the game and opened a yer Kill ranked match. His rank was 90.


    Lucas quickly messaged a few others in the 90th ranks and asked them not to join the game. That way, his match would default to SweetNelly. If she wanted to advance, she would have to face him. Initially, Lucas had nned to sign her to his team and capitalize on the match as a marketing opportunity. But the n was no longer needed.


    James hesitantly said, "Mr. Liddell, she''s just a rookie. Are you sure you want to take on her yourself?"


    "Yes, I''m going to teach her some respect." Lucas was confident. As a top-tier professional yer, there was no way he would lose to a newbie. SweetNelly indeed had potential. But she still wouldn''t stand a chance against a professional yer.


    The yer Kill match started quickly.


    When Noelle saw who her opponent was, her expression turned icy.


    "Well, isn''t this a coincidence," she said coolly.


    Noelle knew Lucas'' rank, but these matches were randomized, and Lucas was not the only yer who ranked within the 90s. He had clearly rigged the match. The viewers in her stream noticed, too.


    "Don''t worry, Ms. Nelly! You''ve got this!"


    "What''s a pro doing bullying a new yer? Isn''t that against the rules?"


    "The captain of Team Luminark is clearly using this as payback!"


    Noelle''s tone remained calm. "Don''t worry, everyone. The match isn''t over yet. Let''s wait and see who really wins."


    A troll chimed in. "Big talk for someone who''s about to get crushed. Hope you don''t regret those wordster."


    Noelle ignored thement. Her focus was on the screen, where Lucas'' character stood fully geared in the same equipment she had once customized.


    She was prepared to dismantle that gear personally. No one knew Lucas'' ystyle better than she did.


    Noelle gripped her weapon and said, "Let''s begin."


    Her fingers danced across the keyboard with lightning speed. She was able to anticipate almost every move Lucas made. But her strategies? They werepletely unpredictable to him. Five minutes into the match, Lucas'' health bar was nearly empty. His character scrambled to hide inside a building.


    Noelle didn''t bother chasing him. She stood calmly in the open, unmoving.


    Lucas muttered frustratedly, "How is this possible? How does she know all my moves and strategies?"


    "Mr. Liddell, maybe she studied your gamey beforehand. That''s why she''s familiar with all your moves."


    Lucas shook his head. "No, that''s not it. Thatst move-I''ve never used it before. I''ve been saving it for the finals."


    Then, realization suddenly dawned on him. "Wait... There''s only one person who could know." It was Noelle. She was the one who had suggested those secret skills.


    His breath caught in his throat. Could SweetNelly really be Noelle?

 Noelle and Cedric Chapter 85

    Lucas'' mind was in chaos. Those secret skills? Noelle suggested them.


    He hadn''t thought much of them before. However, with the finals approaching and no suitable gunner found, he decided to rely on her suggestions to secure victory. Lucas stared at the gunner on the screen in shock. Was SweetNelly really Noelle? His character rushed forward from the building. "Who are you, really?" Lucas had resisted acknowledging the possibility, but now it was undeniable.


    Why had Noelle hidden her identity? Why had she yed him like that? And why wouldn''t she rejoin the Liddell family''s team?


    Noelle dodged another of Lucas'' attacks. "You should probably stop using those moves. They don''t work on me." "Noelle, is it really you? Answer me!"


    Her tone remained calm. "I told you before. Your strategies have too many ws. It looks like nothing''s changed."


    With a swift airborne maneuver, Noelle counterattacked. Lucas stood no chance, and he fell before her.


    Noelle won. She sessfully advanced to the 90th rank. The live stream chat erupted.


    "Holy crap! Ms. Nelly just defeated a professional yer!"


    "Sure, the captain of Team Luminark has questionable morals, but he''s skilled. And SweetNelly beat him!"


    The video of their match quickly spread across gaming groups.


    Xenia, who was still streaming, had been feigning sympathy and trying to smear SweetNelly to gain more followers. When news of Lucas'' defeat reached her, she couldn''t believe it.


    She immediately shut down her stream and stormed off to find him. "Where''s Lucas?"


    "After the match, Mr. Liddell left with a glum look. He hasn''t spoken to anyone."


    Xenia stomped her foot in frustration. She couldn''t believe that Lucas could have lost. She felt humiliated.


    ...


    After the yer Kill match, Noelle returned to her usual routine of analyzing the gamey.


    When it came to her match with Lucas, she urately pointed out his tactical ws and how his personality affected his ystyle. Those were the same issues she had mentioned before, but Lucas had never listened. After she was done exining, she logged off.


    She then took out her phone. She received a text from her second brother, Frank.


    Frank: "You''re SweetNelly, aren''t you?"


    Noelle: "Does it matter if it''s me or not?"


    Frank smiled bitterly.


    Frank: "That''s not what I meant. Streaming isn''t as simple as it seems. The field''s messy. You''re bound to face challenges, especially being a young woman."


    Noelle: "I know."


    Frank: "If you insist on streaming, I suggest signing with Lucas'' tform. You''re family, so he''ll protect you."


    Noelle found the idea of Lucas protecting her funny. She had worked hard to break free from the Liddell family. There was no way she was going to be controlled by them again. Thus, she didn''t respond. Soon, another text from Frank arrived.


    Frank: "Noelle, you can go to any tform you want. But I have one small request. Don''t join Team Celestial."


    Noelle: "I have the freedom to join any team I want to."


    Frank: "I know, but as long as it''s not Team Celestial. If you join them, Lucas won''t handle it well."


    Noelle knew why. It was because the captain of Team Celestial, Magnus Greene, was Lucas'' biggest rival. The two had a long-standing feud and couldn''t stand each other.


    But which team she joined had nothing to do with the Liddell family. She left his text unanswered.


    Xenia''s stream that used Noelle of breaking her word and switching to Firestorm''s tform sparked heated discussions, with Xenia''s haters fueling the narrative.


    But Noelle didn''t really care about the matter.


    She received a call from Firestorm''s representative. "Ms. Nelly, have you made a decision yet? If you have any conditions, we''re happy to discuss them."

 Noelle and Cedric Chapter 86

    "I''ll be starting school in two months and won''t have a fixed schedule for streaming every day," Noelle exined over the phone.


    Firestorm''s representative responded, "That''s no problem! We can adjust the terms, so you only need to stream on weekends. We''ll have no requirements for weekdays. How does that sound?" Noelle was surprised. She couldn''t believe that they were willing to be that flexible.


    "I''ll think about it," she said.


    "Our streaming tform is verypetitive. Don''t let the people at Starlight mislead you. We saw they offered you 500 thousand dors, right? We''re ready to double that one million dors a year. What do you think?" Noelle felt tempted. "That''s a great offer. Let me consider it and get back to youter."


    After ending the call, she left the study. Cedric was sitting on the couch with his phone in hand.


    On the other end of the line, a voice said, "Sir, the executives at Firestorm have been instructed as you requested-"


    Hearing Noelle''s footsteps, Cedric promptly hung up and looked up at her. "There are fruits on the table."


    Noelle''s throat felt slightly dry, so she grabbed the fruit tter. "Firestorm just called. They''re willing to let me stream only on weekends and even offered a one million signing bonus."


    "They see your potential. Signing you is a smart investment."


    Noelle was in a good mood. "That solves my tuition fees and living expenses."


    Since leaving the Liddell family, she hadn''t touched her credit cards or any of the bank savings from her childhood.


    Cedric''s gaze was deep as he asked, "Is there anything else you want to do?"


    His question caught Noelle off guard.


    "Not really. Earning money takes care of my biggest worry for now."


    After finishing her fruits, she returned to her ce next door to rest.


    Only then did Alfred walk out of his bedroom slowly. "Ced, you''ve paved the way for Nelly. She''s set for the future. Isn''t it time for you to leave?"


    Cedric''s expression darkened slightly. "I''ll leave after she starts school."


    Hearing that, Alfred had a slight headache. "You can''t fall for her. Nelly''s great, but you two aren''t a good match."


    That ident years ago ensured that the two of them could never be together.


    Noelle still had no idea who Cedric really was. If she ever found out, things between them wouldn''t be as peaceful.


    If only that ident hadn''t happened...


    ...


    The next day, Noelle agreed to sign with Firestorm. After all, her goal for streaming was to earn money.


    They sent her an invitation. It read, "We''re hosting an influencer social event tomorrow night. Feel free to attend if you have the time." Noelle looked at the invite. In her past life, she had desperately wanted to go to the event, but Lucas brought Xenia there instead. She had many regrets in her past life.


    However, such events required formal evening wear. Since she had left the Liddell family, she only brought basic clothes with her. Noelle walked next door to find both Cedric and Alfred missing.


    She found a note scrawled with messy handwriting on the table that read, "Nelly, we''re out to run some errands!" It was unmistakably Alfred''s handwriting. Noelle decided to go shopping herself.


    Noelle took a cab to the shopping mall she had frequently gone to. This time, being able to spend her own money gave her a new sense of confidence. "Noelle? What are you doing here?"


    She turned to see Rachel, her ss president. Noelle smiled and said, "I''m here to buy clothes."


    "Is it for tomorrow night''s influencer event?"


    "How did you know?"


    "Just a guess. My brother''s a crew member of the event, and he mentioned that SweetNelly might attend."


    Noelle didn''t bother hiding it. "Are you here alone?"


    "I just left an inte caf¨¦. My family doesn''t let me y games at home. Want somepany while you shop? I''ve got nothing else to do anyway." Noelle didn''t refuse and let Rachel tag along. The two headed to the top floor of the mall.


    Rachel looked at the brands around them and said, "The clothes here look expensive."


    "Don''t worry. I''ve got money."


    Noelle confidently walked into a designer boutique. A store attendant greeted her immediately, "Ms. Liddell, how may I assist you?"


    A voice broke through, saying, "Noelle''s credit cards are frozen. Where would she get money to shop here?"


    Xenia smugly strolled in with Betty.

 Noelle and Cedric Chapter 87

    Noelle''s expression turned annoyed when she saw Xenia.


    She thought that sometimes fate could be a bitch. No matter how much you wanted to avoid someone, they always seemed to appear.


    Xenia sauntered over with a pretentious air. "Noelle, you''ve been away from home for so long. Lucas only froze your credit cards because he''s worried about you. Don''t take it the wrong way."


    Noelle remained calm. In her past life, she had suffered a lot after her credit cards were frozen. It was then that she finally understood the importance of financial independence. Only with it could she have personal independence.


    Rachel didn''t hold back. "Oh, stop showing off, Xenia. If Noelle wanted to go back, she''d be the young miss again in no time. But you? You''ll never be anything more than a wannabe."


    Xenia gritted her teeth in anger. Nothing stung her more than reminders of her background.


    Noelle ignored Xenia entirely and merely talked to the store attendant. "I''d like to try on these two dresses."


    The store attendant recognized Noelle and assisted her immediately.


    Xenia was unhappy with the scene and took out her premium membership card. "Excuse me, but I want those two dresses as well."


    Rachel felt slightly angry. "Do you have no shame, Xenia? Haven''t you heard of firste, first served?"


    Betty chimed in, "Well, our Xenia is a premium member, so she gets priority. Does Noelle have a premium membership card?"


    Noelle hadn''t taken anything with her when she left the Liddells. Naturally, she wouldn''t have a premium membership card with her.


    The store attendant looked at Noelle awkwardly. "Ms. Liddell?"


    Noelle released the dresses. "I don''t have a premium membership card. Let her have them."


    Rachel looked ready to cry from frustration, but Xenia was delighted. She felt as if she had finally forced Noelle out of the Liddell family, and she was the only daughter left. Noelle continued browsing for dresses, only for Betty to snatch items from her repeatedly.


    Noelle didn''t react. Instead, she continued to select more clothes and shoes.


    When even Xenia noticed the growing pile, only then did Noelle stop. She looked at Xenia and asked, "Are you nning to buy all of these?"


    Xenia raised her chin and replied smugly, "Of course. There''s a social event tomorrow night for online influencers. Lucas said he''d take me and asked me to buy some nice clothes." Noelle wasn''t surprised. In her past life, Lucas had also taken Xenia to the event.


    Rachel was annoyed. "What''s the big deal about attending an event? Noelle''s also¡ª"


    Noelle stopped her friend from continuing and turned to the store attendant. "Since Ms. Quigley is so generous today, please ring up her purchases immediately."


    Xenia''s expression changed. "W-Wait! I haven''t even tried them on yet."


    "They have the sizes. You can exchange them if they don''t fit. Surely you''re not nning to try everything on without buying, are you?"


    Noelle''s tone was calm, but it put Xenia on the spot, forcing her tomit.


    Rachel added fuel to the fire. "Yeah, if you can''t afford it. Don''t pretend that you can. What kind of premium member can''t even pay for these?" Xenia couldn''t back down. "Who says I can''t afford it? Pack them all up!"


    Betty smirked. "See? Our Xenia is the Liddell family''s favorite. These few clothes are nothing! She could buy the whole store if she wanted to!" Xenia pped Betty flusteredly and scolded her, "Don''t talk nonsense!"


    Still, with no way out, she reluctantly handed over her credit card.


    The store attendant swiped it and then said, in surprise, "I''m sorry, but this card isn''t working."


    Xenia''s expression shifted. "Impossible! Do you not know how to work the machine? Lucas gave me this card. There''s no way it doesn''t work."


    The store manager came over and tried again. "Ms. Quigley, it seems that this card has reached its spending limit."


    Humiliation burned like fire on Xenia''s face.


    She had always maintained the image of the obedient younger sister, so she rarely spent extravagantly. But she hadn''t expected the card to have a spending limit, which was clearly not enough to even purchase those clothes. Noelle smiled faintly. "So, are you still buying them?"


    Rachel grabbed the two dresses Noelle first saw. "Stop pretending you can afford these when you clearly can''t."

 Noelle and Cedric Chapter 88

    Xenia''s eyes reddened with anger. She questioned, "Noelle, didn''t you say you wouldn''t use a single cent from the family anymore?" She didn''t believe Noelle could afford such expensive clothing herself.


    Noelle calmly took out her own bank card and handed it to the store manager. "Charge them to my card. I''ll try them on afterward."


    Betty protested loudly, "We picked these first! How can you sell them to someone else? We''re premium members!"


    The store manager courteously replied, "We process purchases based on confirmed payment. Besides, Ms. Liddell may not have a membership card, but as the daughter of the Liddell family, she is one of our distinguished clients." "Daughter of the Liddell family? She''s been kicked out!"


    The store manager remainedposed. "It''s just a misunderstanding among family members. Blood ties cannot be severed."


    Noelle felt slightly ufortable at the mention of blood ties. She hated being shackled by such a concept. She took the dresses and went into the fitting room.


    Meanwhile, Xenia was on the verge of tears outside, trying to call Lucas, but no one answered. Finally, James picked up instead.


    "Why isn''t Lucas answering?"


    "Mr. Liddell had too much to drinkst night and hasn''t woken up yet."


    Xenia was furious. Why did he have to be drunk at such an important moment? She didn''t want to be humiliated in front of Noelle.


    With no other choice, she called Frank. The call connected quickly. "Xenia, what''s wrong?"


    "Frank..." Xenia''s voice quivered sobbingly. "I really didn''t want to bother you, but I didn''t know what else to do."


    "Why are you crying? Did someone bully you?"


    "Frank, I went shopping for clothes and ran into Noelle. I thought she wouldn''t have money since she left home without anything, but she looked like she didn''t need any money. I didn''t want her to spend someone else''s money, so I tried to help her pay, but my card was maxed out. She seemed a little upset."


    Betty quickly added, "Noelle was awful! She unted her money and mocked Xenia, saying she was pretending to be rich! We don''t even know where she got the money from."


    "Don''t say that. I''m sure Noelle didn''t mean it that way." Xenia shot a meaningful nce at Betty.


    Frank asked confusedly, "Where would Noelle get that kind of money?"


    "I''m not sure about that either."


    "Alright. Don''t argue with her. Juste home."


    Xenia reluctantly agreed and ended the call. Then, she kicked the mannequin nearby to vent her anger. In the past, Frank would have sent her money immediately. Betty asked, "So? Did your brother send you money so you can go put Noelle in her ce?"


    "No. He asked me to go home."


    Xenia couldn''t swallow the humiliation. Suddenly, her phone buzzed with a message from Frank. "I''ve transferred some money. Cover Noelle''s purchases as well." Xenia''s mood instantly lifted, and she returned to the store triumphantly.


    Just then, Noelle had just changed back into her clothes and walked out of the fitting room. Watching Xenia''s smug expression, Noelle guessed that she had sessfully asked for money. Xenia smugly crossed her arms and said, "Wrap all these clothes up. I''ll take them all."


    Noelle didn''t react, as she didn''t care at all.


    Xenia turned to Noelle and started to show off. "Frank just sent me a huge sum of money. He told me that I could only go home after spending it all."

 Noelle and Cedric Chapter 89

    Noelle listened to Xenia''s bragging without so much as a flicker of emotion. After all, she could earn money on her own. She looked at the store attendant calmly and said, "The sizes are fine. Please wrap them up for me."


    "Noelle, are you only getting these two pieces? Did that school doctor of yours not feel like spending money on you?"


    With a mockingugh, Betty added, "Yeah, Noelle! Who''s pretending to be rich now? That school doctor showed up with all those luxury cars to pick you up that day, but they were all rentals! What a joke!" Xenia''s smile widened as if she had justnded a victory.


    Noelle took the shopping bags. "At least I''m spending my own money, not relying on anyone else."


    "Oh, Noelle. Relying on family is a blessing, too. Why make things so hard for yourself? Just apologize and go home. You don''t even know how much I envy you for having such a big, loving family."


    Rachel couldn''t tolerate it anymore. "Cut the fake sympathy, Xenia! She wouldn''t have left home if you hadn''t been stirring things up between Noelle and her brothers. It''s all your fault! Xenia chunkled, thoroughly pleased. "Well, it''s not fach they ke me better and think I''m a better sister. What can I do about it? That''s just how it in."


    Noelle didn''t want to waste her breath on a reply. If it were her past life, she would have felt upset and heartbroken, and the might even have tried to fight for her brothers affection. But abe mu lidn''t care less attemocr


    Rachel rolled her eyes at Xenia angrily you can be however you want, but you''ll never be the real daughter of the Liddell family! You''re just a fake''s Senia gritted her both furiously at Rachel''s statement. She wanted to cut Noelle out of the Lindall family fully and rece her After walling out of the store, Rachel felt indignant de Noelle. "Noelle, will you really let Xenia bully you like that?


    "If I''m not angry, Why ADN VOO?".


    "You''re their real serally maniption and not your problem"


    understand it. I used to think that maybe you were difficult to get along with, and that''s why they didn''t you. But now, I see it''s all Xenia''s


    Coelle replied calmly, "It''s not entily Kenia''s fault. My brothers prefer an obedient sister, and she knows how to y the role perfectly,"


    past, Noelie had poured her heart out for her brothers and done a lot for them silently, only for them to take her for granted. Meanwhile, Xenia''s shallow gestures had easily won


    that was what they lived, so be it. She no longer cared


    Racheldein slightly down. "Now I know why you started streaming-to make money, right?"


    "My team doing well, and I''m earning plenty. Don''t worry."


    Rachel thought about the lipe Noelle was getting at the moment and dait less worried. "Oh, by the way, does your brother know that you''re the streamer everyone''s talking about?" "He didn''t ledore But down so sure."


    After their matchst night. Noelle suspected tur Lucas might know wi


    was


    She didn''t bother to hide. Her siging with stormeant that her poprity was soaring. Her family couldn''t stop her anymore, even if they knew that she was streaming online. (evening, Noelle''s live stream was featured on ursions a


    a homepage. She was in high spirits, analyzing with her audience while battling in ys Kill matches during her livestreams. Her professional and exciting gamey drew in mi Mhanabuk, Frank wattled bo estream Hearing her rxed and chenel voice, he could tell that she was very happy (ildn t brip freting a sense of host within his heart.


    After leaving the Li?keII I Fist matry days, fortie never save looked back or asked to money to them. She dab''t need their money anymore-not when the streaming calent was so


    Last night, yet she humiliated thetch. Does the even and sounded in, slightly drunk "Tank, you''re watching he lives, tool She knew it was leftementy. "You can only me yoursell for it. Think about how you''ve treated her. We sadeeply t stw fat no choice but to leave.

 Noelle and Cedric Chapter 90

    "I already apologized to her! What more does she want? Frank, I feel so suffocated!" Lucas felt frustrated deep within.


    "Lucas, if you want to win Noelle back, you need to change your attitude and start treating her better!"


    Frank had also just realized how much he had overlooked Noelle in the past.


    "What do you mean we didn''t treat her well? Frank, you were in the hospital for days, and she didn''t visit you even once. With how cold and heartless she is, how are we supposed to treat her better?" Lucas sat on the floor, his words slurred as he was drunk.


    Frank sighed as he stared at the livestream on the screen. He knew that Noelle didn''t visit him because she was hurt and sad. It was his punishment. When she had treated him well before, he had not been able to see her kindness. In her livestream, Frank gave ten gifts called "Carnivals," causing his name to dominate the screen for a while.


    Noelle noticed the name associated with thevish donation and pressed her lips together. She knew it was from Frank. She pretended not to see his name.


    A viewer asked in the chat, "Ms. Nelly, are you going to the influencer event tomorrow night?"


    Noelle replied, "Yes. I''ll be attending."


    "Wow! Is it hard to get into that event? I want to join so I can meet you in person!"


    "I''ll pay a huge sum for an invitation! Anyone selling?"


    Noelle took a brief break before exining the highlights of her matches from the evening. She meticulously analyzed the gunners'' strengths and weaknesses and offered tips on which characters were best suited for different ystyles. She had learned those lessons through trial and error in her past life. She shared them openly, hoping to help others improve.


    After ending her stream, Noelle massaged the back of her neck. She felt some soreness in her waist.


    As she walked left the study and headed to the kitchen for some water, she saw Cedric standing at the entrance, clearly just arriving home.


    Right then, their surroundings plunged into darkness.


    Noelle asked, "What''s going on? A ckout?"


    She was thankful the power only went out after her stream had ended.


    Cedric''s voice came from somewhere in the darkness. "I''ll call the property management."


    "Alright. It may not be a power trip. The whole area looks dark from here. Probably a regional outage," Noelle guessed as she felt her way toward the couch.


    Then, she identally knocked over a vase, causing it to fall on the ground. It startled her.


    "Don''t move!" Cedric''s voice came sharp and stern.


    Noelle stayed rooted to her spot. She didn''t dare shift an inch as she couldn''t see if there were any broken shards scattered.


    She looked up and saw a faint beam of a phone''s shlight approaching.


    Cedric walked toward her. His silhouette was concealed in the darkness, and only a dim glow of light showed the distance between them.


    Noelle exined, "I came out to get water and didn''t bring my phone. It''s a good thing you returned at the right time."


    She looked down and tried to observe the floor, but Cedric reached closer. "Give me your hand."


    Noelle could feel his closeness and wondered if he nned to lift her out of that area.


    She reached out to ce her hands on his shoulders, and he carried her up in his arms. She could feel Cedric''s warmth through her palms. His strong muscles were a stark contrast to her soft frame. It was the first time Noelle had ever been carried like this by someone she barely knew. It made her heart race uncontrobly.

 Noelle and Cedric Chapter 91

    Noelle was carried out of the area littered with broken shards and ced on the couch.


    Cedric tilted his head down to look at her.


    "Next time, when I say don''t move, don''t move. If you''re not going to use your brain, don''t run around!" he scolded Noelle.


    She lowered her head. "Well, I didn''t expect to bump into the vase!"


    Noelle''s face grew warmer, and she was thankful for the ckout. Otherwise, it would have been awkward for him to see how red she had turned.


    Cedric was her mentor and friend. Because of her impure thoughts about him, she was suddenly self-conscious about their sudden physical closeness.


    Cedric pulled out his phone and made a call, his tone icy. "Find out what caused the outage in this area."


    Noelle looked around at the darkness, and her eyes finallynded on Cedric. The only light source there was the faint glow of his phone.


    She asked, "Where''s Alfred? Didn''t hee back with you?"


    "He went drinking. He won''t be back tonight."


    "And you didn''t go with him?" Noelle knew that going to bars was amon way for adults to unwind, especially the wealthy. Her brothers at the Liddell family often did it, too, primarily forworking. Cedric''s reply was simple. "Too noisy."


    Noelle wasn''t surprised at his reply. He always seemed to prefer quiet.


    Noelle became curious. "I''m curious. You''re so reserved, but Alfred is loud and outgoing. How did you two be such close friends?"


    Cedric was the pr opposite of Alfred. Logically speaking, it would be hard for them to be good friends.


    Cedric thought about it momentarily before responding, "My grandmother always said that I was too quiet. She told me to make friends with someone talkative so I wouldn''t be a mute."


    His words amused Noelle, and her curiosity deepened. "So, you''ve known Alfred since you were kids?"


    Cedric paused, realizing he had said more than intended. "Why do you ask?"


    "I''m just envious. It must be nice to have a friend like that." Noelle''s voice tinged with mncholy.


    It was dark around them, so Cedric couldn''t see her expression. He asked, "Didn''t you have friends growing up?"


    "I did. But after my parents passed away in that car ident, I was sick for a long time and forgot everything about the incident. My mood was unstable back then, and the friends I had slowly drifted away. Not long after that, Xenia was brought into our family. You know the rest. Because of her, I was ostracized at school. I never really had friends after that."


    Cedric pursed his lips at the mention of the car ident. His throat bobbed as he asked, "Have you ever remembered anything about the ident all these years?"


    "No, and I don''t want to. It''s too painful."


    Noelle''s expression showed sorrow. "If it weren''t for that ident, my parents wouldn''t have died. Xenia wouldn''t have entered my life, and my rtionship with my brothers might not have be like this." But there was no use thinking about what-ifs.


    Cedric looked in the direction where Noelle was. His eyes clouded with emotions tooplex to decipher.


    "Do you hate the person who caused the ident?" His voice trembled slightly, carrying an unexinable emotion.


    In the dark surroundings, neither couldn''t clearly see each other''s expressions.


    "Of course!" Noelle''s reply was firm and cold.


    Cedric swallowed hard, his throat tight. "Have you ever thought about finding them?"


    "The person responsible ran away. They even found a scapegoat to take the me. The Liddell family searched for years but came up with nothing."


    Noelle wanted to find the real culprit who caused her parents'' death.


    Cedric''s voice reached her again. "If you ever find out who it was..."


    "I''ll make sure they pay for what they did!" Noelle''s voice was filled with unwavering determination. She had made sure that she would find the real culprit behind the ident.


    Cedric remained seated on the couch and didn''t move. He found it difficult even to breathe.


    After a while of silence, Noelle broke it. "When will the powere back on?"

 Noelle and Cedric Chapter 92

    Cedric nced at his phone and stood up. "The power line is being repaired. I''m guessing the power won''t be back for a while. You should head back and rest first. I''ll walk you." Noelle felt her way off the couch, but a pair of hands extended toward her. She looked at them.


    Cedric''s deep voice came from above her. "You''d better hold onto this walking stick."


    Noelle coughed lightly. "No need." As soon as her feet touched the ground, she identally kicked the edge of the table, and a sharp pain made her wince.


    "Sit. Let me check." Cedric crouched in front of her, sighing. Then, he directed the shlight on his phone toward her foot.


    Noelle froze as she looked at Cedric before her. In the dim glow, his side profile seemed gentle. His already striking features became even more captivating from that angle. She couldn''t help but ask, "Sir, do you have a girlfriend?"


    Cedric lifted his gaze, his eyes dark.


    He stood up and replied, "No."


    "Do you have any preferences for a girlfriend? What kind of girls do you like?"


    "Why are you asking?"


    "Just curious. I mean, you''re so handsome. How could you not have a girlfriend? The other day, I even saw you dining at the restaurant with a beautiful woman."


    Cedric''s hands paused briefly before he looked at her. "You saw that?"


    Noelle nodded. "Yeah. Who was she?"


    "A friend."


    "Just a friend?"


    Cedric grabbed her wrist. "Your brain doesn''t work well, but your mouth sure does."


    Noelle followed behind as he pulled her. She could feel the warmth of his hand on her wrist.


    Her gaze fell to their holding hands, and a small smile tugged at her lips. It turned out that he didn''t have a girlfriend. She wondered if she stood a chance if she were to pursue him.


    As soon as she had those thoughts, they were quickly dismissed. Cedric didn''t look the type to be easily won over. She thought it was better not to try and risk ruining their friendship. Cedric walked Noelle back to her bedroom and stopped at the door without stepping inside.


    He held his phone and instructed her, "Get some rest. Call me if anything happens. And don''t open the door for strangers."


    "I know. I''m not a kid."


    Then, she turned on her phone''s shlight. "I can see just fine by myself too."


    After that, Cedric left.


    Noelle couldn''t help but feel that something about him was off, though she couldn''t pinpoint precisely what.


    ...


    The next day, the power was back on when Noelle woke up. She recalled the previous night''s events, and her heart raced slightly at the memory. Noelle didn''t immediately go next door. Instead, she lingered in bed for a while. She checked the gaming forum and found a post about her. The headline read, "Who is the man supporting the streamer SweetNelly behind the scenes?"


    It sparked Noelle''s curiosity. She wondered who "the man" they were referring to was.


    When she clicked on the post, she was greeted with a screenshot from her live stream from the night before, when she was given Carnivals.


    The post wrote, "The CEO of Liddell Corporation, Frank Liddell, sent dozens of Carnivals and Luxury Cars gifts in her streamst night, spending over ten thousand dors. Their rtionship clearly isn''t ordinary. But it seems that she had a fallout with her benefactor, and streamer Xenia''s public usations proved this. That exins why she started streaming on Firestorm and avoids showing her face. She''s afraid of being recognized by him!"


    Noelle didn''t know how to feel about the post. She thought it was all nonsense. Yet many peoplemented and spected that she had a wealthy "sponsor" backing her, which was why she had dared to reject Lucas'' invitation.


    Noelle shared the post on the forum and wrote her ownment, saying, "This is all baseless spection."


    However, no one believed her exnation. Anti-fans even started to spread the narrative further, iming she was a woman who was "sponsored" by a sugar daddy.


    Her ss president, Rachel, also came across the post. Furious, she anonymously wrote, "You people have disgusting thoughts! The streamer Nelly''s rtionship with the Liddell family is nothing like that. I''m her ssmate, and I can recognize her voice!" Someone immediately replied, "So the streamer Nelly is the Liddell family''s eldest daughter?"


    The post quickly exploded with spection.

 Noelle and Cedric Chapter 93

    Noelle noticed the ongoing spection about her identity in the forum and figured it was likely one of her ssmates stirring things up.


    Considering she was attending the influencer event that evening, where her identity would inevitably be revealed, she felt no need to keep it a secret any longer. Amenter wrote, "I''m a ssmate of the Liddell family''s eldest daughter and can confirm that the streamer''s voice matches hers exactly."


    Soon, anti-fans startedmenting.


    "If she''s really the Liddell family''s daughter, why would she stream on Firestorm instead of Starlight? Stop making things up!"


    "She could use King''s 12-hitbo. With her talent, there''s no way the Liddell family would let her go rogue like this!"


    "Nelly is clearly trying to use Ms. Liddell''s name for fame. She should consider whether that''s even realistic. The 12-hitbo is not something just anyone can do."


    As the anti-fans stirred the pot, most people leaned toward believing that SweetNelly couldn''t possibly be Noelle.


    Noelle''s head started to ache as she read the arguments in the post''sments.


    Just then, she received a text from Rachel. "Queen, those anti-fans are so nasty. They''re probably Xenia''s die-hard supporters. Why note out and shut them up yourself?"


    Noelle smiled slightly and replied, "The truth will be clear tonight after the event. There''s no need to waste time arguing with them." Even if she tried to exin, some people would still refuse to believe her.


    Noelle nced at the clock and realized it was nearly noon. She headed to the apartment unit next door and saw Alfred emerging with a head of messy hair, yawning. "Morning, Nelly."


    "It''s already noon. Is the bar that much fun?" Noelle asked curiously.


    Alfred''s eyes lit up. "It''s fun! If you''re curious, I can take you next time."


    "Don''t corrupt her." Cedric walked out of the study. His gaze filled with warning as itnded on Alfred.


    Alfred repliedzily, "Nelly''s about to start college, and she can freely date now. So, she''s practically an adult already. Going to a bar isn''t a big deal."


    Cedric''s face remained impassive. "There''s no need to talk nonsense."


    Alfred knew when to stop before annoying Cedric, so he changed the subject immediately. "Nelly, you''ve got that event tonight. Did you get a nice dress? You should also get your hair and makeup done to dazzle everyer." Cedric''s tone was calm as he cut in. "She''s attending an event, not a beauty pageant."


    "What''s the difference? Women should dress beautifully. Don''t let old-fashioned ideas get in the way."


    Noelle chuckled. "I bought a dress yesterday."


    "Perfect. Here. Take this business card. Go to this ceter in the afternoon to get your look done and tell them you''re my friend."


    "Thank you." Noelle epted the card. In the past, the Liddell family would have arranged all these details for her.


    What mattered most for the event was the fact that Xenia and Lucas would also be attending.


    Even though Noelle didn''t care about makeup or fancy appearances, it would be her first public event since leaving the Liddell family. She didn''t want to be looked down upon and was determined to protect her dignity. Cedric nced at Noelle. Her smile was finally clear of the cautious demeanor she had before.


    His lips curved faintly. The woman he had protected all this time had finally started to grow strong.


    In the afternoon, Noelle packed her dress and prepared to head to the salon Alfred had rmended.


    Alfred spoke up as she was about to leave. "Nelly, we''ve got some stuff to do, so we can''t apany you to the salon. Honestly, I don''t have the patience to wait while women get dolled up!"


    This was mainly because if reporters spotted either him or Cedric, their identities woulde out, causing unnecessary trouble.


    "It''s fine. I can go by myself," Noelle replied, her gaze drifting toward Cedric.


    Cedric looked up. "Call me if anything happens."

 Chapter 94

    Noelle smiled and nodded before leaving with her dress in hand.


    After she left, Alfred saidzily, "Ced, Nelly is an adult now. It''s normal for her to dress up and look pretty. After all, she''s growing up and will eventually date and get married. You can''t keep her stuck in some old-fashioned mold forever. What if some smooth-talking guy out there sweeps her off her feet?" Cedric''s patience finally snapped, and he kicked Alfred.


    But Alfred had anticipated his move and leaped away in time. "Didn''t you say that she already has a crush on someone? Maybe it''s one of her ssmates. Who knows-they might end up all lovey-dovey in college."


    "Get lost!" Cedric rubbed his temples. He was now annoyed.


    ...


    Noelle arrived at the salon in a cab.


    Shortly after, Rachel stepped out of the cab too. "Queen, are you sure this salon is reliable? I''ve never even heard of it."


    "A friend rmended it to me. It should be fine."


    Noelle had invited Rachel along as her plus-one for the event since the invitation allowed her to bring apanion of any gender.


    Noelle entered the salon and approached the receptionist. "Alfred Parham referred me."


    "Ms. Liddell, we''ve been expecting you. Mr. Parham already called ahead. Please,e in with your friend."


    Noelle settled into a chair and waited for the stylists to start working on her hair and makeup.


    Rachel was just beside her. "Noelle, the forum trolls are outrageous. And Xenia even liked some of theirments. Now, everyone thinks some wealthy benefactor backs you. Frank is your brother. So why hasn''t hee forward to clear things up?" Noelle remainedposed. "It doesn''t matter anymore."


    "I used to envy you for having so many brothers. But now I see that they all favor Xenia. Who needs brothers like that?"


    Noelle gazed at her reflection in the mirror. She didn''t care anymore.


    In this life, she had finally broken free from the Liddell family and was living independently. That was enough.


    ...


    Several hourster, her transformation wasplete.


    Noelle changed into her dress and looked at herself in the mirror. She felt like a different person.


    Rachel took out her phone and snapped a few photos. "Noelle, you''re gorgeous when you dress up. You were overshadowed before because of Xenia constantly putting you down."


    The two took a few selfies together before Noelle checked the time. "Let''s go."


    They took a cab to the event venue, which was a five-star hotel.


    Noelle noticed many high-end cars outside the hotel, and reporters were already waiting there.


    Rachel felt a little nervous. "I''ve never been to an event like this. I''ve only seen them on TV. If you hadn''t brought me, I''d probably just be working as a crew member with my brother and wouldn''t have had the chance to walk in from the main entrance." Noelle was feeling nervous herself, too. Still, she pretended to be rxed. "There''s no need to be nervous. We have invitations to be here."


    The two women exited the cab and adjusted their dresses before heading toward the check-in area. Before they reached the entrance, they could see all the reporters rushing toward a direction.


    Rachel looked over curiously. "Who''s here? Look at all the reporters rushing over!"


    A luxury car pulled up, and the doors opened to reveal Lucas and Xenia stepping out together.


    Xenia was dressed in a custom-made evening gown. She wore an emerald ne and an emerald bracelet on her wrist, looking like a socialite heiress.


    Noelle looked at the jewelry Xenia was wearing. Those were the same pieces she had given Xenia as an apology gift when she was reborn. They were given to her by her brothers when they were younger.


    Xenia basked in the media''s attention. The jewelry she was wearing were antiques and worthed quite a lot. They now belonged to her since Noelle left the Liddell family.


    A reporter directed a question at Lucas. "Mr. Lucas, there are rumors that the streamer SweetNelly is actually your younger sister, Noelle. Is that true?"


    Xenia''s smile froze instantly. Of all the questions they could ask, why this one?

 Chapter 95

    Faced with the reporter''s pointed question about whether Noelle was the streamer SweetNelly, Lucas appeared dazed.


    Over the past few days, he had been drowning himself in alcohol, hoping to numb his thoughts. He wouldn''t have managed to pull himself together if it weren''t for this event. Lucas had heard rumors that the streamer SweetNelly would also attend the event, and he wanted to confirm with his own eyes whether the streamer was really Noelle. Before he could respond, Xenia stepped in. "Dear reporters, we''ve been wondering about this too. Since the streamer has never shown her face, we can''t be certain either." The reporter pressed further. "But it''s said that her voice is an exact match to Ms. Liddell''s. Is that true?"


    Xenia''s expression faltered slightly. "That''s correct. But it''s not umon for people to look and sound alike. Simrities like that don''t prove anything."


    "Ms. Quigley, does this mean that you don''t believe that SweetNelly is actually Ms. Liddell?"


    "That''s what I think. If she were truly that talented, why would she choose to stream at Firestorm? If she wanted to sign a contract, it would make more sense for her to join Starlight, just like me." After her remark, she nced at Lucas. "Right, Lucas? Don''t you think so?"


    Lucas'' expression darkened. He couldn''t find the words to answer the question. If Noelle were really SweetNelly, would she have signed with his tform?


    In the past, he would have been sure that she would. But the situation was now different.


    Noelle observed the scene before turning toward the check-in area.


    Rachel felt indignant. "Why does Xenia act like she has the right to dictate what you can and can''t do? You have every right to choose which tform to sign a contract with."


    "I won''t let them manipte me with their moral superiority," Noelle replied.


    As arriving at the check-in area, Xenia''s voice suddenly rang out behind her. "Noelle, what are you doing here?"


    Xenia appeared in her extravagant evening gown adorned with luxurious jewelry. She felt smug that she had dressed like a princess before Noelle.


    She deliberately touched the ne on her neck and feigned concern as she said, "Noelle, you should have told me that you wanted to attend this event. Just look at how underdressed you are." Noelle''s expression remained indifferent. "Why would I need to tell you?"


    Xenia gritted her teeth. "Because this event is by invitation only. Did you and your ss presidente here as part-time receptionists?"


    To Xenia, that seemed like the only exnation for Noelle''s presence.


    Lucas'' brows furrowed at the mention of "receptionists" as he looked at Noelle. "You left the family with such determination, only to take on a menial job like this? If anyone learns about this, you''ll be the shame of the Liddell family!" Rachel couldn''t hold back anymore and retorted, "Noelle yed a pivotal role in her team''seback during the repechage with her 12-hitbo! Do you think she''d stoop to being a receptionist here?"


    Her statement caught the attention of the people nearby.


    "So she''s Noelle?"


    "I heard that she could use the 12-hitbo. That''s King''s signature move! She''s still so young."


    The reporters quickly picked up on the buzz and swarmed around Noelle. "Ms. Liddell, how did you learn the 12-hitbo? What''s your rtionship with King?"


    Noelle replied calmly, "I''m a fan of King. I pulled off the 12-hitbo purely by luck."


    Watching Noelle gain the reporters'' attention, Xenia felt jealous. She wondered what was so special about a lucky 12-hitbo. Was it that rare?


    "Ms. Liddell, given your skills, what are your thoughts on Team Luminark''s chances in the finals? Do you think you can lead them to victory?" Noelle was caught off guard by the reporter''s question.

 Chapter 96

    Noelle wondered if the reporter had mistaken her for a member of Team Luminark. Her expression remained cold as she calmly replied, "I wouldn''t know. I''m not part of that team anymore." Her words left the reporters stunned.


    Was the eldest daughter of the Liddell family not a part of Team Luminark? Was it some kind of joke? Could the rumors about her falling out with the Liddell family be true?


    The reporter immediately turned to Lucas. "Mr. Lucas, do you have anyments? Why isn''t Ms. Liddell part of the team? I heard rumors of a conflict between you two. Is that urate?" Faced with the reporter''s probing questions, Lucas opened his mouth but could not say a single word.


    Xenia held onto Lucas'' arm and said smilingly, "Oh, it''s nothing serious. Noelle has just been throwing a little tantrum with the family recently. After all, we''re family. She''s benefited from the family''s resources for many years to get to where she is today. I''m sure she wouldn''t do something as ungrateful as turning her back on us."


    Rachel couldn''t hold back any longer. "Xenia, do you even hear yourself? What nonsense are you spouting?"


    That was not what happened. It was evident that Xenia was trying to manipte the narrative in front of the reporters.


    Noelle lowered Rachel''s hand before she replied calmly, "But it was Lucas who personally removed me from the team. He found a more talented gunner to take my ce."


    The reporter followed up, asking, "If I''m not mistaken, that would be the streamer SweetNelly, right? She''s a gunner as well, and an incredibly skilled one! Rumor has it she''ll be attending tonight''s event, but we don''t know what she looks like." The reporter''s gaze shifted to Noelle upon thest statement, hinting at the rumor that Noelle might be SweetNelly.


    Xenia didn''t want to stay outside anymore, so she took out her invitation and handed it over. Then, she looked at Noelle and said, "Noelle, I''m sorry, but each invitation only allows one guest."


    Lucas'' voice was gruff as he looked at Noelle and said, "I didn''t know you wanted to attend. Next time, tell me earlier."


    He could have obtained more invitations, but he didn''t know that Noelle also wanted to attend.


    Noelle''s expression was calm. "There''s no need."


    "Lucas, how could you be so careless? Since when has our family ever been short on invitations?" Frank strode in with a polished demeanor.


    The reporters immediately went up to him.


    "Mr. Frank, is your appearance at this event rted to the streamer SweetNelly?"


    "It''s been rumored that you have a close rtionship with her. Could you rify that?"


    Frank smiled. "Yes, we do share a connection. I came here today because of her, too."


    The reporters buzzed with excitement. It seemed like there really was a story.


    Frank looked at Noelle. "Noelle, let me take you inside." With that, he extended his hand out to her.


    Noelle nced at his hand briefly before declining, "No need. I can go in myself."


    Xenia couldn''t help but press further. "Noelle, do you even have an invitation?"


    "Of course." Noelle calmly pulled an invitation from her bag and put it on the table.


    Rachel beamed with pride while she looked at Xenia. "See that? An actual invitation! Unlike certain freeloaders pretending to belong, our Noelle is an official guest!"


    Xenia felt angry from being embarrassed. "Noelle, I thought you said that you wouldn''t rely on the Liddell family anymore." She wondered how Noelle could have received an invitation without the Liddell family''s influence. Lucas stared at the invitation in disbelief. "Noelle, how did you get this?"


    Before she could respond, Rachel answered proudly, "Because she''s SweetNelly herself!"

 Chapter 97

    Rachel''s revtion about Noelle''s identity hit everyone like a bombshell.


    Lucas'' mind went nk as soon as he heard the statement. His legs felt weak, and for a moment, he seemed unable to stand properly.


    He stared at Noelle in shock and anger. He couldn''t believe that she was really the streamer SweetNelly.


    It turned out that Noelle had been watching the whole thing like a joke from the beginning, including that day when he mentioned that he had recruited a talented gunner. He deduced that Noelle must have known who he was referring to, but she chose not to say a single thing.


    The corner of Lucas'' eyes reddened as he stared at Noelle. "You... Why did you lie to me?"


    He wondered why she hid her identity as SweetNelly from him and why she hadn''t told him about it earlier.


    Lucas was filled with anger and couldn''t understand why Noelle did that. Didn''t she like him the best among all her brothers in the past?


    Unlike Lucas'' emotional outburst, Noelle''s expression was calm and indifferent. "I never lied to you."


    "Then why didn''t you tell me you were the streamer?"


    "Because it wasn''t necessary."


    Noelle''s clear gaze and cold demeanor sent chills down Lucas'' spine.


    He couldn''t believe what she had just said. Even though he and Noelle argued, he still believed that they were a family and that everything would be resolved as time passed.


    It had always been like that since they were young. But why was it different this time? Noelle had known that the tournament meant a lot to him, so why did she do that?


    Just then, Frank grabbed Lucas. "Calm down, Lucas."


    "I can''t calm! How could I possibly calm down right now?"


    Lucas turned to Frank, his eyes slightly red. "Frank, I..." His chest felt heavy.


    Frank saw his brother''s disappointed look but didn''t know what to say. He had reminded him before that Noelle had changed, but thetter didn''t take it seriously. The reporters closed in on Noelle.


    "Ms. Liddell, why did you keep your identity as the streamer a secret? Is there some deeper reason?"


    "Ms. Liddell, is it true that you''ve fallen out with your family?"


    It was a newsworthy headline that would get everyone''s attention-SweetNelly, who could perform the 12-hitbo, was actually Noelle Liddell.


    With her talent, she unexpectedly signed with Firestorm instead of staying with her family''s team. There had to be more to the story.


    Noelle looked at the reporters, her tone as distant as ever. "Yes. There have been disagreements, so I''ve decided to support myself."


    She didn''t feel the need to hide those things anymore. She thought it was better to let the public know to avoid the Liddell family bothering her in the future.


    Frank smiled bitterly when he heard Noelle''s reply. It was just as he had guessed. Noelle had been hurt so badly that she didn''t want to be associated with her brothers anymore.


    Lucas couldn''t ept it and questioned her, "Noelle, are you really going to throw the whole family away over some petty arguments? Is that really necessary?"


    Was such petty arguments between a family so serious? He had always thought that Noelle was just throwing a tantrum. He hadn''t realized how serious she was.


    Lucas felt slightly panicked.


    Noelle stared at him, unblinking. She didn''t even feel like answering him. It turned out that Lucas considered all the hurt she endured to be petty arguments.


    She finally spoke. "If you think so, then you can treat this as another ''petty argument''. Since you''re such a forgiving person, I''m sure you won''t hold it against me." The mockery in her tone was sharp enough to hurt. Lucas'' words choked in his throat. He wanted to say that he hadn''t meant it like that, but for a moment, he couldn''t find the words to exin himself.

 Chapter 98

    Noelle was surrounded by reporters, leaving her no space to move.


    "Ms. Liddell, which team do you n to join for the finals?"


    "Ms. Liddell, knowing the rivalry between Starlight and Firestorm, why did you choose to sign with Firestorm?"


    Noelle smiled faintly. "I haven''t decided on any of that yet. Once I do, I''ll let everyone know."


    "Ms. Liddell, could you borate on the rumored fallout with your family?"


    Instead of answering, Noelle turned to walk toward the hall. She lifted her gown and strode with steady steps. She spared no nce at Lucas or Frank, treating them as though they were strangers. Lucas, who remained rooted in the same spot, was also surrounded by reporters.


    The questions made his temper re, and he snapped, "Shut up, all of you! This has nothing to do with you!"


    Xenia''s expression was also unhappy. She hadn''t expected Noelle to be SweetNelly.


    Noelle had gained tens of thousands of followers quickly, easily surpassing her. On that thought, her stomach churned with jealousy.


    She wondered why. After all, she had worked hard, too. Yet all Noelle had to do was hide her identity, and the world rushed to her feet.


    Frank, on the other hand, remainedposed. He pulled Lucas aside, his toneced with warning. "Enough. You''re making a bigger scene than necessary."


    Lucas turned his head and wiped his reddened eyes, saying nothing.


    Frank turned to the reporters and made a statement. "The Liddell family will address this matter in due course. We''ll release an official statement. In the meantime, we would appreciate it if you could refrain from making any untrue reports."


    With that, he firmly guided Lucas into the event venue. He didn''t want to cause any more scenes before the reporters.


    Xenia deliberatelygged behind as she waited for Frank and Lucas to walk further away.


    Then, she turned to the reporters and cast a look of apology. "I''m sorry for my brother Lucas'' outburst earlier. It''s just that Noelle''s words were a bit harsh. I know she''s upset, but aren''t family matters best resolved behind closed doors? I truly don''t understand her." With that, she turned to leave. Her lips curled slightly into a satisfied smile.


    If Noelle thought that she could get her chance to return to the Liddell family, she thought wrong!


    When Noelle entered the banquet hall, she became the center of attention.


    After all, no one there had thought that SweetNelly, the streamer making waves in the gaming world, was actually Noelle Liddell.


    Moreover, she was working with the Liddell family''s rival livestream tform.


    Everyone was curious about her.


    Rachel was satisfied. "Queen, you were amazing just now! Your brothers must not have expected this. Did you see the look on Lucas'' face? It was priceless!"


    Rachel had waited for this day for a long time.


    Noelle looked helpless, but her mood was undeniably light. She had at least proven that she could attend the event on her own merits in this life, not having to rely on anyone else.


    "Ms. Liddell, it''s nice to meet you. I''m Michael Mrk, Team Celestial''s coach. Would you be interested in joining our team?"


    Noelle lifted her head to meet a young man in a suit. She recognized him.


    In her previous life, this coach had led Team Celestial to the national league, eventually winning the global championship. He was also King''s coach.


    Noelle didn''t expect him to approach and personally invite her to join his team.


    Team Celestial''s captain had publicly invited her to join their team, but she hadn''t really taken it seriously.


    Noelle took his business card, slightly surprised. "Mr. Mrk, I haven''t made up my mind yet."


    "That''s fine. After the banquet, let''s schedule a time to discuss things in detail. By the way, I have to ask-how did you learn the 12-hitbo?"


    Noelle anticipated the question. Smiling, she replied, "If I said it was self-taught, would you believe me, Mr. Mrk?"


    "I would. Your talent is extraordinary. I''d better secure you for our team before someone else snatches you away."


    Not just anyone could learn the 12-hitbo by themselves. After many years, no one other than King had ever learned how to use the 12-hitbo.


    Michael was a bit wistful. "I don''t understand what your brother is thinking to have let you go from their team with your talent."


    "Mind your own business, Mrk! Our family business is none of yours!"


    Lucas and Frank walked over together, looking unhappy.

 Chapter 99

    Noelle didn''t react to seeing Frank and Lucas.


    She looked at Michael and calmly said, "Let''s schedule another time for a proper discussion."


    Michael nodded before turning to face Lucas. "What? Did I say something wrong? If I had a sister with this level of talent, I would have pampered her like a treasure and supported her in every way possible. Unlike some people, I wouldn''t ignore a capable sibling while bending over backward for a fake sister who''s utterly useless. Isn''t that the definition of losing the big picture for petty gains?" Lucas'' face darkened. "You don''t know anything! You have no idea what''s going on!"


    He wasn''t ignoring Noelle. Instead, he wished more than anyone for Noelle to stay in Team Luminark for the finals. He was just having a slight conflict with her, that''s all.


    After Michael left, coaches of other teams approached Noelle to talk, even offering their business cards.


    Lucas was left alone at the side, watching silently as everyone sought Noelle''s attention.


    He felt that if Noelle turned them all down and refused to join Team Celestial, he would apologize and forgive her for how she had lied to him.


    Noelle was left with a stack of business cards, which she didn''t expect.


    "Noelle, congrattions." After the crowd dispersed, Frank was the only one who dared to go up and talk to her. He observed her cautiously and realized that she had changed a lot. Noelle lifted her head and nced at Frank briefly. "Thanks."


    Lucas couldn''t help but step forward and ask, "Noelle, you still haven''t answered my question. Why did you keep this from me? Was it fun for you?"


    Noelle looked at him and saw a trace of unease in Lucas'' eyes. She thought it was rare to see him rattled and wondered if he felt guilty.


    However, her tone was cold as she said, "I was going to tell you after my college entrance exams. But then... Do I need to repeat what you said in my room that day?"


    Her voice was calm, yet to Lucas, it was like a sharp de cutting deep into his heart. He winced as he recalled what he had said that day. The harsh words he had thrown at her in anger hade back to bite them.


    His eyes turned red. "Then why didn''t you tell me then?"


    "I didn''t feel obligated to."


    "Not obligated?" Lucas took a step forward to block Noelle. "I''m your brother. I thought our conflicts were never a serious problem. I admit I said the wrong things that day, but you could have just said something! Why didn''t you tell me the truth?"


    He believed that if Noelle had told him then, everything else that happened afterward would not have happened. Perhaps she wouldn''t have even gone to Firestorm.


    Noelle said nothing, only taking a few steps back to put some distance between them.


    The coldness in her retreat saddened Lucas.


    Rachel, who was standing nearby, said sarcastically, "For years, Noelle endured endless unfair treatment because of that maniptive woman, Xenia. Now that you''re finally feeling a fraction of her pain, you can''t handle it? Imagine what she''s been through all these years!"


    Lucas instinctively snapped. "That''s why I''m asking her! None of this would have happened if she''d spoken up earlier!"


    Rachel''s voice rose. "So you''re saying that this is all her fault?"


    "Isn''t it?" Lucas blurted, but his gaze darted to Noelle guiltily. "We''re family. We could have just talked and worked things out. You hid your identity and went live on Firestorm just to spite me, didn''t you?"


    Noelle''s eyes lifted slightly. "If that''s what you want to think, I won''t try to change your mind."

 Chapter 100

    Noelle hadn''t chosen Firestorm to spite anyone. She simply didn''t want to remain tied to Starlight and stay under the Liddell family''s control. "Alright. Enough," Frank intervened to try to mediate.


    He turned to Lucas. "Still, what you said and did before was hurtful. You should apologize to Noelle."


    Lucas hesitated. "Fine. I''ll apologize. But she can''t join Team Celestial or sign a contract with Firestorm!"


    He believed that Noelle did those intentionally to make him angry. He was willing to apologize, but he couldn''t allow her to continue doing that.


    Frank sighed with relief and walked over to stand before Noelle. "Noelle, I don''t think it''s a good idea for you to sign with another streaming tform, too. This industry is messy, and I''m worried about you. Joining Lucas''pany would be the best choice. Don''t you think so?"


    Noelle''s gaze was steady as she firmly said, "Who I sign with is my decision."


    "But I''m worried, Noelle. Lucas knows his mistakes and promises it won''t happen again. So please, stop being so upset."


    Noelle''s lips curled into a faint smile. "I''m not." It was them that couldn''t let her go. She turned to leave, not wanting to continue talking to them.


    Lucas watched Noelle''s retreating back and felt unhappy. "Frank, look at her attitude! I already said that I would apologize. What more does she want?"


    "Lucas, you created this mess. Figure out how to clean it up yourself and get Noelle''s forgiveness."


    Lucas fell silent. He didn''t know what else he could do. It was Noelle who yed him first, and he had already nned to forgive her. So what gives her the right not to forgive him?


    Lucas'' gaze followed Noelle as she walked into the crowd. Many people greeted her and even posed for pictures together.


    Theposed woman she had be felt like a stranger to him. She had changed drastically.


    Meanwhile, Xenia stood on the sidelines. Her jealousy simmered as she watched Noelle be the center of everyone''s attention.


    She had painstakingly dressed up for the day and hoped to impress everyone, yet all the attention was on Noelle.


    Xenia nced at the wine ss in her hand and devised an idea. Then, she walked to Noelle. She smiled before saying, "Noelle, there you are!"


    Noelle turned to see Xenia approaching her while holding a ss of red wine.


    Her intuition red when she saw the look on Xenia''s face. She sensed that Xenia was scheming something.


    Her experience from her previous life had taught her that every time she saw that expression on Xenia''s face, it would result in her misery.


    It seemed that Noelle''s bold appearance had touched a nerve of Xenia''s, so she was back to her old tricks.


    Xenia appeared innocent as she stood beside Noelle and addressed the group of famous people around them. "Hello, everyone. I''m Xenia, Noelle''s younger sister."


    Michael sarcastically said, "Oh, so you''re the one who took Noelle''s ce in Team Luminark and almost lost the repechage."


    The smile on Xenia''s face wavered. She forced a restrained smile, almost like a grimace, and said, "I admit my gaming skills aren''t as good as Noelle''s. But she didn''t want to join the team back then, so I stepped in. If she''s willing to return, I''m more than happy to give up my spot." Noelle''s lips curled into a cold smile. "There''s no need for you to give up any spot."


    She refused to look at Xenia''s face any longer. Holding a drink, she turned to grab some fruit on the table.


    "Noelle, wait." Xenia trailed after Noelle and "identally" stepped on the hem of thetter''s dress. She stumbled forward, and her wine ss tilted, causing the red wine to ssh directly at Noelle.

 Chapter 101

    Noelle didn''t need to turn around to know what that bitchy Xenia was up to the moment she heard her voice. Over the years, she had suffered at Xenia''s hands more times than she could count. Noelle could predict Xenia''s tricks with her eyes closed. Without a nce back, she grabbed the hem of her dress. As Xenia''s foot pressed down on it, Noelle swiftly stepped aside, yanking the fabric hard. Xenia lost her bnce instantly, stumbling forward along with the ssh of red wine in her hand. Right in the center of the hall stood a champagne tower. Xenia fell straight into it, toppling the entire disy over herself.


    The suddenmotion caught everyone off guard. Noelle stood calmly in ce, watching as Xenia crashed into the champagne tower, iling and screaming in embarrassment. A trace of mockery flickered in Noelle''s eyes. After all these years, Xenia''s tricks hadn''t changed one bit. However, Noelle had no intention of letting Xenia get her way anymore.


    As the champagne tower shattered, all eyes in the banquet hall turned toward the scene.


    "Xenia, are you okay?" Lucas asked, hurrying over with Frank.


    Lucas stepped over the broken ss and pulled Xenia to her feet. "How did you manage to fall like that?"


    Xenia was soaked, and the cuts on her arms and legs burned painfully. She could feel the blood trickling down. Resentment burned in her heart. Noelle should have been the one in this mess, not her.


    She looked up at Noelle with teary eyes. After a brief hesitation, she said, "Lucas, I tripped on my own. No one pushed me."


    Noelle smirked at those words. She knew what that bitchy Xenia was up to.


    Frank noticed Xenia''s gaze shift toward Noelle and wondered if Noelle had caused this. He frowned and said, "Xenia, if it was your own clumsiness, be more careful next time. Let Lucas take you to the hospital." Xenia stared at Frank in disbelief. That wasn''t what she meant.


    She nced at Noelle on purpose to suggest it was her fault. Saying it was an ident was just to seem kind and pitiful.


    In the past, they would have immediately questioned Noelle. She wondered why Frank wasn''t ying along this time.


    Lucas''s expression darkened. "Xenia, tell me the truth. Did Noelle do this to you?"


    Xenia meekly replied, "Lucas, stop asking. It''s not Noelle''s fault. I tripped by myself."


    Though she said that, her words carried an underlying message. Lucas snorted coldly and red at Noelle. "Did you do this to Xenia because I brought her instead of you tonight?"


    He couldn''t think of any other reason for Noelle''s actions.


    Noelle raised her brows slightly and said, "Lucas, I have my own invitation. I don''t need anyone to bring me."


    Lucas felt a little ufortable. "I know you, Noelle. You''ve always hated it when Xenia steals the spotlight. That''s why you humiliated her tonight." Noelleughed. "What spotlight? What does she have that''s worth stealing?"


    Xenia''s face darkened at those words, while Lucas found himself speechless.


    Rachel sneered, "Even a blind man can see that Noelle is the center of attention tonight. As the hottest new influence on the inte, she was invited to this event. Xenia doesn''t even have an invitation. What spotlight is she supposed to have?"


    Michael added, "Is there something wrong with the Liddell family''s logic? Isn''t Noelle the star tonight? Who''s really stealing the spotlight here?" Theirments made Lucas''s expression shift dramatically.


    Xenia felt utterly frustrated. She looked up at Lucas with tears streaming down her face. "Lucas, stopot. I tripped on my own. It had nothing to do with Noelle."


    She touched the bracelet on her wrist and sighed. "What a shame... This diamond bracelet is broken. I remember it was quite expensive, wasn''t it?"

 Chapter 102

    Lucas nced at the broken diamond bracelet and turned his cold gaze toward Noelle. "Are you satisfied now?"


    Noelle responded casually, "I gave Xenia all of the jewelry she''s wearing now. If they''re broken, then so be it. Lucas, why are you being so petty?"


    "This is different!" Lucas retorted. "Noelle, since you refuse to admit it, let''s check the security footage. We''ll see how you''ll exin yourself then!"


    Xenia felt a surge of anxiety. "Lucas, it''s fine. There''s no need to make a scene."


    Frank frowned. "Lucas, Xenia already said she tripped on her own. Just take her to the hospital."


    Lucas was determined to get to the truth. The more he saw Noelle acting like she didn''t care, the more he wanted her to back down. "No! I''ll get to the bottom of this!"


    Frank instinctively looked at Noelle. "Noelle, what exactly happened earlier?"


    He couldn''t help but wonder if Noelle was really the one behind this.


    Noelle looked at him and said, "It doesn''t matter. If you want to check the footage, go ahead."


    Soon, hotel staff brought over the surveince footage. Lucas grabbed the tablet eagerly. "Here''s the truth."


    Even without the footage, he was already sure that Noelle was responsible. The footage showed Xenia stepping on Noelle''s skirt, but Noelle quickly moved aside. Xenia lost her bnce and fell as a result. Noelle calmly nced at the video. "So?"


    Frank watched the footage, then looked coldly at Lucas. "Did you see that? It has nothing to do with Noelle! Xenia tripped on her own."


    Lucas watched the footage, too, and saw that it indeed looked like an ident.


    His face burned with embarrassment, but he stubbornly insisted, "Noelle must have heard Xeniaing. She shouldn''t have moved out of the way. If she hadn''t, Xenia wouldn''t have fallen!" Everyone in the room was stunned. How could anyone make such a bizarre statement?


    Frank snapped, "Lucas, are you out of your mind?"


    Noelle poured her drink right into Lucas''s face.


    Lucas shouted, "Noelle, what are you doing?"


    Before he could react, Noelle threw the cup at him. This time, Lucas managed to dodge it, and the cup hit Xenia instead.


    Noelle sneered, "Lucas, why did you dodge? Didn''t you know that Xenia would get hit? How selfish of you!"


    Lucas stomped his feet in frustration. "Noelle, you''re framing me!"


    Noellezily lifted her gaze and scoffed. "I''m just giving you a taste of your own medicine."


    Rachel called him out, "That''s not right! You just said Noelle shouldn''t move out of the way, but when it''s your turn, you dodged so quickly!"


    Michael added, "It''s clear that Xenia


    stepped on Noelle''s dress on


    purpose to make her look bad. end, she got hurt instead. Serves her right!" , FindNovel


    Rachel nodded in agreement. "Xenia should be the one apologizing!"


    They wondered how the Liddells could be so blind to something so obvious.


    Frank turned to Xenia. "Why did you step on Noelle''s skirt in the first ce?" Something about this situation didn''t add up.


    Xenia realized her n was unraveling. She bit her lip and tried to y the victim. "I was just trying to catch up with Noelle, and identally stepped on her dress. I swear, it wasn''t intentional


    Lucas defended her. "I knew Xenia didn''t do it on purpose, but Noelle purposely made sure Xenia got hurt."


    Noelle''s eyes held a mocking glint. "I''m used to it by now. This is how it always goes."


    Frank felt an increasing sense of guilt. He stapped Lucas across the face and firmly said, "Lucas, I''m ordering you to apologize to Noelle right now!"


    Lucas was shocked by the p. "Frank, this is Noelle''s fault!"


    He couldn''t understand why he was the one being pped.

 Chapter 103

    "I won''t say it a second time!" Frank said.


    The usually gentle Frank looked intimidating when he was angry. He red at Lucas, gritting his teeth. "Have you forgotten why we''re here today?"


    Lucas finally calmed down. He hade to the event hoping to reconcile with Noelle, but he couldn''t understand how it had all ended up like this. Sensing things were going wrong, Xenia cautiously said, "Lucas, let''s go. My foot hurts."


    It was only then that Lucas helped Xenia out. However, he didn''t apologize to Noelle.


    Noelle watched the entire fiasco, finding it utterly absurd. Xenia''s same old tricks and Lucas''s predictable reaction only made her feel exhausted and disgusted.


    Frank swallowed his difort and nervously looked at Noelle. "I apologize on Lucas''s behalf. I didn''t expect him to act this way."


    Frank''s guilt only deepened as Lucas demanded an apology from Noelle so stubbornly.


    Noelle coldly said, "I don''t ept his apology."


    "Noelle, I understand why you''re upset, and I''m upset, too. However, you really shouldn''t sign that contract with Firestorm Entertainment. The industry isplicated, and I don''t want you to get hurt in the end," Frank said, looking at her with a hopeful expression. He continued, "I know you''re always sensible and considerate. I''ve overlooked you in the past, but I won''t anymore. If you join Starlight, I can offer you all the support you need."


    "I''ve already agreed to sign with Firestorm Entertainment," Noelle replied indifferently.


    Frank''s expression froze. He hadn''t expected Noelle to act so quickly.


    He stared at her in disbelief. "You decided this on your own? Didn''t you think about discussing it with the family first?"


    "This is my decision," Noelle said. With that, she turned to leave, not wanting to continue the conversation with Donovan. Frank watched her walk away, feeling a mix of helplessness and sorrow.


    Noelle had changed so much. She no longer depended on him, nor did she revolve around him the way she used to.


    The brief interruption at the banquet


    was quickly forgotten. As the


    vel


    popr 12-hitbo game streamer, Noelle was well-received at the event.


    At the end of the night, the manager from Firestorm Entertainment approached her with a contract. "Ms. Liddell, there''s no time like the present. Let''s sign the contract today."  en FindNovel


    Noelle nodded. "Alright."


    Frank watched silently from the side, draining his ss of wine. His frustration weighed heavily on him, and he felt suffocated.


    Noelle stood confidently on stage, exuding a sense of confidence and excellence. She was no longer the little girl who relied on her family.


    Noelle met many people at the event that day. Afterward, she left the venue with Rachel.


    Rachel was overjoyed. "It was so satisfying to see Xenia get a taste of her own medicine!"


    Noelle chuckled. "Even after all this time, Xenia''s tricks haven''t changed."


    However, she wouldn''t sit idly by and let herself be framed. Just then, Michael walked up to them. "Ms. Liddell, may I offer you a ride home?" As Noelle was about to decline, Frank stepped forward. "Don''t worry, I''ll take Noelle home."


    Michael raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure Noelle wants to go with you?"


    "Noelle''s my sister. Mr. Mrk, don''t get any wrong ideas," Frank replied. He didn''t want Noelle to be involved with Team Celestial in any way.


    Noelle took a step back, distancing herself from Frank. "I can go on my own. I don''t need anyone to drive me."


    Frank sternly said, "Noelle, I need to talk to you."


    Noelle''s expression remained calm. "I don''t think there''s anything to discuss."

 Chapter 104

    "Noelle, I know you''re upset, and Lucas was way out of line today. I''ll make sure you get your revenge, but are you really going to push us all away because of him?" Noelle couldn''t help butugh. Didn''t the whole family always side with Xenia? She responded coldly, "It doesn''t make a difference to me."


    As Noelle headed to the curb to grab a cab, she spotted a familiar car stopping in front of her.


    The window rolled down, revealing Cedric. "Get in," he said.


    Noelle opened the passenger door and sat down. Just as she closed it, Frank walked up. "Noelle, I know you''re tired, but can we talk sometime soon?" Noelle pursed her lips. "We''ll see."


    Cedric hit the gas, speeding away.


    Frank stood there, feeling defeated. He looked at Michael and said, "Mr. Mrk, Noelle won''t be signing with your team. You might as well give up on that idea." Michael raised an eyebrow. "Since you''re so confident, why be afraid of a littlepetition? I''ve never seen such biased behavior before it''s a first for me."


    His gaze lingered in the direction Noelle had left. If he wasn''t mistaken, the driver was Cedric. He finally understood why Noelle had such a wless 12-hitbo. However, he couldn''t help but wonder why he was here, picking Noelle up. Everything about it feltplicated.


    Noelle nced at Cedric in the driver''s seat. "Why are you here?"


    "Just passing by," Cedric replied, gripping the steering wheel, his expression a bit uneasy. "Did you have fun at the event today?"


    "It was great," Noelle replied.


    Thinking of Lucas and Xenia''s reactions, she felt a lot better.


    Cedric stole a quick nce at her. He knew what had happened at the party, which is why he came to pick her up. He thought she would be affected, but she seemed even


    stronger than he expected


    Just then, Noelle''s phone buzzed with a message from Donovan. She didn''t even bother to check it. It was probably more moral lecturing. She was tired of hearing it. She put her phone down. "Let''s go for some barbecue."


    "Sure, where do you want to go?"


    "There''s this spot behind the school. It''s really good! I used to sneak there all the time. Every time I went, I felt like a little thief. I''d worry the smell would stick to my clothes." Cedric followed her lead. "Why sneak?"


    "That''s because my second brother doesn''t allow junk food. He says it''s bad for my health..." Noelle paused, her voice trailing off.


    Cedric noticed the change in her mood. "Are you sure you won''t regret leaving the Liddell family?"


    "No, I won''t."


    Noelle lowered her gaze. "They''re


    okay with the small stuff, but when ites to anything important, like choosing a school after the exams or anything rted to Xenia, they always make mepromise.''


    She didn''t care about their little favors, and she wasn''t going to let them guilt-trip her because of them.


    Cedric smiled t seemed he had


    been worried for nothing. Soon, the car came to a stop behind the school. As Cedric looked around at the surroundings, he frowned at the mess but still took a seat beside her.


    Noelle ordered everything she craved. "It''s been a while since I had this. Two cans of beer, please."


    The owner nced at Cedric before asking Noelle, "Does your boyfriend want anything?"


    Noelle froze.

 Chapter 105

    As Noelle looked at Cedric, she felt a sudden warmth spread across her face. She quickly stammered, "Sir, you misunderstood. He''s not my boyfriend."


    The barbecue shop owner chuckled. "I know. You young folks always say that, but he''s quite handsome."


    Noelle blushed and quickly returned to her seat. Cedric looked up and asked, "What did he say?"


    "Nothing," she replied, then quickly changed the subject, "Would you like to have something?"


    "I''m not hungry," Cedric said.


    He wasn''t particrly fond of this kind of food. He noticed the owner had brought a te of appetizers and two cans of beer. He frowned at Noelle. "You shouldn''t drink beer. It''s not good for you." Noelle felt a little annoyed. "I''m an adult now, why can''t I?"


    After finally signing with Firestorm Entertainment, she felt financially independent and had her own ie. Why couldn''t she celebrate?


    Cedric took the beer from in front of her and ced it in front of himself. "No."


    Noelle felt a little frustrated. Just then, Cedric''s phone rang, and he stood up, saying, "I need to take this call."


    As Cedric walked away, Noelle secretly grabbed the beer and took a sip. If he wasn''t going to let her drink, then she would do it anyway. Cedric stepped aside to take the call. "Hello, Mom."


    His mother, Emma Brown, asked, "Ced, is the business in Aldoria finished yet?"


    "Almost," Cedric replied.


    Emma seemed pleased. "That''s good to hear. Your engagement with Laura Merlock should be moved forward. What do you think?"


    Cedric nced down at the road stretching before him. "Let''s talk about it when I get back. You should rest."


    Emma added, "Laura is a good girl. Shees to visit me when you''re not around. You don''t have any girl you like, so why not marry someone from a good family? What do you think?" Cedric''s expression darkened. He pursed his lips and said, "Please take care of yourself."


    After a few more minutes of calming his mother, he ended the call. He looked down at his phone and sent a message that read, "Check on the recent activities of the Merlock family."


    Cedric stood still in silence. After a moment, he turned back to look at Noelle, only to find her drinking the beer. He frowned and quickly walked toward her. "Who told you to drink that?"


    As the beer was taken from Noelle''s hands, she looked up at Cedric. "I did it myself. What''s the problem?"


    Cedric nced at the several cans of beer on the table. It seemed she had drunk quite a bit. He let out a sigh and said, "Check, please."


    The shop owner teased, "Your girlfriend''s had quite a bit. She was nning to order more, but I didn''t sell it to her."


    Cedric took out his phone and scanned the QR code to pay the bill. "She''s not my girlfriend."


    The barbecue shop owner grinned knowingly. "Young man, I can tell. That girl seems to like you. If you don''t feel the same, you''d better keep your distance." Cedric''s expression hardened. "Mind your own business."


    After paying, Cedric returned to the small table and saw Noelle leaning on it, mumbling something.


    With a neutral expression, he gently lifted her up. "Noelle, wake up."


    "What''s up?" she mumbled.


    "Time to go home."


    Noelle shook her head. "I don''t have a home anymore. Now, I''m a wanderer."


    Cedric saw the faint traces of tears in her eyes. He pulled her into an embrace and said, "Stop talking nonsense."


    "I''m not, I''m fine," Noelle protested.


    She looked up at him, noticing how handsome his profile looked. Then, she reached up and gently touched his face. "Sir, has anyone ever told you that you''re really handsome?"


    Cedric''s throat tightened, but he said nothing. He simply walked toward the car. After putting Noelle in the passenger seat, he went to the driver''s side. Then, he looked at her awkwardly and said, "Buckle your seatbelt."


    Noelle blinked, then smiled. "Oh, right. The seatbelt!"

 Chapter 106

    As Noelle reached for the seatbelt, it wouldn''t budge, no matter how hard she tried.


    Cedric watched for a moment before leaning over to help. At that moment, the two were unusually close. He could smell the faint scent of beer on her while she noticed the length of his eyshes. Noelle held her breath, and in a moment of impulse, she hugged his arm. Cedric froze, turning to look at her. His throat tightened as he softly asked, "What are you doing?"


    Noelle didn''t answer. Instead, she leaned in and kissed him. As soon as she pulled back, Noelle felt a wave of nervousness.


    Cedric remained still. The dim street lights outside illuminated his side profile, making his expression hard to read.


    Noelle, feeling flustered, stammered, "Sir, if you don''t have a girlfriend, what do you think of me?"


    For a split second, Cedric''s gaze deepened. It was as if an electric current shot through him. He quickly pulled away, gripping the steering wheel tightly. "You''re drunk." Without another word, Cedric started the car and drove toward the apartment. The ride was silent. It took Cedric a long time to suppress the strange tugging in his chest. At a red light, he finally spoke. "You''re still young. You don''t understand what love really is."


    Noelle didn''t reply. When Cedric nced over, he saw that she had already fallen asleep. He couldn''t help but smile helplessly.


    Cedric had spent the entire drive overthinking, yet she had passed out without a second thought. He could only hope she wouldn''t remember any of this in the morning. As they arrived at the apartment, Cedric gently flicked Noelle''s forehead. "Wake up."


    Noelle swatted his hand away and turned to sleep again.


    Cedric stared at her for a moment before sighing. In one smooth motion, he lifted her out of the car and carried her inside.


    Once heid her on the bed, he carefully removed her high heels and pulled the nket over her. He stood by the bed, looking at her with aplex expression. As he turned to leave, he heard her mumble, "Mom, I want some water."


    His heart clenched at the sound of her calling out for her mother, feeling as though he couldn''t breathe. A momentter, he returned with a ss of water. Sitting on the edge of the bed, he gently helped her sit up and drink.


    After she finished, she unexpectedly wrapped her arms around him. "Mom, I miss you. You''re the only one who''s ever been good to me."


    Cedric sat stiffly by the bed, holding the empty ss. He didn''t know how to respond. For the first time in a long while, he feltpletely helpless.


    The soft glow of the city lights


    filtered through the window, casting shadows over the room. As he


    gazed at her peaceful face, Cedric couldn''t shake the feeling that something between them had shifted.


    The next morning, Noelle woke up with a pounding headache. She groaned, rubbing her temples. She must''ve drunk too muchst night.


    She vaguely remembered sneaking


    some beer when Cedric wasn''t looking, but everything after that was a blur, ncing down, she realized she was still in her dress from the night before. She felt slightly ufortable and quickly took a shower to refresh herself.


    No matter how hard she tried, she couldn''t piece together what had happened. After some hesitation, Noelle decided to head next door to Cedric''s apartment. She punched in the code and let herself in. As the door opened, Cedric stepped out of the bathroom in a loose bathrobe. Her gaze flickered, instantlynding on his abs.


    Her face heated up instantly.

 Chapter 107

    Cedric''s expression became a little awkward when he saw Noelle. He adjusted the belt of his robe and cleared his throat, trying to sound casual. "You''re awake?" "Mm, just a little dizzy," Noelle mumbled.


    After a brief pause, Cedric looked at her and asked, "Do you remember what happenedst night?"


    Noelle frowned, racking her brain for any fragments of memory. Then, she shook her head. "No clue. Did I do something embarrassing?"


    She could only hope she hadn''t embarrassed herself in front of Cedric.


    Cedric studied her carefully.


    Noelle wasn''t exactly subtle. Her face practically broadcasted every thought running through her head. Judging by her nk stare, she really didn''t remember.


    He had been up all night thinking about it, but now he realized he might''ve overthought everything. He let out a sigh. "It''s dangerous for a girl to get drunk at night. Don''t drink again." Noelle blushed a little, stammering, "I didn''t mean to get so drunk. I just wanted a few sips."


    Cedric narrowed his eyes. "Alcohol makes you careless. Besides, your brain wasn''t exactly sharp to begin with."


    Noelle''s confidence took a direct hit. Just as she opened her mouth to respond, Cedric ced a cup of honey water in front of her.


    "Drink it," he ordered coolly.


    "Thanks," she said, sipping the drink and sneaking a nce at him. "Sir, I''ve realized you''re actually quite considerate. Any girl who gets to be with you must be really happy." Cedric''s gaze deepened at her words. "I don''t have ns for that right now," he replied.


    "Why not? Is it because of work?" Noelle asked curiously. She couldn''t help but recall the time she had seen him dining with a woman at a fancy restaurant.


    Cedric seemed to catch on. He coldly said, "My standards are high. I haven''t met anyone who fits them yet."


    Noelle sneaked another nce at him. "What are your standards?"


    "Why are you asking so many questions? Focus on school. When you go to college, you''ll meet someone. Everyone has different standards," he replied. "Oh, okay."


    Noelle lowered her gaze. Perhaps he wasn''t interested in her. Cedric was handsome and sessful, and he probably had lots of girls interested in him. Her small hope from earlier sank in an instant. She had nothing right now, and it was clear she didn''t measure up.


    Cedric noticed her change in mood. "I need to go out for a bit."


    "Oh, okay," Noelle replied, watching him leave. She curled up on the couch, feeling frustrated.


    She had known all along that Cedric wouldn''t be interested. It wasn''t just the age difference but theirck of connection. She had no experience with rtionships.


    To make things worse, she didn''t even know how to start one.


    Noelle felt slightly annoyed. Later that afternoon, she logged into her game and saw her fanbase had grown significantly. She nced at the top post. "Popr Streamer SweetNelly''s Real Identity: Noelle Liddell!"


    Noelle knew her identity would be


    exposed after the event, and


    didn''t try to hide it. The rumohet


    about her having a sugar daddy would finally fade away.


    She invited Rachel to team up for a game. Rachel was quick toment, "That bitchy Xenia is twisting the truth in her stream!"


    Noelle raised a brow and clicked on the video link Rachel had sent.


    On her screen, Xenia appeared pitifully. She had bandages wrapped around her wrist and a small cut on her cheek.


    Tears glistened in her eyes as she


    said, "Noetle, I know you''ve been ignoring our calls and messages, but I had to say this publicly. Your brothers are really worried.


    "What happened at the party was just a misunderstanding. Pleasee home."


    Thements were pouring in.


    "Don''t cry, XenBaby. We''re here for you."

 Chapter 108

    "XenBaby, you''re so understanding. Let me teach that bitch a lesson."


    Noelle calmly read the message and replied, "You know Xenia: she always resorts to these kinds of tactics."


    Rachel stomped her feet in frustration. "I''m so mad! I''ve already told my close friends the truth, but now Xenia''s twisting things. "I''m getting the hotel''s security footage from my brother. I''m going to make Xenia eat her words!"


    Noelle nced at herputer screen. "Once we get the footage, I''ll post it."


    She didn''t want Rachel to get involved any further. Since Xenia was trying the same old tricks again, it was time to put an end to it. However, she couldn''t shake the feeling that Xenia wasn''t that stupid. Why would she publicly lie when she knew there was proof?


    Soon, Rachel messaged her. "Bad news. My brother just told me the footage got deleted."


    "It looks like Xenia came prepared," Noelle replied. She had suspected something was off, and now it was confirmed.


    "What do we do now? We both know what happened at the party and now, that bitchy Xenia is spreading lies online. Should we have Frank step in? His words would be more credible." Noelle smirked. "Frank wouldn''t do that."


    She knew that if Frank intervened, it would only make things worse for Xenia. He was too biased to help.


    Rachel asked, "What are we supposed to do? Are we just going to let Xenia keep ndering you?"


    Noelle''s gaze turned cold. "No, we don''t."


    She logged out of the game, grabbed a USB drive, and quickly got to work on the keyboard. She hacked into the hotel''s surveince system and recovered the deleted footage. Hotels usually keep backup copies of deleted footage, but it took some time to dig them out.


    While restoring the footage, she forwarded the video to Frank with a message. "Is Xenia insane?"


    Frank called her immediately. "I just found out about this, too. Xenia didn''t mean any harm. She just wants to reconcile with you."


    "Is this her idea of reconciliation? She''s spreading lies, Frank. Are you blind? You always talk about family, but a family that stabs you in the back? I can''t deal with tha


    She hung up before Frank could respond. She had hoped that by distancing herself from the Liddell family, she could live her own life. However, they just wouldn''t leave her alone. She had no choice but to fight back.


    Frank sighed, clutching his stomach as he descended the stairs. He had drunk a lot the previous night, and now his stomach was in knots.


    He turned to the butler, Gordon. "Tell Xenia toe down and see me."


    A few momentster, Xenia hurried down the stairs. "Frank, what''s up?"


    Frank looked up and said, "The things you said in your stream were misleading. Don''t do it again."


    Xenia was a little reluctant. "Frank, I was just trying to get Noelle toe back. I didn''t mean anything bad by it."


    Frank''s patience wore thin from his stomach pain. He snapped, "Just do as I say."


    Xenia lowered her head. "Okay, Frank. My stream isn''t finished yet, so I''ll go back to my room."


    Frank nodded, barely able to keep his eyes open from the pain.


    Xenia noticed his difort but didn''t think much of it. She turned and went back to her room to continue her livestream.


    A cold realization settled in as Frank


    watched her walk away. He remembered the times when Noelle would stop whatever she was doing to take care of him when his stomach hurt. She would make him medicinal congee and stay with him until he felt better.


    Now that she was gone, the house felt emptier. He couldn''t get used to the meals, and his stomach often hurt. He pressed his hand to his face, feeling a pang of regret


    It wasn''t that Noelle needed the Liddell family; it was that the Liddell family needed her.

 Chapter 109

    It didn''t take long for Noelle to restore the deleted hotel surveince footage. She nced at the video in her hand. If it was released, Xenia''s lies would be exposed. Just then, she received a message from Frank. "I''ve already talked to Xenia. She won''t say anything else."


    Noelle found the responseughable. How could Frank just brush off Xenia''s mistakes so easily? It was ridiculous.


    Feeling disappointed, Noelle deleted Frank''s contact. Perhaps she should have done this long ago. During her live stream that evening, Noelle noticed several attacks from trolls. "How dare you use Ms. Liddell''s identity to bully XenBaby and force her to apologize publicly?"


    "Exactly! You even pushed XenBaby at the banquet, causing her serious injuries!"


    Noelle wasn''t angry as she read thements. She replied calmly, "It''s simple. Xenia is lying."


    "How do you know XenBaby is lying? Do you have any proof?"


    "Yeah, we all saw XenBaby get hurt. You''re fine, though!"


    Just then, a gift alert popped up in the live chat. When Noelle saw the name Team Luminark, a sh of annoyance crossed her face. She wondered why Lucas was here. She remembered how much he hated her at the banquet the day before. What did he want now?


    Just then, Noelle received a private message from Lucas. "As long as you apologize to me, I''ll testify to clear things up."


    Noelle couldn''t help butugh. It was too ridiculous for him to ask her to apologize. She instantly replied, "Get lost!"


    She had no intention of wasting more words on him.


    Lucas saw the reply and furiously mmed his keyboard. "Let''s see how you exin this, Noelle. This is your fault for not backing down. Don''t me me."


    Frank had asked him to clear things up in the stream, but since Noelle was acting like this, he saw no reason to help. She wouldn''t even acknowledge him as her brother.


    On the stream, Noelle looked at her screen and said, "I have the surveince footage fromst night''s party. I''ll upload it soon, and everyone will understand what really happened." After uploading the video, the game''s ranked match began.


    Noelle focused entirely on her game without thinking about the video at all. She finished nearly every match in just a few minutes. Her fans watching her stream before the match were amazed.


    "Do you guys notice how fired up SweetNelly is today?"


    "I bet some people are deliberately ndering her, which is making her mad. She''s taking it out on the yers in her matches. They''re getting destroyed."


    "SweetNelly is a total match killer."


    No one could match her skill.


    Essentially, she was the best simply


    because there could only be one


    person in the first ce. She yed through the matches and ranked in the top 10 before stopping for a


    break and a drink.


    Just then, Rachel messaged her. "Xenia deleted thements from earlier today and subtly said it was all a misunderstanding. She said it wasn''t what she meant."


    At that moment, Noelle noticed Xenia''s name pop up in the live chat.


    Xenia''s stream name was XenBaby.


    She sent a gift and sarcastically said, "Noelle, it was all a misunderstanding. I''ve exined to the fans that it was my fault, and I''m sorry Let''s stop this nonsense."


    11


    Noelle nced at the message and coldly replied, "If you know you''re wrong, then leave. My livestream isn''t a ce for you. Don''te to leech off it."

 Chapter 110

    Xenia''s eyes widened in disbelief when she realized Noelle wasn''t going to let her off the hook. If it hadn''t been for trying to gain favor with Frank, she wouldn''t have even bothered to apologize. She hadn''t expected Noelle to have the surveince footage. Otherwise, she wouldn''t have been forced into this awkward position.


    Noelle continued, "Everyone knows we don''t get along. I''m not going to pretend we''re best friends. That''s just disgusting."


    Lucas couldn''t hold his frustration any longer. He said, "Xenia came to apologize, and this is how you act?"


    "Do you think I should just forgive her because she apologized? If apologies worked, what would we even need the police for?" Noelle retorted.


    The fans in the live stream quickly sided with Noelle.


    "Exactly! That bitch tried to mislead everyone this afternoon, but now the truth is out, thanks to the surveince footage!"


    "That bitch should just leave. She''s not wee here."


    "She''s probably just jealous of SweetNelly''s fanbase and talent. How petty!"


    Xenia quickly fled the scene after being bombarded with insults. As she saw her fan count drop, she panicked. Who would''ve thought Noelle had the video?


    She rushed out of the room and went straight to Lucas. "Lucas, I really tried my best," she said.


    Lucas, who had been watching Noelle''s livestream, wasn''t pleased. "I know this isn''t your fault," he said.


    Then, he turned to Frank and added, "Frank, you saw how Noelle has been ignoring us. Why are we still bothering? She''s signed with Firestorm Entertainment now and clearly doesn''t care about the Liddell family anymore!" Frank clutched his stomach in pain and muttered, "Noelle has the right to choose who she works with."


    "She''s one of the Liddells. She''s turning her back on us, and I don''t buy that she doesn''t know about mypetition with Firestorm Entertainment," Lucas replied, feeling frustrated.


    Lucas was fuming with frustration. Yesterday had been aplete humiliation for him. Everyone knew he had turned down his sister, who couldnd a 12-hitbo, only to let her go to apetitor.


    Xenia pretended to be understanding and said, "Lucas, Noelle is just upset. She won''t really go through with joining another team."


    Frank nced at her. "Xenia, why did you say that on the livestream? Didn''t you realize the consequences of misleading everyone?"


    Tears welled up in Xenia''s eyes.


    Lucas quickly came to her defense. "Frank, Xenia''s apology was sincere. What more do you want from her? You can''t start treating her badly just because of Noelle, can you?" Frank snapped, "Why can''t you understand?"


    "I understand perfectly. Noelle''s spoiled, and I''m going to see how long she can keep up this attitude. Xenia, let''s go," Lucas said.


    Frank felt a headacheing on. For the first time, he understood the kind of mistreatment Noelle had endured in the past.


    He sent a ten-thousand-dor gift in Noelle''s livestream and left a message. "The incident at the party was a misunderstanding and had nothing to do with Noelle. As your brother, I will always support your choices."


    Noelle saw the flood of gifts in her stream, but she felt no emotion. She had no desire to entertain Frank''s showmanship in her space. Without a second thought, she ended the livestream.


    Later that day, Noelle came out of her study and noticed Cedric hadn''t been around for a while. She hadn''t seen him in days. Something felt off, though she couldn''t quite ce it. With the college entrance exam resultsing out soon, Noelle felt a little nervous.


    She sent Cedric a message. "Are you busy these days? Will you be able toe back when the exam resultse out?"


    Cedric looked at her message for a


    long time before choosing not to reply. Alfred nced at Cedric and


    said, "That''s from Nelly, right? You''ve been avoiding her these days. What''s going on? Did she confess to you or something?"


    Cedric quietly averted his gaze, tightening his grip on the phone. "She''s too young. She doesn''t understand what it means to like someone."


    There was an unbridgeable gap between them. Noelle still hated the people who had killed her parents, and the drunken kiss from that night had left him trapped, avoiding her ever since. Alfred smirked. "I knew it! When you get back, just tell her you have a girlfriend. That''ll probably make her give up."


    Cedric''s expression darkened. "Maybe you''re right. It''s time for me to leave."

 Chapter 111

    After sending the message, Noelle didn''t get a reply. As she stared at their conversation, she sensed something had changed but couldn''t quite pinpoint what.


    Somehow, she had grown used to Cedric being around. During her most helpless and painful moments after her rebirth, Cedric appeared by her side, shielding her from the storms outside. He was both a mentor and a friend. Over time, her feelings toward him had shifted. With his absence over the past few days, Noelle found herself feeling restless and missing him more than usual. To distract herself, Noelle decided to go out and buy a few things. As she left the store with some snacks in hand, a car honked twice from the curb. She turned around and saw Frank. Noelle''s expression turned cold. "Are you following me?"


    "Noelle, this is Aldoria. Finding out where you are is just a matter of time," Frank replied, looking at her with aplex expression.


    Frank had put in a lot of effort to find her, especially with someone like Cedric around. He had turned out to be more than just a school doctor. Yet, Frank still hadn''t been able to figure him out. Noelle eyed him warily. "What do you want to say?"


    "Noelle, I mean no harm. Your exam results areing soon, and I just want to make sure you''re okay. It''s important to choose the right college," Frank continued.


    Noelle recalled how Frank had agreed to Lucas'' suggestion to enroll her in the same mediocre college as Xenia in her past life.


    She smirked. "I don''t need your help. I can handle it myself."


    "Noelle, don''t be stubborn at such a crucial time. Don''t gamble your future away just because you''re upset, okay?" Frank said, stepping in front of her. "I even arranged for a teacher to help you and Xenia with the application..." "Enough, is this really necessary?" Noelle snapped. "Frank, do you ever listen to what others are saying? Wasn''t what I just said clear enough? I hate it when you pretend to care and use that to guilt-trip me!"


    Frank looked hurt. "I didn''t mean it that way."


    "Then it''s best you keep your distance!" Noelle snapped, turning to leave.


    Suddenly, there was a thud behind her. Frank had copsed to the ground. Noelle paused.


    Frank''s driver hurried to his side and called out, "Mr. Liddell''s stomach problems have been acting up for while, Ms. Liddell. He refuses to go to the hospital. If he keeps dying treatment, it could get serious."


    Noelle noticed the trace of blood at the corner of Frank''s mouth. With a sigh, she reluctantly helped the driver to lift Frank into the can


    As she weakly


    about to leave, Frank


    bed her hand."


    pspered. Content ellet don''t go. I was wet


    Noelle felt a mix of emotions. "You should just go to the hospital."


    "Can you stay with me?" Frank pleaded, still holding onto her hand.


    The driver anxiously added, "Ms. Liddell, please go with him. His condition can''t be ignored any longer."


    Noelle reluctantly got into the car. She sat stiffly beside Frank without a word.


    Frank managed a faint smile. "Noelle, you haven''t talked to me properly in a long time."


    Noelle''s response was cold. "Isn''t Xenia usually by your side? I doubt you need me here." It had always been that way.

 Chapter 112

    "That''s not what I meant. You''re not like Xenia. We''re siblings, and you''re the most important to me," Frank said, coughing up blood.


    Noelle sighed and handed him a tissue.


    Frank smiled weakly. "I knew you still cared."


    Noelle looked out the window, feeling nothing but ironic. In her past life, she had done everything to get her brothers'' attention and to be seen and acknowledged.


    She gave her all but never got what she wanted. Now that she had let go of that desire, Frank suddenly couldn''t let go.


    Humans really were pathetic like that.


    When they arrived at the hospital, Frank was immediately taken for examination.


    Just as Noelle was about to leave, a doctor stopped her. "You''re his family, right? Please convince him to take his medication. If he doesn''t, his condition could worsen and lead to stomach cancer." Noelle''s expression remained cold. "If he doesn''t care about his own health, who else can make that decision for him?"


    At that moment, Lucas stormed in with Xenia behind him. "Noelle, how can you say that? Frank ended up like this because of everything he''s done for us."


    Noelle tossed the medical report at Lucas. "Oh? You love preaching about responsibility. How did you not notice his condition getting worse? You see him every day."


    Lucas was caught off guard. "I just didn''t notice."


    Noelle sneered, "Typical Lucas. Instead of making excuses, maybe convince him to go see a doctor."


    With that, she walked out of the hospital.


    Lucas seethed with anger. "She''s getting more arrogant by the day."


    Xenia felt frustrated, too. "Lucas, Noelle''s a rising star at Firestorm Entertainment. She''s riding high, especially with her gaming skills."


    Lucas scoffed. "No matter how skilled she is, she''s still part of the Liddell family. I''ve got her contract. If she pushes me too far, I''ll make sure she never seeds." Xenia''s eyes lit up. "What contract?"


    It seemed Noelle wasn''t as untouchable as she thought.


    "Where''s Noelle?" Frank asked as he was wheeled out after his check-up.


    "That ingrate just left," Lucas snapped. "Why are you still worried about her?"


    Xenia came forward and asked, "Frank, are you alright? I was so


    worried about you. Why didn''t


    tell us your condition was this bad?"


    Frank smiled faintly but looked disappointed. "It''s not a big deal."


    He had hoped Noelle would stay.


    Xenia saw the look in his eyes and felt uneasy. Despite her efforts, Frank''s attention was still on Noelle.


    At that moment, Frank''s secretary,


    Jordan Barkstone, hurried over. "Our partner is asking to terminate the


    contract, Mr. Liddell. They say there''s an issue with the firewall software we''ve developed.


    Xenia frowned. "Can''t the tech team fix it?"


    "They''ve tried, but nothing''s worked. That''s why they''re threatening to pull out."


    Frank''s smile faded. "Noelle was the one in charge."


    He couldn''t bring himself to ask Noelle for help, so he kept putting it off.


    Lucas scoffed. "I don''t believe that. I''ll handle this for you, Frank. Don''t worry."


    Xenia''s jealousy bubbled beneath the surface. She smiled and said, "If I


    So how to help, I''d fix it for you, " O


    Frank sighed. "I didn''t realize how much I relied on Noelle until she was gone." Xenia''s expression darkened. What about her? Did she mean nothing at all?

 Chapter 113

    Noelle took a taxi back to her apartment. As she sat down on the sofa, she noticed bloodstains on her sleeves and realized it must have been from when she helped Frank into the car earlier that day. After changing her clothes, Noelle checked her phone and saw that Cedric had replied to her message with a simple "Okay."


    Cedric was a man of few words, though when it came to roasting others, he could talk quite a bit.


    While Noelle was live-streaming that evening, Frank flooded the chat with gifts. Noelle ignored them as usual, but her fans couldn''t hold back theirments. "Isn''t that SweetNelly''s brother? He''s such a generous guy!"


    "I thought SweetNelly didn''t get along with her family? This must be worth a fortune by now."


    "No matter what, she''s the heiress of the Liddell family. Even if she''s fighting with them, she''ll always have that title. I wish I had brothers who spoiled me like that!"


    Noelle''s mood soured at thements. She messaged Frank privately. "Stop sending gifts."


    Frank replied, "Just ept them. You need the money to live on your own."


    However, she didn''t need the Liddell family''s charity. Feeling irritated, Noelle ended her stream and contacted the staff to refund all the money Frank had sent. She didn''t want it.


    When Frank saw the refund, he sighed deeply. "Has Noelle really gotten to the point where she hates me this much?"


    The butler, Gordon, replied, "Ms. Liddell is just deliberately ignoring you out of frustration, Mr. Liddell. Her goal is to get Ms. Quigley out of the picture. It''s only then that she''lle back."


    Frank shook his head. "Noelle isn''t like that. I''ve neglected her too much, and that''s what led to this situation."


    Gordon added, "Mr. Liddell, Ms. Quigley is innocent. If it hadn''t been for that incident all those years ago, she wouldn''t have ended up an orphan and gone through all that hardship. She''s the most innocent one in this."


    Frank looked conflicted. Indeed, Xenia wasn''t to me for everything. Yet, Noelle had turned out this way because of her. He didn''t know what to do anymore.


    At that moment, James entered the room. "Mr. Liddell, the firewall issue hasn''t been resolved yet. Ms. Liddell was in charge of that section. She probably knows how to fix it."


    Frank smiled bitterly. "She won''t even talk to me now."


    James said, "Perhaps I should talk to Ms. Liddell about it."


    Frank nodded, still holding onto a bit of hope.


    James immediately called Noelle. "Ms. Liddell, this is James Newport, Mr. Liddell''s secretary. We met before."


    Noelle asked, "What''s the matter?"


    She recognized him. In her past life, James had been one of the few who had spoken up for her.


    James exined, "It''s about the


    software you worked on for the


    subsidiary. There''s an issue with the


    swno


    firewall, and it hasn''t been resolved.


    "The partner is threatening to cancel the coboration if it isn''t fixed. Could youe to the office?"


    Noelle recalled this situation from


    her past life. She had hurried to resolve the issue, only for Xenia to steal the credit. Although Jame''s had spoken up for her, Frank had ended up ming him.  en FindNovel


    After a moment of hesitation, Noelle replied, "I''m not an employee of Liddell Corporation. This isn''t my responsibility."


    "Ms. Liddell, you were involved in it before," James said.


    Noelle scoffed. "That was before. Back then, I still considered myself part of the Liddell family. Things have changed now."


    Noelle''s harsh words reached Frank''s ears. He closed his eyes, unsure of how to respond.


    James quickly added, "Well, how about we treat this as a part-time job? I''ll pay you ording to the market rate. What do you think?"


    Noelle didn''t need the money, but


    the project got canceled, James


    would be affected, too. After


    some


    thought, she agreed. "Alright''ll


    It was just to return a favor.

 Chapter 114

    The next day, Noelle arrived early at Liddell Corporation. As she gazed at the towering building in front of her, it oddly felt like she was back in her past life.


    She made her way straight to Frank''s office on the top floor. James was already waiting there. "Ms. Liddell, please follow me."


    When Noelle entered the office, she was surprised to see Frank there. Frank stood up with a ttering smile. "Noelle, you''re here early. Have you had breakfast? I bought some of your favorite foods."


    On the coffee table, there were various breakfast items. Frank picked up a croissant and carefully offered it to her. "Noelle, I remember you love these."


    Noelle smirked. "The person who likes croissants is Xenia, not me."


    At that moment, Frank''s hand trembled. He hurriedly tossed the croissant aside. "Ah, my mistake. You like bagels, right?"


    Noelle calmly replied, "I like pancakes."


    Noelle didn''t like croissants or bagels.


    A wave of guilt and regret washed over Frank, making him nearly lose his bnce. He looked at her with an expression so pained it was worse than tears. "Noelle, I''ve been such a terrible brother. Can you give me another chance?" Noelle picked up the documents on the table and coldly said, "Why bother? This is fine, isn''t it?"


    Tears welled up in Frank''s eyes. "Noelle, I really want to make up for it."


    "There''s no need for that," she said. With that, she grabbed the documents and left the office without a second nce.


    James looked at Frank with frustration. "Mr. Liddell, how could you mess up such a good opportunity?"


    Frank gave a helpless smile. "I clearly remembered she liked this. Gordon told me so."


    At this, Frank''s expression darkened. "Could Gordon have purposely told me the wrong thing?"


    James replied, "Mr. Liddell, it seems you haven''t been paying attention to Ms. Liddell''s preferences. This clearly shows you haven''t been caring enough."


    Frank copsed onto the sofa, clutching his stomach in pain. "What should I do to make things right? Do you have any ideas?"


    He truly wanted to repair his rtionship with Noelle.


    James thought for a moment and said, "I''ll talk to the manager of the branch office. I''ll make sure they treat Ms. Liddell with respect when shees to work. Let''s start with the small things."


    Frank nodded. "You''re right. I could have Noelle manage the branch office. That way, she''ll see how sincere I am in trying to make it up to her."


    He suddenly recalled that Noelle had once mentioned wanting to run apany.


    Noelle left the top floor without looking back and went straight to


    the branch office. She knew


    the firewall issuey. It newhere


    to be


    rewritten and tested on-site.


    As she nced at her phone, she saw a message from Frank. "Noelle, I''m sorry. It was my mistake. I got your preferences wrong. I won''t do it again."


    However, she really didn''t care anymore. Why couldn''t he understand that?


    Noelle entered the branch office and approached the front desk. "Hello, I''m here to fix the software."


    "Noelle, what are you doing here?"


    Xenia, who was dressed in designer clothes, walked in and eyed Noelle with suspicion.


    Noelle remained unfazed. "It''s none of your business."


    At that moment, the manager rushed out. Having heard that Ms. Liddell wasing to inspect the work, he needed to ensure she was well received. The manager looked at Noelle and Xenia, unsure of who the actual Ms. Liddell was.


    The receptionist nced at Noelle and said, "This one must be here for an interview as a technician."


    The manager, Bobby Fuentes, assumed that the girl in the designer clothes must be Ms. Liddell, so he walked over to Xenia with a warm smile.

 Chapter 115

    Noelle stood off to the side, watching Bobby warmly greet Xenia, even ttering her. If this had happened before, she would have been angry. But now, she simply didn''t care.


    Xenia was also a bit surprised by Bobby''s warmth. When she saw Noelle earlier, she still felt irritated. After all, Noelle was the eldest daughter of the Liddell family.


    People inpanies like this were always opportunistic, changing their tune depending on who they were dealing with. To her surprise, Bobby ignored Noellepletely, likely because Lucas had given a heads-up in advance. Xenia smugly enjoyed Bobby''s excessive ttery. "I''m new here and still have a lot to learn, so I hope we''ll get along with each other."


    "It''s no trouble at all. With you here, our branch will surely thrive. Let''s go to the office for some tea," Bobby said.


    She was pleased with the praise, casting a triumphant nce at Noelle, who was left standing off to the side, before heading to the office.


    Noelle calmly looked away and went to the HR department for her orientation.


    The HR manager didn''t even nce at her resume, coldly stating, "Let''s have you try in the IT department first. We''ll decide whether to hire you officially based on your performance."


    After all, they had hired several people to resolve the firewall issue, but no one could fix it.


    Noelle had no objections. She wasn''t there for a full-time job anyway. She could resolve the firewall issue in just a few days. She wasn''t bothered by the HR manager''s cold attitude and headed straight to the office area.


    When the team leader of the IT department, Isaac Parry, saw how young she was, his tone became mocking. "Why did the HR department send a young engineer like this? Did they make a mistake?"


    They had had many skilled peoplee in recently, none of whom could solve the problem. Now, here came a young woman who looked like she was still in her teens-could she really fix the firewall issue? Noelle remained unfazed. "Well, since you haven''t solved it, I''ll just try and see if I can."


    She sat down at an empty desk and began testing the software. She remembered Isaac well.


    In her previous life, he had testified for Xenia, iming that Xenia had been the one to solve the firewall problem.


    Before long, Xenia and Bobby came


    out together. Bobby loudly announced, "Everyone, stop what you''re doing. Ms. Liddell is here to inspect the work; we''ll all be colleagues from now on."


    Xenia smiled graciously. "Hello, everyone. I''m still new, so I hope we''ll get along."


    The office staff all responded warmly.


    Isaac stood up, looking eager to please. "Of course, our branch rarely gets such a beautifuldy. We''ll take good care of you."


    Noelle remained expressionless, staring at herputer as if the excitement outside had nothing to do with her.


    A female colleague sitting next to her whispered enviously, "Ms. Liddel''s life is truly good, unlike us regr employees."


    "You''re right. I heard she''s here to


    solve the firewall issue, but she looks so young. I heard she''s still in college-what does she know aboutputers?"


    Noelle had heard thesements before and was used to them. In her previous life, when she came to the branch to solve the firewall problem, Xenia followed along, iming to want to learn, but ended up dragging everyone down.


    Ultimately, Xenia took all the credit for the results, and no one spoke up for Noelle.


    Soon, Xenia walked over, her high heels clicking on the floor, a strong perfume scent following her. The IT department team leader stood up eagerly. "Ms. Lidell, anything we can help you with?" Xenia nced at Noelle before smiling. "I just wanted to check on the firewall issue. Is it still unresolved?" "Ahem. We''re working hard on it. We''ve even brought in a new person. I believe it will be resolved soon." Isaac looked at Noelle with an unfriendly attitude. "Hey, get up and greet Ms. Lidell. Tell her your n."

 Chapter 116

    Noelle looked up with a nk expression. "I don''t have any ns."


    "Hey, what''s with your attitude? Get up! I told you to stand up. Didn''t you hear me?"


    She immediately stood up, pushing her chair back sharply.


    Isaac was startled. "You''re just a newbie. Are you looking for trouble? She''s the heiress of the Liddell family!"


    Noelle scoffed. "Her? An heiress?"


    "If she''s not an heiress, do you think you are?" he retorted.


    Upon sensing that the situation was getting out of hand, Xenia quickly intervened. "It''s okay. Everyone, please treat me like a neer.


    "There''s no need to be so formal. Don''t let this turn into an argument."


    Isaac immediately fawned. "Ms. Liddell is right."


    Noelle turned to the restroom, not wanting to deal with Xenia''s presence. While she was washing her hands, Xenia stood at the door, smugly saying, "I didn''t expect you to be here." Noelle ignored the bitch beside her.


    Xenia somewhat begrudgingly continued, "Noelle, don''t be upset. Lucas personally told me toe supervise the firewall project. Frank knows about it, too."


    Noelle''s sudden eagerness to be at thepany was suspicious. Who knew if she regretted leaving home and was trying to return?


    Noelle shook the water off her hands, sshing it onto Xenia''s skirt.


    Xenia immediately fumed. "What are you doing? Do you know how expensive this skirt is?"


    Noelle sneered. "I know it''s expensive, which is why I did it. You''d better hope you never get exposed, or you''ll end up back where you belong. You probably won''t ever be able to afford clothes this expensive." Xenia felt humiliated, her gaze burning with resentment as she red at Noelle''s retreating figure.


    "One day, I''ll crush you beneath my feet, Noelle," she thought.


    Noelle returned to the office area and had just sat down when Isaac threw a stack of documents onto her desk. "Hey, newbie. Finish all these. You''re not leaving until you do  en FindNovel


    She took the documents and ced them beside her, continuing to test the software without refusing or saying she would do it. He was about to lose his temper but turned his attention to Xenia when she appeared.


    A female colleague near Noelle whispered, "Isaac seems pretty eager to please. Do you think he''s interested in Ms. Liddell?" "How could Ms. Liddell be interested in someone like him? He''s just a small group leader, but he''s been acting all high and mighty."


    "Hey there, be careful. If thepany has a dinner gathering, don''t drink any alcohol."


    Noelle turned her head, shing a faint smile. "Got it. Thanks for the heads up."


    She wasn''t going to attend anypany dinners.


    At the end of the day, Xenia said, "Today''s my first day, so I''d like to treat everyone to dinner tonight."


    Thepany staff all eagerly agreed. Noelle finished organizing the issues she had tested and stood up, preparing to leave.


    Xenia looked at her. "Let''s go together. I''ll give you a ride."


    "No need. You all go ahead."


    With a calm expression, Noelle left without a second thought, showing no concern for Xenia''s pride.


    Xenia felt embarrassed, but she maintained a gracious front. "I''ve known her for a while. I didn''t expect her to be the same still."


    Isaac quickly added, "I can''t believe


    she knows you, Ms. Liddell. She had such a great opportunity, and she didn''t seize it. It''s no wonder she can''t find any good jobs! I''ll teach her a lesson tomorrow!"


    She smiled but didn''t respond. Then, Xenia and thepany staff went to the restaurant, where Frank and Lucas were also waiting.


    "Frank, Lucas, what are you doing here?"


    Frank looked around eagerly and asked Xenia, "Where''s Noelle? Why isn''t she here?"

 Chapter 117

    Xenia''s smile froze on her face. She thought that they were there for her. But it turned out they were only interested in Noelle... That bitch.


    She forced a smile. "She left right after work."


    "Didn''t you invite her?"


    "I did, but she didn''t want to have dinner with me, and she''s not really getting along with thepany staff," she exined with a pout. "I really tried my best."


    Lucas softened a bit. "I know Noelle has a bad temper, but I didn''t expect her to actually go to the branch office to solve that problem. I thought she wouldn''tst long."


    Frank sighed with a bitter smile. "I''m the one who convinced her to go. Right now, no one else can fix the firewall issue."


    "Frank, Noelle is just doing this on purpose. Why insist on sending her to thepany? We can forget the project if it doesn''t work out." "We''ve invested too much money in this project just to abandon it. This is business, not some child''s game where you can act on a whim. "Your live-streaming business is also losing money. You should think about how you will exin things to Donovan after losing the finals." Frank left, disappointed. Since Noelle wasn''t there, he didn''t see the need to stay for dinner. Xenia''s face darkened as she realized Noelle was more important than she had imagined.


    Frustrated, Lucas muttered, "Frank is getting increasingly biased toward Noelle."


    Xenia clenched her teeth. "After all, Noelle is his biological sister. He will definitely go soft on her."


    "Even if Noelle is his biological sister, she can''t just do whatever she wants. I don''t believe she can actually solve that problem."


    Lucas still didn''t believe Noelle had any real ability to handle the project. He thought Frank had just given her the title for the show. Ultimately, Xenia took him to dinner with thepany staff, enjoying the spotlight.


    After Frank left and got into his car, he pulled out his phone and sent Noelle a message. "How was your first day at thepany? If anyone bullies you, tell me right away."


    Noelle had just returned to her apartment. She saw his message, nced at it, and felt no particr emotion, so she didn''t reply.


    After eating, shey on the bed, resting. Without thinking too much, she opened the chat window with Cedric.


    After a moment of hesitation, she couldn''t help but send him a message. "Dr. Greene, what are you doing?" After sending the message, she stared at her phone screen nervously. She felt a bit strange about this.


    After taking a shower, she still hadn''t received a reply from Cedric.


    She sighed. Was this a bit too obvious? She regretted sending the message.


    That night, Noelle didn''t sleep well, and when she woke up the next day, she had dark circles under her eyes. She noticed that Cedric still hadn''t replied. Feeling down, she got up, changed clothes, and went to the branch office to work.


    When she arrived at thepany, she opened herputer and began writing code. She had tested the software yesterday and had a rough idea of the issue''s details. Although she had dealt with this


    ????


    problem in her previous life, it had been a long time, so she needed to test it again.


    "Newbie, you''re here pretty early today. Do you regret not attending dinner yesterday and want to show off today?" Noellepletely ignored him.


    Isaac mmed his hand on the desk in frustration. "Hey, I''m talking to you! What''s with your attitude?"


    "I''ll match whatever attitude you have. The dinner gathering wasn''t mandatory. I can choose not to go!" Her reply was firm.


    The colleagues in the office at the time overheard the conversation, and all gave Noelle a thumbs-up. seemed that young people


    nowadays were all about stap


    up for themselves in the workce.


    Humiliated and enraged, Isaac snapped, "Stop acting tough, newbie. Did you finish organizing the documents I gave you yesterday?"

 Chapter 118

    "No." Noelle looked at Isaac indifferently. "This isn''t part of my job."


    "You''re from the IT department. How could this not be your job?"


    "My job is to handle the mess, like the firewall issue."


    Her tone was cold. She couldn''t be bothered to pretend anymore. She just wanted to finish the firewall issue quickly and leave.


    He probably had never seen such a bold neer. It was only her second day at work, and she already dared to talk back to her superior. He trembled with anger.


    "I''ll tell Mr. Fuentes right now and have you fired!"


    "You can try." Noellepletely ignored him and continued typing away at her code. Her slender fingers danced across the keyboard, and a string of code appeared on the screen.


    Soon, Isaac stormed out of his office, ring at her. "Don''t get cocky. You''ll be out of here if you can''t fix the firewall issue. I''d like to see what you''re really capable of."


    "Don''t worry. I''m more capable than you." She showed him no respect at all.


    Xenia arrived at thepany. She was dressed head-to-toe in luxury brand clothes, greeting everyone with the air of an heiress.


    A bad premonition crept into her mind when she saw the code on Noelle''sputer. If Noelle solved the firewall problem, wouldn''t Frank favor her even more?


    A calcting look shed in Xenia''s eyes. She wouldn''t let Noelle seed. Her gaze shifted to Isaac beside her, and she quickly came up with an idea.


    After working all day without a break for lunch, Noelle finally finished writing the code. She stretched her neck, hoping the test would pass tomorrow so she could leave for good. She really didn''t want to be involved with the Liddell family any longer.


    As she packed up to leave, Isaac sneered. The IT department staff never leaves on time. Newbie, don''t you know the rules? You''re getting paid by thepany, so you should contribute."


    Noelle remained indifferent. "You''re great at overtime, but I haven''t seen you solve the firewall issue. You''re useless, so working overtime won''t help."


    "Brat, who are you calling useless? How about you try it?"


    She pped him hard across the face. "You have no skills and always harass female colleagues. Don''t you ever look at yourself in the mirror? Do you think you''re even worthy?"


    Everyone in the office turned to look.


    Isaac, who usually bullied others, didn''t expect a neer to darey a hand on him. Furious, he immediately raised his hand to strike back.


    But before he could, someone grabbed his arm. "Who gave you permission to hit her?"


    Noelle looked up, surprised to see Lucas. Wasn''t Lucas the type to just watch her get hit? That had been the case in her past life.


    The moment he appeared, Isaac instantly shrank back. "Mr. Liddell, I... I was just teaching the newbie a lesson."


    "This is apany, not a ce for fighting."


    Lucas'' tone was cold, especially


    since Noelle was his sister. If


    anyone was going to hit or scold her,


    it could only be him. How dare an a


    outsidery a hand on ht


    Lucas pushed Isaac aside. "Do you even know who she is?"


    How dare these peopley hands on the heiress of the Liddell family! This was going too far!

 Chapter 119

    Lucas'' words were filled with anger, causing Isaac to tremble in fear. Could Noellee from some sort of strong background? "Lucas, what happened?" Xenia walked over at this moment.


    Lucas cursed at Isaac, "This bastard tried to hit someone in thepany. Fire him immediately."


    Isaac panicked. "It''s not my fault! She hit me first. I was just defending myself!"


    Xenia, who was acting innocent, said, "But she''s just a woman. You shouldn''t be so petty as a man."


    He didn''t dare to argue, especially since Lucas supported Noelle. He wasn''t sure of their rtionship.


    Xenia tugged at Lucas'' sleeve and whispered, "You shouldn''t be so hasty when firing someone. This is apany."


    He instinctively nced at Noelle and replied stiffly, "What do you think?"


    Noelle''s expression remained indifferent. "I don''t care."


    She grabbed her bag and walked out.


    Lucas was furious. "What''s with her attitude?"


    He had just stepped in to help, and she didn''t even appreciate it. She was truly an ungrateful person.


    Xenia sneered inwardly. Noelle had been hurt by Lucas so badly before; only a fool would forgive that easily. But this was a good thing for her.


    She said, "She''s always like this. Lucas, you''ve known her for so long. Let''s go talk outside."


    She didn''t want the staff to learn that Noelle was actually the heiress of the Liddell family. If that happened, how would she stand in thepany?


    Since Noelle didn''t want that identity, she would take it. When Noelle arrived at the office the next day, she noticed that many people were watching her.


    She knew it was because of yesterday''s incident. But she could take her pay and leave once she finished testing the software today.


    As soon as Noelle sat down, a female colleague came over. "So, what''s your rtionship with Mr. Liddell?"


    "Nothing much."


    "I don''t believe it. If there was really no rtionship, why would he defend you like that yesterday? Isaac was almost scared to death."


    What happened yesterday had spread throughout the office. It turned out the neer engineer had some connections after all, It was no wonder she could pass the HR Screening at such a young age.


    2UMS


    She must have been in a rtionship with Lucas in the past.


    Noelle looked at herputer screen without changing her expression, not responding to her colleague''s question. The colleague had no choice but to drop the subject and leave it alone.


    Soon after, Isaac came into the office, but this time, he wasn''t as arrogant as before. When he saw Noelle, he wore a stiff expression and dared not do anything further. What if Lucas stepped in again if he pissed her off?


    The office fell into an eerie silence.


    Before long, Bobby came to the IT department. "You all need to meet to discuss fixing the firewall issue. Mr. Liddell will being to inspect the work, so everyone needs to think of a solution."  en


    "There''s no need to discuss. I''ve already written the code to patch the vulnerabilities. We can test it right now."


    Isaac sneered. "You finished that quickly? Who are you trying to fool?"


    "Just because you can''t do it doesn''t mean no one else can," Noelle shot back coldly.


    He was furious but didn''t dare to make a move. Instead, he grumbled, "Fine. Go ahead and test it. If it doesn''t pass, you can leave!"


    She grabbed her USB drive, copied the code, and went to the server room to begin the testing.

 Chapter 120

    At that moment, Xenia walked over and exchanged a look with Isaac.


    Noelle opened the software backend and began the testing. But before long, an error appeared.


    Isaac sneered. "See? It''s failing. Some people just talk big but have no real ability."


    Xenia, feigning surprise, said, "Why don''t you go back and make some changes?"


    "Make changes? ording to the agreement, she should be fired. There''s no need to bring someone else to fix it because I''ve already written the code."


    He took out a USB drive and looked down at Noelle. "Step aside. If you have no ability, don''t talk big."


    After sitting down, he immediately began operating. In the end, the test passed sessfully.


    Isaac looked smug as he stared at Noelle. "So, what do you think? Are you impressed? This is what real skill looks like!"


    Noelle sneered. "Stealing someone else''s code and then bragging about it-impressive, truly. You certainly excel at theft and boasting."


    "What nonsense are you talking about?" He was instantly furious but nced at Xenia, feeling a little guilty.


    Xenia spoke coolly, "Isaac does have some skills. You can''t just say someone is stealing because your code didn''t work."


    Bobby, growing impatient, looked at Noelle and said, "You''re fired."


    "I''d like to see who dares to fire her."


    Frank walked in, followed by James. Xenia felt a pang of annoyance when she saw Frank. Why did he show up now, of all times?


    Bobby quickly spoke respectfully. "Mr. Liddell, I have reasons to fire her. The code she wrote is wrong, and her attitude is arrogant. She''s not cooperating with thepany''s arrangements. Such an employee can''t be kept." Frank''s expression was cold. "She''s not here to be an employee. She will be your boss. What work arrangements does she need to cooperate with?"


    At this, everyone was stunned. Xenia''s expression changed. What did he mean by this?


    Could it be that Frank nned to have Noelle manage the branch office?


    Isaac couldn''t help but speak, "What gives her the right to be the boss?"


    "Because she''s my sister. What''s the problem? Do you have an issue with that?"


    "But isn''t your sister her?" Almost everyone turned to Xenia, thinking she was the heiress of the Liddell family.


    James reprimanded Bobby, "I told you that the heiress of the Liddell family would being to the branch office. Are you stupid?"


    Bobby''s face turned pale. "But didn''t thisdy just admit she''s the heiress of the Liddell family?"


    "Thest name of the heiress of the Liddell family must be Liddell! Are you stupid? How could you mess this up!"


    Bobby suddenly lost his bnce.


    Frank hadn''t expected things to go wrong. He looked at Noelle carefully. "Sorry, I didn''t know they mixed things up. I didn''t mean for you to suffer." Noelle''s eyes showed disdain. She didn''t need any of this.


    Despite suppressing her anger,


    Xenia still exined, "It was just a misunderstanding. I didn''t expect them to get it wrong. It''s my fault for not exining things clearly. Frank, it''s all my fault."  en


    Bobby, shocked, asked, "Does the Liddell family have two heiresses?"


    Suppressing her humiliation, Xenial replied, "I''m just an adopted daughter of the Liddell family. Noelle is the true heiress. I thought you all knew that since herst name is Liddell."


    "Ms. Quigley, since you''re not the heiress of the Liddell family, why admit it?"


    Bobby was speechless. How was he supposed to know? He had heard that the Liddell family had an adopted daughter, but who would have guessed these two would show up on the same day?


    He certainly didn''t expect the fake heiress to admit it and not exin. Wasn''t she setting him up?


    Xenia''s eyes instantly reddened.


    "Frank, I didn''t expect this misunderstanding either. After all, Lucas told me he had made arrangements with thepany. Noelle never exined it, so how was I supposed to know?" Irritated, Frank asked, "Why didn''t you tell everyone that Noelle is the true heiress of the Liddell family?"

 Chapter 121

    Frank felt frustrated. He had specifically arranged all of this to please Noelle. However, Xenia ended up stealing the spotlight.


    Although it was a misunderstanding, he still didn''t feel right about it. Every time he tried to reconcile with Noelle, Xenia appeared at the wrong moment, only to make things worse.


    Xeni looked at Noelle with red eyes and a pitiful expression. "Noelle, I really didn''t mean to cause this. I thought you were hiding your identity to get a better internship experience here." Noelle''s lips curled into a cold smile. She couldn''t help but admire how quickly Xenia''s mind worked.


    It was no wonder she ended up losing to Xenia in her previous life. But when Isaac saw Xenia crying, he immediately stood up for her. "Mr. Liddell, I don''t think this is Ms. Quigley''s fault. Ms. Liddell could have revealed her identity at any time but chose not to. Who''s to me?"


    He thought he looked quite heroic standing up for her. Maybe Xenia would even develop feelings for him.


    Frank shot him a cold look. "So, you''re the man who hit Noelle yesterday, right? I''ve been looking for you."


    Isaac''s face immediately turned pale. "She attacked me first."


    "That was because you used foulnguage toward her. You can pack up and leave."


    Isaac immediately panicked. This wasn''t how he had expected things to go. He quickly looked toward Xenia for help. Gritting her teeth, Xenia said, "Frank, he just fixed the firewall and solved a big problem. We can''t just fire him like this."


    Frank was surprised. "Wasn''t it Noelle who fixed the firewall?"


    Bobby quickly rified, "Ms. Liddell said her code was stolen."


    He knew about the project, and since Noelle had been involved from the start, she must have the skills.


    As the IT department''s team leader, Isaac had been unable to solve the firewall issue for so long. How could he suddenly fix it?


    Isaac defended himself. "I didn''t steal it. I wrote the code myself."


    Xenia added, "Noelle said he stole her code, but there should be evidence."


    Without evidence, even if Noelleined about it, it wouldn''t matter.


    Frank nced at Noelle, his voice suspicious. "Noelle, are you sure it was him?"


    Noelle''s eyes were filled with derision. "Yes!"


    James immediately looked at Bobby. "Go check the surveince footage."


    "Yes, check the surveince!"


    ve


    However, Bobby returned with a grim expression. "I checked the surveince, but the footage in the lobby is broken. There''s nothing from these past few days.


    Xenia couldn''t hide her smugness. She had known this would happen. She feigned urgency. "What do we do now?"


    Isaac grinned with satisfaction.


    ??


    "Who can prove I stole the code without evidence? Just because you''re the heiress doesn''t mean you can nder me."


    Xenia smiled, tooking worried as she turned to Frank. "Frank, I know Noelle is trying to solve this problem for you. We all know how hard she''s worked, but she shouldn''t just steal someone else''s work for the sake of the result."


    Frank was deep in thought, feeling troubled and irritated.


    He tugged at his tie and said to James, "Go find other evidence."


    "Who says there''s no evidence?"


    Noelle pulled out her phone and brought upst night''s surveince footage.


    It clearly showed everything that happened the night before. Isaac swaggered over to herputer, copied her data, and even tampered with her code. Everything was crystal clear.

 Chapter 122

    Frank pped Isaac in anger. "How dare you tamper with Noelle''s things? Do you want to die?" "I-I didn''t. I..."


    Isaac was stunned. This couldn''t be happening. He had previously hacked into thepany''s surveince system and deleted the footage from the past few days. How could there still be evidence?


    After seeing the surveince video, Xenia realized something was off. Noelle had had the surveince footage all along. Why hadn''t she shown it earlier? Was this a trap?


    She quickly pulled Isaac''s arm, her almond eyes filled with fake sorrow. "How could you do this? I trusted you so much!"


    Upon smelling her perfume, he felt his body weaken. He quickly looked around and replied, "Yes, I did it, but I couldn''t stand her arrogant attitude. It has nothing to do with anyone else."


    At this moment, he certainly couldn''t expose Xenia. It must have been because Noelle was too arrogant, regrly bullying her, and she had to act this way.


    Upon hearing his response, Xenia finally felt relieved. After all, she couldn''t let anyone discover her involvement.


    She looked at Noelle, feeling guilty. "Noelle, I shouldn''t have believed others and doubted you. I''m sorry."


    Noelle sneered. "You do owe me an apology."


    Xenia''s face froze momentarily, and she lowered her gaze, showing fear. Isaac looked at her, feeling quite self-righteous, and added, "It''s normal for Ms. Quigley to suspect you. After all, you didn''t provide any evidence earlier!" The moment he spoke, everyone was stunned.


    Bobby shouted angrily, "You stole Ms. Liddell''s code and still have the nerve to speak?"


    Frank''s expression was cold and harsh. "James, fire him immediately and call the police!"


    Isaac panicked upon hearing the words "fired" and "call the police."


    Xenia looked at Isaac with tears in her eyes, her gaze longing. Ultimately, he didn''t reveal the truth and was escorted out by security.


    Noelle smiled coldly. "It looks like Xenia has quite a charm, getting men to speak up for her so easily."


    By this point, Isaac still hadn''t exposed her as the mastermind behind the whole thing. She had to


    admit that Xenia, that bitch, really had impressive tactics.


    "Noelle, you misunderstood. Isaac and I are just colleagues. There''s nothing more to it. He misled me earlier, so I really thought he had written the code."


    Xenia gritted her teeth internally.


    "Noelle, if you had the surveince footage, why didn''t you show it earlier? That way, there wouldn''t have been any misunderstandings."


    Who could have guessed that Noelle had surveince footage? Evidently, she had anticipated someone tampering with herputerand deliberately left a trap.


    Xenia couldn''t help but feel a pang of fear. What if Isaac hadn''t confessed due to her charm? She would have been done for.


    Now that Frank no longer trusted her, she would bepletely ruined if Isaac admitted she was behind it.


    Noelle had set up the perfect trap. She casually yed with her phone. "Because I wanted to see who was trying to frame me."


    "It''s obvious that Isaac couldn''t solve the firewall issue and feared taking responsibility when Frank came to inspect, so he took the risk and did this."


    Xenia felt a bit flustered. After all, Noelle seemedposed. Who knew what other evidence she might have?


    Frank''s face was stern. "We need to get to the bottom of this. I don''t believe a team leader would dare pull off something this audacious alone."


    Her heart sank. This was bad. What if they found out who was behind it during the questioning?

 Chapter 123

    Noelle watched Xenia flounder, a cold smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. She hadn''t expected to see the bitch so panicked.


    Xenia quickly turned to Frank. "Frank, since I indirectly caused this issue, I''ll find out if Isaac was bribed to do this."


    Noelle sneered. "Wasn''t it you?"


    Xenia''s expression changed when Noelle finished her sentence, and she felt a surge of panic. She couldn''t be sure if Noelle possessed any other evidence.


    She quickly tried to exin, "Noelle, how could I do something like that? I know you''re angry because I didn''t stand by you earlier, but I promise it has nothing to do with me." After speaking, she looked to Frank for help. But he simply frowned and remained silent.


    Noelle''s gaze was icy. "Fine. Swear then. If it turns out you were the one behind this, may you be struck by lightning, meet a miserable end, and end up as a beggar on the streets!" Xenia bit her lip, reluctant to swear. She didn''t want to curse herself into poverty. She had worked so hard just to be rich.


    With a pitiful expression, Xenia turned to Frank. "Frank, I swear it wasn''t me. I''ll apologize, but making me swear like that is too much."


    Frank instinctively felt Xenia had a point. An apology should be enough. Why insist on a swear?


    Sensing an opportunity, James told Frank, "Mr. Liddell, if Ms. Quigley didn''t do it, then a swear wouldn''t really matter, right? But if she''s unwilling, could it mean she''s guilty?" James had never liked Xenia. He found her too good at pretending.


    With tears in her eyes, Xenia gazed at Frank, her expression filled with feigned innocence. In the past, he would have softened at such a sight.


    This time, however, he clenched his teeth. "Xenia, why don''t you just swear? I''ll believe it wasn''t you."


    She nearly cried. She didn''t want to curse herself. But now she was stuck.


    Watching the situation unfold, Noelle found it surprising that Frank had agreed to make Xenia swear. In the past, he would never have allowed


    such a thing. He would have forgiven her without a second thought.


    It was an unexpected turn of events. Everyone now turned to Xenia.


    In the end with great reluctance and a pitiful tone, Xenia swore ording to Noelle''s words. After hearing it, Noelle gave Xenia a meaningful look. She was impressed by how Xenia could endure the situation.


    Xenia shivered but dared not provoke Noelle, fearing she might have more evidence. Once the matter was settled, Frank turned to Noelle as he spoke cautiously. investigate this thoroughly. It''s thanks to you that the firewall issue got resolved."


    "I''m just in it for the money. James, make sure to transfer the payment to my ount."


    She didn''t want to stay longer, so she returned to her desk. Since the test was a sess, wrapping up the rest would be easy.


    As she returned to her seat, the colleagues around her spoke in hushed tones, though still careful.


    "I heard she''s the real heiress of the Liddell family. We''ve all been misled by that fake one."


    "Who would have thought the adopted one would look even more like the real heiress? It''s unbelievable."


    When Xenia stepped out, her face was a picture of embarrassment. Now, everyone knew she was the imposter. She couldn''t stay in the office any longer. It felt like everyone was mocking her. She had to find a way to silence Isaac, so she got up and left her seat.


    Noelle, having finished her work, integrated the code into the software. Her task wasplete. After organizing the files, she knocked on the door to Bobby''s office.

 Chapter 124

    "Ms. Liddell, pleasee in."


    Noelle saw that Frank was also there. With a calm expression, she said, "I''ve integrated the tested code into the software, and the work isplete. If there''s nothing else, I''ll be leaving now." "Noelle, I knew you wouldn''t disappoint me. I never realized you had so many talents."


    He had never expected her to solve the firewall issue. He had hired so many people to solve the issue without sess, but she had solved it in just two days.


    With a satisfied look, he said, "Now, I''m even more at ease handing thispany to you to manage."


    "I don''t want it," Noelle refused, turning to James. "Just transfer the payment as agreed."


    She didn''t want to stay any longer.


    Frank grew anxious and stood up to block her path. "Noelle, running thepany is far more meaningful than doing live streams, and it will be much more profitable. I''m doing this for your own good." There it was again for her own good!


    Noelle''s expression remained calm. "Frank, are you really doing this for my sake, or is it because you want to control everything about me?"


    If she returned, things would return to how they were before. He had always chased after her, unable to ept her stepping out of his control.


    He froze. "How could you think that? I''m only trying to do right by you, to make up for the things I owe you."


    He saw the wariness in her eyes, and a pang of guilt struck his chest. He hadn''t expected her to distrust him so much.


    Noelle''s tone remained steady. "If you truly want what''s best for me, stop doing these meaningless things."


    She turned and opened the office door, noticing Xenia standing outside with an unpleasant expression. Without sparing her a nce, Noelle returned to her desk, packed her things, and left. Frank staggered a few steps forward but ultimately didn''t chase after her. His face was grim.


    Xenia felt bitter inside. Why couldn''t she beat Noelle''s rebellious attitude despite her years of effort?


    Suppressing her frustration, she walked up to Frank, acting calm. "Frank, I believe Noelle will understand your intentions one day."


    Frank smiled wryly. "Maybe."


    Observing her gentle approach, James felt resentful but didn''t dare say anything, as it was a family matter.


    Noelle left thepany and went


    home. Not long after, James called her. "Ms. Liddell, our coborators insist on having a technical specialiste for the handover before continuing the coboration. Could you join us tomorrow?"


    Noelle frowned. "I can, but I won''t be taking responsibility for the follow-up, and I don''t want them to know who I am."


    "No problem. It''s all set. The finance department has already transferred the payment. Please check your ount." After hanging up, James turned to Frank. "Mr. Liddell, everything''s arranged."


    "How did you manage to get Noelle to agree?"


    James'' expression grewplicated. "Maybe because I''m just an outsider. Ms. Liddell is kind and doesn''t want to make things difficult for me."


    Frank chuckled bitterly. "I don''t even know how to talk to her anymore."


    The next day, when Noelle was heading downstairs to take a taxi to the coborator''spany, she saw Frank''s car. She pretended not to notice and got into the taxi.


    She couldn''t easily forget the harm


    she had suffered in her past life.


    When Noelle arrived at the coborator''spany, she went with Frank. As a technical specialist, she personally tested the software and confirmed that there were no issues.


    The manager from the coborator''spany received a call, stood up immediately, and said, "Our boss is back."


    The meeting room door opened, and two people walked in.


    Noelle froze for a moment. Wasn''t that Alfred and Cedric? Were they the owners of thispany?

 Chapter 125

    The meeting room was quiet. It wasn''t just Noelle who was surprised; Cedric hadn''t expected to see her here either. Alfred deliberately cleared his throat. "Everyone''s here, huh? I heard the firewall issue was resolved, so I came to look."


    He had originallye to make trouble, but he didn''t expect that the person who solved the problem was Noelle. This made things a bitplicated. Bobby stood up respectfully. "Yes, Ms. Liddell has just tested the software, and there are no issues now. Is there anything else you''d like to check?"


    Alfred casually sat down and flipped through the documents, though there wasn''t much to see. After all, the firewall issue was something they had deliberately fabricated to make things difficult for Liddell Corporation. After reading for a while, he nced at Cedric. "What do you think of it?"


    He knew it was up to him to make the call. He looked at the documents and then looked at Noelle in surprise. "Did you solve this yourself?"


    Noelle nodded. "Yes, it''s just a simple problem."


    She was actually quite surprised to learn that Alfred ran thispany. So they had been stayingte because of the firewall issue with this software?


    The problem with the firewall wasn''tplicated-it was just a mental block. She had spent a lot of time figuring it out in her past life, which was why she solved it so quickly this time.


    Cedric said lightly, "If it''s such a simple issue, why couldn''t Liddell Corporation solve it? Why did it take a high school graduate like you to help?"


    His words wereced with sarcasm.


    Frank''s expression immediately faltered. He hadn''t expected Cedric to be here. Judging by the situation, he was either the behind-the-scenes boss or a partner.


    Frank''s tone became less pleasant. "Noelle was also involved in this project and responsible for the firewall part."


    Honestly, he hadn''t thought Noelle could solve the firewall issue.


    Alfred started with another sarcastic


    remark. "Oh, so she''s that


    important? A young woman


    participating in software


    development-yourpany should nurture her more. Why did she get buried after just one project?"


    Frank froze. Indeed, how had he overlooked Noelle''s abilities? He turned to James, wanting to understand more.


    James lowered his voice. "That time, Ms. Quigley wanted to join the project, too, but she really didn''t know anything and would only drag things down. For fairness, you didn''t let Ms. Liddell participate."


    After hearing this, Frank fell silent for


    a long time He reached for his water but identally choked to cover up his awkwardness. He hadn''t expected things to be this way and felt guilty, and he couldn''t look Noelle in the eye.


    Alfred, with his sharp hearing, immediately went on the attack. "Fairness, my foot! You dyed your biological and talented sister for the sake of an unrted idiot. No one


    believe that even if you told


    W!"


    QU


    "Really? You thought it through quite a bit. You made it seem like you were doing a good deed, pleasing outsiders by showing you treated your adopted sister well. But what you sacrificed was Noelle''s interests!"


    Frank nearly dropped his cup. His voice was hoarse. "I... I didn''t think things through back then."


    Alfred''s words were harsh, his anger rising quickly. After learning the backstory, Cedric felt a heavy weight in his heart.


    He looked at Noelle. "It''s not toote to start working hard now. Thepany has other development projects that fit you well."


    He would make up for what she had lost when she was younger. That was something he owed her.


    Noelle smiled faintly. "Alright."


    Frank instinctively interrupted their conversation, his eyes filled with panic as he looked at her. "If you didn''t want it, you could have told me back then."


    "Noelle."


    If she had spoken up, he wouldn''t have done it.

 Chapter 126

    Noelle pulled at the corner of her mouth. "I did say it."


    Frank''s face instantly turned pale. "I... I must have been too busy with work and forgot. I''m sorry, Noelle. It''s my fault for dying you. Don''t worry. There are projects at Liddell Corporation that you can join anytime." He absolutely couldn''t let Noelle go to anotherpany.


    Noelle''s gaze was sharp and clear, sinking his heart further. Her tone was calm as she said, "Forget it. I want to choose where I go."


    "Noelle, I really forgot-"


    Alfred immediately interrupted. "Where were you all this time? Now that you know how talented Nelly is, you regret it, don''t you? Toote. She can go wherever she wants. Stop trying to guilt trip her!" Frank couldn''t even get a word out. He truly didn''t remember.


    Noelle didn''t even nce at Frank. She looked at Bobby and asked, "The software has been tested, right?"


    "Yes, but Mr. Parham needs to take a look first."


    Bobby nced at Alfred, his mind filled with questions. Why did it seem like Alfred and this technical specialist, who was the heiress of the Liddell family, knew each other? What was going on? Alfred scratched his nose. "I think it''s fine, but thepany''s consultant should take a look, too."


    Cedric put down the document he had been holding and looked at Noelle calmly. "The firewall''s fine now, but there will be simr issues with future software updates. You''ll need to follow up on it." Noelle nodded. "I understand. The issue is rted to the firewall design. If it bes troublesometer, we can switch to a different firewall."


    "You''ve designed a very unique firewall. It will greatly improve the game''s stability and be harder to replicate if used correctly. But there''s one thing you didn''t consider."


    They continued to discuss the firewall, and no one else could get a word on it.


    Frank noticed Noelle''s confident and poised smile-so different from the woman he remembered. The Noelle standing before him now exuded a confident aura that made her seem almost like a stranger.


    He sighed as he observed her. She had not just changed; she had just grown in unexpected ways. She was no longer the little sister who used to trail behind him.


    Alfred coughed. "Alright, you two can continue your discussion privately. If the firewall''s fine, we''ll proceed with the contract."


    For Noelle''s sake, they proceeded with the contract.


    Frank''s mood wasplex. ncing at Cedric, he realized that Cedric was far from just a school doctor. But he still hadn''t figured out who Cedric really was.


    Noelle hadn''t expected that thispany was connected to Alfred and Cedric. The atmosphere in the meeting room became somewhat awkward, like the vibe of a failed blind date.


    en


    Frank suddenly spoke up. "Since the contract has been signed, why don''t we celebrate with a meal?"


    Cedric narrowed his eyes slightly but said nothing.


    Frank looked at Noelle. "Noelle, this


    is your first project. After it''sunched, you''ll receive a share of the profits. I think the twopanies should celebrate together in advance."


    She suddenly realized everyone was looking at her. She instinctively nced at Alfred and Cedric,


    ovel


    wondering if refusing would be. awkward. After all, it was a


    cooperation between the


    Cedric noticed her hesitation and spoke up first. "It''s fine."


    Upon seeing that he had agreed, she nodded. If they were going, she would join, too.


    Once the meal was arranged, the group headed straight to the restaurant.


    In therge private room, Frank looked at Cedric first. "Dr. Greene, I didn''t expect you to have such broad interests besides your professional work." Cedric''s tone was cold. "Hmm, at least my family never suppresses my hobbies for the sake of so-called ''fairness.""


    Noelle''s lips curled slightly. He was clearly poking fun at Frank.


    Without showing any outward signs of frustration, Frank countered, "Mr. Greene, what does your family do?"

 Chapter 127

    Noelle nced warily at Frank after hearing his question. She said, "Frank, why are you asking this? It doesn''t have anything to do with work, does it?"


    "I''m just asking casually. Dr. Greene seems so mysterious; I wonder if he''s hiding something."


    Frank had always felt uneasy about Cedric. On the way here, he realized that the person behind this whole matter was probably Cedric.


    The coboration would likely have been canceled if Noelle hadn''t solved the firewall problem. Cedric had done this on purpose.


    Cedric leaned back in his chair, his arm resting on the table, exposing part of his wrist. He replied slowly, "My family runs a small business."


    Alfred immediately choked on his drink. How could Cedric call it a small business? How shameless could he be? If his family business was considered small, then what about others?


    Noelle looked at Alfred choking and felt a little confused. What business was Cedric''s family running? She realized she didn''t know much about him at all.


    He had said he was away on business during this time, but she knew nothing about it. Her connection with him was actually quite fragile.


    Frank continued asking, "If it''s a small business, they should have apany. What''s the name of it?"


    Alfred stepped in to smooth things over. "Mr. Liddell, are you conducting a background check? Why ask so much?"


    "After all, Mr. Greene took my sister away. As her brother, it''s my responsibility to get the details, right? Don''t you think so, Dr. Greene?" "Frank!"


    Noelle interrupted Frank. "I don''t have anything to do with Dr. Greene. You don''t need to ask so much."


    "Noelle, how could I not ask? What if he has ulterior motives? Women must be more cautious these days, or they might be deceived."


    Frank was genuinely concerned since Cedric''s background was unclear.


    Noelle felt embarrassed. "But we''re just friends. Asking all these questions is making things awkward between us. Have you considered how this makes me feel?" He calmed down. "Alright. Since you''re upset, I won''t ask anymore."


    She lost her appetite for the meal.


    Alfred tried to smooth things over. "Let''s get the food on the table and eat something."


    She sneaked a nce at Cedric. Knowing his reserved and aloof nature, she was certain that being questioned so directly by Frank would irritate him.


    He noticed her downcast expression, took out his phone, and sent her a message. "Focus on your meal."


    Noelle was surprised when she


    received his message and looked up at him. She quickly replied, "I didn''t expect Frank to ask questions like that. Sorry."


    "I''m not upset."


    Upon seeing his reply, she felt slightly relieved. At least he wasn''t angry. The atmosphere at the dinner table improved a little.


    Noelle went to the restroom for a short while She felt an inexplicable sense of unease, realizing how little she truly knew about Cedric. She saw a tall man standing against the wall outside when she left the restroom.


    Cedric was leaning against the wall, holding his phone in one hand and scrolling through something with his long fingers. She saw his profile, half hidden in the shadow of the light, and walked over. "I didn''t expect you to be back today."


    "I just finished handling something."


    Cedric put his phone down, and his gaze fell on her. "How did you end up at Frank''spany? You never mentioned it."


    "I was involved in this project. The


    firewall was also my responsibility. James called me to help. He''s. always been kind to me, so I didn''t want to see him in a difficult position."


    She had agreed to help mainly because of James.


    Cedric''s tone was calm. "I didn''t realize you had such a talent forputers. Have you considered studying Computer Science in college?" "I''ve thought about it, but I''m not sure yet."

 Chapter 128

    Noelle wasn''t sure what major she would choose in the future; there were so many things she wanted to do.


    "We''ll talk about it when we get back," she said.


    "Alright."


    Walking beside Cedric, Noelle nced down at his shadow, and her mood lifted considerably for some reason. The two returned to the room together.


    Upon seeing the smile on her face, Frank felt increasingly annoyed. She used to smile at him like that in the past, but now she wouldn''t even get angry at him.


    He took a ss of wine and walked over to Cedric. "Here. A toast to you."


    Cedric''s expression remained indifferent as he took the ss. "I hope the game she''s involved in bes a huge sess."


    "Yes. That''s what I hope, too, especially since she has shares in Liddell Corporation. She''ll get dividends in the future."


    Noelle found this a bit amusing. She did have shares on paper. But in her past life, those shares were all used to make amends to Xenia.


    So, in this life, she had never thought about those shares; they had nothing to do with her.


    Alfred sensed the off-putting tone and immediately added, "Ced is also a young achiever, developing in many areas. He''s invested in somepanies and will also receive dividends." Would Liddell Corporation dare to belittle Cedric for being poor?


    Frank took a sip of his wine and suddenly changed the subject. "Mr. Greene, you''re young and aplished. I wonder if you have a girlfriend?"


    Everyone was caught off guard by the sudden shift in topic.


    Noelle couldn''t help but nce at Cedric. She remembered she had asked him about this before. He had said no.


    Cedric tightly gripped his wine ss, and his lips pressed together as if hesitating.


    Alfred jumped in to answer. "Of course he does."


    Caught off guard by the answer, Noelle dropped her cutleries. She quickly bent down to pick them up, her face flushed, her heart suddenly racing. Cedric had a girlfriend? But he had said he didn''t before. Could something have happened while he was away on business recently?


    She picked up her cutleries, her eyes full ofplicated emotions as she looked at him. A strange sense of bitterness stirred in her heart. Cedric noticed the look in her eyes and understood it well.


    With a determined air, he answered slowly, "We''re still in the early stages."


    Noelle felt a buzzing sound filled her ears, and it seemed like she couldn''t hear anything else. So, he really had someone how. It made


    al.n


    sense someone as outstaliked


    him surely had women who


    him.


    as


    Noticing Noelle''s expression, Alfred couldn''t help but soften the mood. "It''s still in the early stages. Who knows if it will work out?"


    Frank smiled, half-mocking. "Mr. Greene, you''re so aplished. How could any woman not be interested? It all depends on what you think." Cedric lifted the wine ss and finished his drink. He nced at Noelle, but she had her head down, so he couldn''t see her expression.


    He knew he was doing something


    cruel. But if she ever found out who


    he really was, her situation would be a thousand times worse than it was now. So it was better to cut early.


    off


    He believed she would have a much more brilliant life. He couldn''t give her the happiness she wanted and had no right to.


    It was just a brief nce, but his thoughts went in countless directions. He casually smiled. "Who knows? It all depends on the feeling."


    Frank continued, "I know quite a few


    .C heiresses, and they''re about the right age for you, Mr. Greene. Fair skin, beautiful, long legs. Would you like to meet them?"


    Noelle''s eyshes fluttered, and she spoke up firmly. "There''s no need for that!"

 Chapter 129

    After Noelle finished her sentence, everyone in the room had aplicated expression. She looked up at Cedric, gathered her courage, and met his gaze. His thin lips were pressed together, and his hand, hanging by his side, slowly clenched, betraying a hint of hesitation.


    In his life, there had never been anything he feared. But now, he couldn''t figure out what she was thinking.


    Frank was even more surprised. "Noelle, what do you mean by that? What do you mean there''s no need?"


    He thought it was very necessary. He didn''t want Noelle to be entangled with Cedric. Frank was ready to deal with Cedric if he had ulterior motives for money.


    Noelle''s expression remained calm. "Frank, don''t casually introduce women to others. You weren''t this nosy before. A person as outstanding as Mr. Greene doesn''t need you to introduce anyone to him."


    He could only nod. "Alright. Whatever you say. Since you say so, I won''t insist. I was just concerned because Mr. Greene is your friend; that''s all."


    Alfred clicked his tongue, thinking only a fool would believe that. It was obvious that Frank was trying to test Cedric by introducing a potential partner.


    But it was convenient, as it aligned with Cedric''s intentions to return this time, so he went along with it naturally.


    Frank returned to his seat. "Noelle had some conflicts with our family earlier. I''m really grateful that you helped take care of her, Mr. Greene. I''ll remember this kindness and help when needed." "You''re wee."


    Cedric poured himself a ss of wine and took a few sips. Actually, he wasn''t a big fan of smoking or drinking, but at that moment, he inexplicably felt the need for a drink.


    His gaze unconsciously fell on Noelle, who was sitting properly in her chair, her long hair draped over her shoulders. Her skin was pale, exuding an air of quiet calm.


    He only nced at her briefly before quickly turning his gaze away. His mood inexplicably turned a little restless.


    The meal passed in near silence. Except for the main group, no one else from thepany dared to speak, let alone offer toasts.


    They were only on the receiving end


    of being urged to drink-none of


    them held the status high enough to initiate a drinking toast themselves.


    Noelle stood up and left the restaurant''s private room, her mind distracted as she walked ahead.


    Frank walked behind, intentionally matching Cedric''s pace. He spoke deliberately. "It''s my treat today, and thank you again for looking out for Noelle in the past."


    Cedric walked leisurely. "If you know she''s important, don''t do anything to hurt her."


    "Noelle is my sister. I am thest person in the world who would hurt her."


    "But you''re also the one most likely to hurt her." Cedric''s gaze was cold. "That, I believe you know better than I do."


    Frank was somewhat angered. "But you have no right to take care of her. Who do you think you are? What do you think of Noelle?" Cedric''s throat moved slightly. "A friend."


    Noelle heard the response from behind her, and she forced a smile, her eyes showing a trace of difort.


    Right. They were just friends. She quickened her pace down the stairs, her mind swimming in turmoil.


    The wind outside blew at her face, and it helped her regain a bit of rity.


    "Noelle,e back home with me." Frank looked at her with earnest eyes. He continued, "I promise I won''t act like before."


    From the corner of her eye, Noelle


    saw Cedric walking toward themet


    His steps were steady, his tall frame striking against the night. Her heart inexplicably raced.


    Alfred parked the car by the side of the road and rolled down the window. "Nelly, get in. We''re leaving."


    Noelle turned around and walked towards Alfred.


    Frank watched them, reluctant. "Noelle."

 Chapter 130

    Cedric stepped forward, blocking Frank. His eyebrows were slightly lowered, his expression cold and detached. "You should learn to respect her choices." "What do you know? I''m just worried about her living alone outside. It''s only natural for me to be concerned!


    "But you, a stranger, being so kind to her-you''re the one who seems suspicious!" Frank''s expression darkened.


    Cedric''s eyes remained distant. "She would rather leave with a stranger like me than return to the Liddell family. Don''t you think you should reflect on that?" After saying this, he walked toward Alfred''s car and sat in the front passenger seat.


    Noelle sat in the back. She turned her head and looked at Frank outside. "I can handle it on my own."


    "Noelle, I¡ª"


    Before Frank could finish his sentence, he suddenly coughed several times, and his hands were covered in blood.


    Upon seeing the blood, she pursed her lips. "You shouldn''t have drunk alcohol just now."


    "Noelle, I really-."


    He copsed in front of the car. Noelle immediately got out of the car. "Frank, are you alright?"


    James rushed over, looking very worried. "Ms. Liddell, Mr. Liddell hasn''t received treatment at the hospital. He insisted on being discharged when he found out you were going to the branch office. "We couldn''t persuade him. His condition is actually quite serious."


    Noelle was a little irritated. "He should go back to the hospital for treatment then!"


    What did he mean by leaving the hospital for her? She hadn''t asked him to do that.


    "His temper is hard to handle, Ms. Liddell. Once we get to the hospital, you might also want to talk to him."


    James instructed the driver to help Frank into the car. Then, he came back to look at Noelle with a pitiful expression. "Ms. Liddell, let''s go to the hospital together."


    She stood still, unmoving. "I''m not a doctor. It won''t help if I go."


    Alfred saw the blood on the ground and couldn''t help but speak up. "Why don''t we all go check on him?"


    Noelle nodded. "Sorry for the trouble."


    "It''s no trouble. We don''t have anything else to do. Let''s go together."


    Alfred could tell she was hesitating. After all, Frank was her brother. If his condition was serious, she should at least check on him.


    Once she got in the car, she remained silent.


    Cedric turned to look at her. "Don''t feel guilty. His illness isn''t your fault."


    "I know. I''ll just go and check. Then, I''ll leave," she said, feeling conflicted and frustrated.


    Alfred nced at the rearview


    mirror. "Nelly, even though he''s your brother, don''t forgive him too easily. What they did to you in the past can''t be brushed aside."


    "I know. I won''t go back on it." Noelle was very clear in her heart that she wouldn''t forgive them as it was a different matter. When the car arrived at the hospital, Frank was taken for an examination. The attending doctor sighed when he saw Noelle.


    "He didn''t receive treatmentst time and discharged himself early. Now he''s drinking again-this isn''t a good sign. If this continues, he''ll end up with stomach cancer sooner orter."


    Noelle looked at the scans in front of her. In her past life, although Frank had stomach issues, he had taken good care of himself, and it never worsened to this extent.


    As she left the office, she saw Cedric standing outside waiting. She walked over. "Where''s Alfred?"


    "He went to the bathroom. What did the doctor say?"


    "The doctor said he needs treatment and has to take medicine properly, or his condition will worsen into stomach cancer."


    Noelle''s mood was affected by this news.


    Cedric knew she was a kind person, or she wouldn''t havee to the hospital. He hesitated for a moment. "What are you nning to do?"


    "I don''t know." She looked up at him. "You already have a girlfriend so soon?"

 Chapter 131

    Noelle stood before Cedric, close enough that they were almost touching.


    He avoided her gaze. "We''re not together yet."


    "So you''re still in the flirting stage?"


    He gave an ambiguous reply, "Something like that."


    When she heard his admission, her heart sank. It was real.


    Just a moment ago, she wondered if he was only saying that to reject Frank''s attempt to set him up with a woman. She asked, "Is it the woman you met that time in the restaurant?"


    She had once seen him dining with a woman at a restaurant. Although she couldn''t see the woman''s face clearly, she remembered that she was tall and probably very beautiful. Cedric''s throat moved slightly. "I didn''t expect you to be so nosy."


    "I''m just curious. You just said you didn''t have a girlfriend, and now there''s news about you having one. Isn''t it okay to ask?" Noelle''s words felt insincere.


    At that moment, Frank, having finished his checkup, wheeled himself out of the examination room, looking a little pale.


    Noelle''s tone was distant when he saw him like this. "The doctor said you need treatment; take your medicine regrly and stop drinking."


    "I always forget. You used to be there to supervise me, but now that you''re not at home, I often forget." His words had a hidden meaning; he could see she was soft-hearted.


    It seemed that she still cared for him. If this illness could make her turn back, he would dly stay sick.


    Noelle gave a mocking smile. "You can have Xenia to remind you. She really likes doing that kind of thing."


    Frank was taken aback. "I think the medicinal congee you used to make was really effective, but you''re the only one who knows how to make it right now. I know you''ve put in a lot for me before... It''s my fault..." "But that''s not medicine, and it doesn''t help." She knew what he was implying, but she refused to engage.


    She looked at him. "Get your treatment. I''m leaving."


    "Noelle, will you... will youe visit me again?" There was a hopeful look in Frank''s eyes.


    Noelle felt a little soft-hearted but remembered seeing Xenia at the hospitalst time. She responded calmly, "I''ll see how things go."


    With that, she turned and left.


    He watched her back and turned to James. "Do you think what she said just now means she''s starting to forgive me?"


    James felt that wasn''t the case. Frank still had a long way to go to win Noelle back.


    Noelle returned to her apartment.


    Alfred walked ahead. "I''m in a hurry to use the bathroom, so I''ll go first. You guys can take your time."


    Noelle followed behind Cedric. She turned to him and said, "I didn''t expect thatpany to be run by Alfred. Are you working there, too?" "Yeah. I used some connections."


    The two of them entered the


    elevator side by side. She was in a


    bad mood when she saw their reflections on the doors. She caught a whiff of the alcohol on him. "You still haven''t answered my question."


    Cedric tugged at his cor, his gaze heavy as he looked at her. "What question?" "The woman you''re flirting with. Is it the one from the restaurant that day?"


    He suddenly took a step forward, looking down at her. "Why do you need to know?"


    Facing his intense gaze, Noelle hurriedly stepped back until her back was pressed against the elevator wall She bit her lip. "I just want to know, can''t I?"


    "Children shouldn''t ask too many questions regarding adult matters."


    "But I''m already an adult. I could date in college." Noelle''s words were firm, her almond-shaped eyes clear and bright, reflecting his image.


    Cedric frowned tightly. "You''re still young."


    "I''m of legal age. Why am I still young?"


    His mood became inexplicably


    irritable. He flicked her forehead lightly. On college, there are plenty of other things you could focus on besides dating."


    She covered her forehead. But he could date, so why was he restricting her?


    Just then, the elevator doors opened.

 Chapter 132

    Noelle ran off right after.


    Cedric stepped out of the elevator and saw her mming the door behind her. He rubbed his temples, still a bit dizzy from drinking so much. It had been a while since he had drunk this much. He returned to the nearby apartment, where Alfred sat on the couch ying on his phone. He looked up and asked, "You''re back. How did it go?"


    "What do you mean by that?"


    "Don''t y dumb. You mentioned having a girlfriend during dinner, and Noelle''s reaction was pretty strong. Don''t pretend you didn''t notice." Cedric poured himself a ss of water and leaned against the table.


    His eyes were dark, slowly swirling the ss. "Once she goes to college, she''ll forget about today."


    She would grow once she saw the wider world. The only thing he could do was watch her go.


    Alfred nced at Cedric. "Let''s hope so."


    But he still felt something was off with Cedric. He cared too much about Noelle.


    Maybe Cedric didn''t even realize it, but this concern might have slowly transformed into something else without him noticing.


    In the following days, Noelle felt awkward around Cedric. After all, she did like him a little. But now, he was involved with someone else.


    At this point, she was almost certain that her online boyfriend from her past life was not Cedric.


    Though their in-game names were the same, it couldn''t have been the same person. Noelle thought about how her online crush from her past life would soon appear in the game in less than half a month.


    She thought she might just bump into him. So, every afternoon and evening, she made sure to log in on time to grind dungeons because that''s how she had met him in her previous life.


    However, after several days, she hadn''t encountered that name. While streaming one evening, Noelle noticed her fans were asking about the finals.


    "Queen Nelly, will you participate in the finals?"


    "With the lineup for Team Luminark, if you''re not in, they''ll probably be knocked out in the first round."


    "Since the Liddell family is so biased, why don''t they let the bitch go to the finals? Queen Nelly isn''t someone who can just be summoned and dismissed!" Noelle nced at the time and realized the finals were tomorrow. She hadn''t nned on participating, so she hadn''t kept track of the dates.


    She noticed Frank and Lucas''


    names on the fan leaderboard. They were both online, meaning they were watching the stream. Perhaps the questions from the fans had been deliberately arranged.


    She responded calmly, "I don''t n on participating in thispetition, but I''ll definitely join the next one."


    It was better to clear things up now


    than deal with troubleter. Aftcas


    she said that, she noticed that


    had left the stream. Hopefully, he would realize his ce.


    Meanwhile, Lucas angrily exited the stream, feeling aplex mixture of emotions. At that moment, he finally realized Noelle wouldn''t participate in thepetition.


    He had always held onto a certain expectation, thinking she wouldn''t abandon the Liddell family''s honor. After all, it had always been so important to her.


    Didn''t she return to participate


    during the revival matchst time?


    He had always believed she wouldn''t miss the finals, thinking it was just her throwing a tantrum. But this time, he had miscalcted


    Lucas helplessly looked at Frank. "Frank, what should I do?"


    "Lucas, I''ve told you before that your apologycked sincerity, and you''ve been bullying and insulting her. If it were me, I wouldn''t forgive you either."


    "But I''ve always talked to Noelle like that since we were kids, and she never got mad. Why did she suddenly change?"


    Lucas couldn''t understand. "When we argued before, I did not want to lose my dignity as her brother. She''s my little sister; how could I really hurt her?" When someone hit Noelle at the branch office that day, didn''t he rush to help immediately?


    He just didn''t say anything, so why couldn''t she understand?


    "Lucas, what are you nning to do about thepetition?"


    "I''ll ask Donovan. He must have a way to get Noelle to participate in thepetition."

 Chapter 133

    Lucas responded without hesitation. After all, everyone in the Liddell family listened to Donovan; no one dared to go against him-not even Noelle.


    He remembered how terrified Noelle was of Donovan. She would never have the nerve to defy him.


    Frank was furious. "Do you even hear yourself? At this rate, you''re just going to push Noelle further away!"


    Lucas didn''t seem to understand-Noelle wasn''t being difficult just because she was upset.


    "But what else can I do? We still don''t have a proper gunner. If she doesn''t show up tomorrow, we''re definitely going to lose!"


    Lucas couldn''t stand the idea of losing the game. It only hit him now: he had already lost Noelle''s support.


    "Even so, you can''t force Noelle to join the match! Is the match more important than your sister? What you''re doing will only make you lose her. Think about it, will you?" Reluctantly, Lucas lowered his head and muttered, "Can''t Noelle just cut me some ck for once? She knows how much this match means to me, yet she keeps using it against me." "It doesn''t matter if you lose the match, Lucas. But if you pressure her by dragging Donovan into this, you''ll lose her for good. Is the match really more important than your sister?" With that, Frank closed his eyes, refusing to say more. Every time he talked to Lucas, it just made him angrier. Now, he finally understood what Noelle had been dealing with all this time. Lucas froze, and his thoughts were in chaos. After a moment, he left the ward and found James waiting outside.


    "Frank knows where Noelle is staying, doesn''t he?" he asked.


    "Why do you want to know, Mr. Liddell?" James replied cautiously.


    "To make things right." Lucas finally admitted to himself that Noelle was no longer the sister he used to know. That was the truth he had been avoiding.


    After a brief pause, James gave him an address, hoping Lucas truly understood the weight of his actions.


    Lucas went straight to Noelle''s apartment, but the address didn''t include her unit number.


    He waited downstairs for a long


    time until Noelle finished her livestream. It was only then that he sent her message. When he opened the chat window, though, he saw that Noelle had already removed him from her friend list.


    Frank''s words finally hit him-had he been so terribly wrong all along?


    Lucas sent a friend request with a message: "Noelle, I''m waiting downstairs. We''ve been at odds for so long; let''s talk."


    Noelle had just finished her


    livestream when she noticed the request. She opened it and saw Lucas''s profile. It was obvious he was panicking because the finals were the next day.


    atit


    She nced at it briefly and ignored the request. Upon leaving the study, she noticed Cedric on the balcony speaking on the phone. Under the dim light, his side profile exuded a mature and effortless charm


    She held her cup and slowly approached him, catching the gentle expression on his face and the warmth in his voice.


    Her thoughts drifted to the woman Cedric had been in contact with. Was he talking to her now?


    The idea made her mood sink. She took a sip of her lemonade to steady herself when another notification lit up her phone.


    Opening the app, she saw Lucas''s follow-up message: "I''ll wait here until youe down. If the paparazzi spot me, your address won''t stay private."


    Noelle felt annoyed. She knew Lucas frequently appeared in entertainment headlines and was often followed by paparazzi.


    However, she didn''t want her peaceful life disrupted. After thinking it over, she decided to go downstairs.


    "Where are you going?"


    As Noelle was changing her shoes at the entrance, Cedric''s voice came from behind her. She looked up to see him stepping back from the balcony, his tall figure filling the space.

 Chapter 134

    Cedric''s gentle expression stirred a bitter feeling in Noelle''s heart.


    "Lucas is downstairs," she said, lowering her eyes uneasily. "He said he wants to talk."


    "And you''re just going to meet him because he said so?" Cedric frowned. "He''s only here because he needs you for tomorrow''s finals." "I know."


    "Then, there''s no reason for you to go," Cedric said firmly, his tone bordering onmanding.


    Feeling a sudden rebellious streak, Noelle pressed her lips together.


    "I''ll be back in a minute. You should get back to what you were doing," she said before closing the door behind her without hesitation.


    Cedric stared at the closed door for a long time before rubbing his temples. Was she throwing a tantrum at him just now?


    He stepped out onto the balcony, where he could see the building''s entrance. Sure enough, Lucas was standing by his car.


    Leaning on the railing with one arm, Cedric narrowed his eyes at the entrance. Soon, Noelle appeared, her small figure moving slowly. Cedric watched her for a moment longer before turning back inside.


    Meanwhile, Noelle found herself reflecting on her earlier actions, wondering if she had been too obvious. Her emotions churned with mixed feelings. She couldn''t resist ncing back at her apartment, only to see the balcony was empty. With a slight pang of disappointment, she looked away and reminded herself not to dwell on Cedric anymore. After calming herself, she walked toward the entrance, where Lucas was leaning casually against his car door. "What do you want? Make it quick-my time is precious," she said, her tone t as she approached.


    Lucas looked at her long, searchingly, finallying to terms with the fact that his sister had truly changed.


    In a stiff voice, he said, "I''ll admit it-I haven''t treated you right in the past. I didn''t consider your feelings and made you put up with a lot."


    A flicker of surprise crossed Noelle''s face. "Well, this is a rare sight-a sincere apology from you. So, are you finished?"


    "Tell me what you''re thinking, Noelle," Lucas replied. "I always thought our disagreements were just small squabbles-nothing serious enough to affect anything important."


    Noelle let out a mockingugh. "Lucas, if you think a simple apology can sweep everything under the rug or worse, guilt-trip me intopliance-save your breath."


    "That''s not what I meant," Lucas quickly added.


    "Oh, I know exactly what you meant," Noelle said coldly, her gaze cold and distant. "You think just because you''ve apologized that I should let bygones be bygones and join the team for the finals out of some sense of duty. "Let me make this clear: I''m not doing it."


    Lucas panicked. "But you''ve always


    cared about the team''s sess.


    fn


    You were the one who supported me in starting it! And now, when the team has made it to the national finals for the first time, you''re just going to quit?"


    He couldn''t wrap his head around it. Noelle, who used to care so deeply, was now walking away.


    Noelle''s expression turned sardonic. "Don''t bother with the dramatics, Lucas. If Xenia weren''t so terrible at gaming, or if you''d already found a better gunner, you wouldn''t even be here begging me. Let''s stop pretending, shall we?"


    "Th-that''s not true," Lucas stammered.


    "All you care about is the results-whether the team wins or loses. You don''t really give a damn about everyone else," Noelle said. She had seen through Lucas''s true nature long ago but had chosen to stay silent. Now that everything wasid bare, she wasn''t holding back.


    Lucas staggered slightly. His voice cracked as he shouted, "It''s not just about the team-I care about you, too! Without you, the team isn''t what I envisioned!"


    At that moment, the reason he had started the team resurfaced-it had been for Noelle. But somewhere along the way, he had forgotten that. Now, as she stood ready to leave, it all came back to him-but it seemed to have been toote.


    "Noelle, can''t you give the team another chance?" he asked, his voice heavy with a yearning to make things right.

 Chapter 135

    Noelle''s expression was cold. "No."


    She didn''t want to look back, nor did she want to return to the team and relive that life again.


    Lucas stood frozen, pale, and speechless, as if all his strength had drained away. Frank was right. Lucas had the chance to make things right, yet he hadn''t taken it.


    Noelle walked back into the residential area but didn''t go straight upstairs. Instead, she took a stroll.


    She thought about the grievances she had suffered in her past life within the team. This time, she had finally settled the score. There was no way she was going to participate in the finals.


    In her past life, Lucas had reced her with Xenia, giving up her chance at winning the championship. This time, she would make sure Lucas lost his chance at victory.


    Noelle looked up at the sky, silently swearing to herself she would never make the same mistakes again.


    "Hey, beautiful, feeling down all by yourself?" Out of nowhere, a middle-aged man appeared, eyeing Noelle with a predatory gaze. "How about a drink at my ce?" "No, thanks," Noelle refused sharply, her expression wary as she moved toward a more crowded area.


    "Don''t go, sweetheart. I know where you live," the man smirked. "You''re the little mistress of those two men, aren''t you? Whatever they''re paying you, I''ll double it." Noelle quickened her pace, the sound of the man''s panting footsteps close behind. Fear pricked her spine. She hadn''t expected to run into such a creep on her walk. Suddenly, someone grabbed her hand, making her shriek in fright and close her eyes tightly.


    "Noelle!" Cedric pulled her into his arms, holding her close. "What happened?"


    Noelle opened her eyes and saw it was him. Instinctively, she nced toward the garden path. It was pitch ck, and the man was nowhere to be seen. Noelle took a moment to calm down before saying, "Someone harassed me just now."


    "Where is he?" Cedric asked.


    "Over there, but he seems to have backed off," she replied, assuming the man had been intimidated by Cedric''s presence.


    Cedric noticed how pale she looked and sighed, "I told you not toe down alone."


    Still shaken, Noelle muttered, "Who knew I''d be so unlucky?"


    It was only then that she realized she was still in Cedric''s arms. Feeling embarrassed, she pulled away to put some distance between them.


    Cedric retracted his arms and asked, "Do you want to call the police?"


    "Yes, let''s do that." Noelle nodded.


    Just then, an elderly woman


    approached and said, "That path has a blind spot in the surveince cameras. Someone reported a simr incident before, but they never caught that creep.


    "Youngdy, you should avoid walking alone in deserted ces at night. It''s dangerous."


    Noelle nodded, not having expected to run into something like this.


    A flicker of cold anger shed in Cedric''s eyes, but he quickly masked it. "Let''s head back for now."


    Noelle didn''t want to stay outside


    any longer, either. She couldn''t e shake the feeling that someone was watching her. Back in the apartment, she sat on the couch, her mind reying the events.


    "Here, have some warm water."


    She looked up to see a pair of long, slender hands offering her a cup. Taking it, she murmured, "Thanks."


    Noticing how pale she looked,


    Cedric spoke gently. "I''ll look into that creep. If someone moves, they leave a trace. There''s no such thing


    as a surveince camera blind spot."


    en


    If Noelle was going to continue living here, he needed to make sure the ce was safe for her.


    Noelle looked up at him and asked, "Are you saying you want to hack into the surveince system?"


    "You watch too many dramas, youngdy. That''s illegal." Cedric lectured her with a solemn expression. "What you need to do right now is get some rest." Noelle hesitated. "But that man knows where I live, and he knows about you two."


    She left out the part where the man had imed she was their mistress-it wasn''t true, so there was no point mentioning it.


    Cedric''s expression darkened. He hadn''t expected anyone to be so brazen.


    "You''re staying here tonight," he said tly.


    Noelle nodded. "I''ll take the couch."


    Cedric frowned. "No, you''ll sleep in my room. I''ll take the couch."

 Chapter 136

    Noelle''s heart skipped a beat at the thought of sleeping in Cedric''s room.


    "Isn''t Alfreding back?" she asked, knowing there were only two bedrooms and no spare room for guests. "His room is aplete mess. Trust me. You don''t want to risk it," Cedric said.


    After a moment''s thought, Noelle suggested, "Actually, I can just sleep on the couch. I won''t be in any trouble."


    "Just take my room," Cedric insisted. "I''ve got some work to finish tonight anyway, so I probably won''t be sleeping." His tone was steady. Though there was something slightly off in his expression-he hid it well.


    Eventually, Noelle went back to her ce next door to grab a change of clothes while Cedric waited by the door. When she came out and saw him standing there, an unexpected wave of security washed over her. She entered Cedric''s bedroom and found it simple and clean, much tidier than she''d expected.


    Cedric brought in a fresh nket. "Here, use this."


    "Thank you," she replied.


    After cing the nket down, Cedric left the room without lingering. With just the two of them in the apartment, it didn''t feel appropriate for him to stay.


    Noelle nced back and saw him standing in the doorway. The light from the living room cast his figure in a long, shadowy silhouette.


    "Get some rest. If you need anything, just call me," he said, his gaze steady and unreadable. With that, he closed the door behind him.


    Noelle stood there for a moment, taking in the room. Cedric''s bedroom was sparsely furnished but immactely clean-nothing like the stereotypical messy bachelor pad she''d heard about.


    After a shower and a change into fresh clothes, she settled into the bed. That was when she noticed it a faint scent on the nket.


    The scent was subtle but familiar, just like him. It gave her an odd, indescribable feeling, as if he were right there, wrapping her in his presence.


    Her cheeks flushed at the thought.


    Pulling her head out from under the nket, she took a deep breath and tried to steady her thoughts. She had to stop overthinking before things got weird.


    Though she had expected to spend the night wide awake, the sense of security she felt here surprised her. Before she realized it, she had fallen fast asleep. Meanwhile, Cedric entered the study and powered hisputer. With a quick system switch, his tone turned icy. "Have you tracked down that creep yet?"


    "Found him-Peter Todd," Alfred''s voice came through. "Damn, that scumbag lives right in our building He''s been stealing underwear from clotheslines and even has a


    telescope set up on his balcony for spying!"


    Cedric''s expression darkened. "What floor?"


    "I just sent you the address. Make sure to kick his ass for me!" Alfred added.


    Cedric shut theputer, sent a quick message, and lingered for a moment outside his bedroom before leaving the apartment.


    In the hallway, a line of men in ck waited silently. They wore white gloves, baseball caps, and masks, blending seamlessly into the shadows.


    Cedric''s face was unreadable; he led them into the elevator. Without a word, they ascended to Peter''s floor.


    At the target unit, one of Cedric''s men swiped an electronic key card on the door lock. The door clicked open.


    Inside, faint moaning sounds


    emanated from the study. Following


    the noise, C¨¨dric found the


    middle-aged man, Peter, engrossed in watching adult content,


    swn yelme


    Peter froze in shock when he finally noticed the strangers in the doorway. "W-Who are you?" he stammered.


    Cedric turned away, raising his hand in a calm, deliberate motion. The men in ck surged forward to the study, closing the door behind them.


    Cedric stepped onto the balcony, gazing at the starry sky. His lips curled with icy disdain.


    After a while, the study door opened. Cedric walked back inside to find Peter kneeling on the floor, battered and trembling with fear.


    "P-Please, sir, I don''t know what I did to offend you!" Peter pleaded. "If it''s money you want, my safe is yours!"


    Cedric towered over him, his gaze sharp and unrelenting.


    Peter''s back was drenched in cold sweat. He dared not utter another word.


    Cedric took a pair of gloves and pped Reter''s face with them, "What''s the matter? Didn''t you just im + was keeping a young female student as a mistress? Lost your memory already?"


    He had already uncovered the part of the story Noelle had intentionally left unsaid.

 Chapter 137

    Cedric stood in the dimly lit study, his figure merging into the darkness. The thought of what Noelle had endured ignited the spark of his anger into an uncontroble ze. He couldn''t bear the idea of anyone harboring such vile intentions toward the woman he had been so careful to protect.


    Peter finally realized the gravity of his mistake and quickly pleaded, "I''m so sorry! I shouldn''t have said that. Please! I didn''t mean it-I swear!"


    Peter had no idea that the two young men he had insulted had such powerful backgrounds. It was clear from their actions that they were no ordinary people. The watch Cedric wore alone was enough to show that-it was an exclusive, discontinued model that mere money couldn''t buy.


    Peter deeply regretted his actions. If he had known, he would never have stepped out of his apartment that night.


    Cedric looked at him with a faint contemptuous smile tugging at his lips. "If apologies were enough, why would we need the police?"


    "How about I apologize to her in person?" Peter suggested.


    "Don''t even think about showing your disgusting face in front of her," Cedric warned coldly. "Your only option now is to turn yourself in at the police station."


    With that, Cedric left the study and made his way back downstairs to his apartment, his ruthless presence lingering in the air. After washing the blood off his hands, he silently opened the door to his bedroom, instinctively stepping inside.


    However, he stopped after only a few steps, realizing he was still filled with intense rage; he didn''t want to bring that energy near her.


    Cedric stood at a distance and watched Noelle sleep, the storm of anger slowly subsiding. Then, he pulled his gaze away, quietly leaving the room.


    The next morning, Noelle woke up with a yawn, surprised at how well she had slept. After changing out of her pajamas, she stepped out of the bedroom and noticed a nket on the couch but Cedric was nowhere to be seen. "Good morning," Cedric said as he emerged from the study, his expression unreadable.


    Noelle cleared her throat awkwardly before responding, "Morning. I guess you didn''t sleep wellst night?"


    Clearly, the couch was too short for him, so she imagined it couldn''t have been veryfortable.


    "I napped," Cedric, now dressed in a crisp white outfit, replied casually. "That man was arrestedst night."


    "Really?" Noelle''s eyes widened in disbelief. "That was fast. I thought that area was a blind spot for surveince."


    She couldn''t help but wonder if Cedric had something to do with it.


    Noticing her gaze, Cedric turned his head slightly and said, "That man ran out of luck this time. He left some traces behind."


    Noelle sighed in relief. "I see. Good,


    thing he was caught; otherwise,


    ''t feel safe walking around


    the neighborhood at night.


    belongs to en.kikit


    She believed she wasn''t the only victim in the neighborhood. With Peter caught, the neighborhood would be much safer for everyone.


    Suddenly, Noelle''s phone rang. She


    picked it up and heard, "Ms. Liddell, today''s the national finals. Firestorm is livestreaming thepetition with a special guest event. Will you be able to join us?"


    "You mean at the event venue?" Noelle asked.


    "Yes, I''ve sent you an e-ticket. Pleasee when you''re free."


    After ending the call, Noelle turned to Cedric and said, "Firestorm just sent me a ticket for today''s match. They''re wondering if I want to go


    watch."


    "So, are you going?" Cedric asked.


    "Of course! Why not?" Noelle smiled. After all, she was invited as a special guest.


    Cedric was relieved to see her smile, knowing she wasn''t affected by the previous night''s incident.


    During lunch, Noelle couldn''t help but notice Cedric constantly replying to messages on his phone.


    "Texting thatdy again?" she asked, unable to hide her curiosity.


    Cedric paused, looking up at her. "Why are you so interested in my love life?"


    "Nothing, just asking," Noelle mumbled, lowering her gaze nervously. "So, is she from here? How did you meet her?" Cedric gave her a quiet, calm look, his gaze steady.

 Chapter 138

    Noelle''s heart sank a little at Cedric''s response. "Okay, fine. If you don''t want to talk about it, I won''t ask again."


    Feeling her appetite slip away, she put down her spoon and stood up. "I should get going-don''t want to get caught in traffic."


    Before she left, Cedric said nonchntly, "Remember, don''t go soft."


    Noelle nced at his charming face, recalling how he had been messaging earlier. Her heart hardened. "I won''t. Going soft on men is just cruel to oneself."


    With that, she grabbed her bag and stormed out.


    Cedric watched her leave, a faint smirk tugging at his lips. He wondered who she was referring to.


    He slowly took out his phone and sent Alfred a message: "Less gossip, fewer beatings."


    Alfred had been bombarding him with messages since the early hours of the morning.


    Noelle took the elevator out of the building. At the entrance, she overheard a group of elderly people chatting.


    "They finally caught that pervert. I heard he got a real beating."


    "Serves him right. If I''d been there, I''d have kicked him a few times, too. That pervert even harassed my granddaughter once."


    Noelle felt a little lighter after hearing the conversation. She hailed a cab and headed for thepetition venue. When she arrived, the area was packed with traffic. It seemed like there were far more fans here than at the revival match. She nced at the team logos and captain photos on the poster and saw Magnus-the captain of Team Celestial.


    In her previous life, Magnus had suddenly dropped out of the finals, so she never got the chance topete with him. A wave of regret washed over Noelle.


    She couldn''t help but think that if Magnus hadn''t withdrawn, Team Luminark would never have had a chance at the championship.


    After all, no matter how skilled she was, she couldn''t possibly take down a top-tier team on her own.


    "Hey, Queen! I thought you weren''ting to this match," Rachel greeted, wearing a Team Celestial fan t-shirt, clearly showing her support for the team. Noelle smiled. "I wasn''t nning to, but Firestorm invited me as a special guest for their live event. It''s a VIP spot-there''s no way I''m missing this." Firestorm had given Noelle two tickets, so she invited Rachel toe along. Just then, a sudden burst of fan screams erupted from the side. Noelle nced over and saw Team Luminark''s bus pulling up. Fans quickly swarmed toward it.


    She spotted Lucas walking ahead of the team, with Xenia in the group as well. Clearly, Lucas couldn''t find anyone else, so he let Xenia take over the role.


    Xenia couldn''t hide her pride as she soaked in attention, enjoying the moment of being surrounded by fans. She even received gifts, which brightened her mood even more.


    "Lucas, is it true that your sister Noelle isn''t ying in today''s match?"


    "Without Noelle, how confident are you about the team''s chances?"


    When the reporters mentioned


    Noelle, Lucas''s expression


    darkened. He replied coldly, "It''s not


    unusual for teams to make lineup


    changes. All our yers will give their best in this match.


    "As for the gunner position, I believe Xenia is more than capable. After all,petition isn''t just about skill, it''s also the chemistry between


    ve


    teammates, especially since we''re family."


    en


    Xenia, who was standing beside him, smiled. "I''ve learned from my past mistakes, and I''ll do my best this time." She didn''t think Noelle''s absence would make much of a difference.


    "Noelle''s here!"


    Someone shouted, and immediately, the attention of reporters and fans shifted from Lucas to the other side. The area suddenly cleared out, leaving Lucas and his team in quiet solitude. A fan approached Xenia and said, "Sorry, this gift is actually for Noelle. I gave it to you by mistake."


    Fuming, Xenia threw the gift back. She couldn''t care less about some stupid present.


    for


    Not far away, Noelle found herself surrounded by a swarm of reporters. She hadn''t intended to be caught interviews at the entrance, especially with the match about to start. Unfortunately, escaping seemed impossible now.


    "Ms. Liddell, are you really sitting this one out?"


    "In your opinion, how high are Team Luminark''s chances of winning without you as the gunner?" Noelle nced at Lucas and Xenia in the distance before responding coldly, "In my opinion? Zero."

 Chapter 139

    Noelle''s response was sharp and loaded with hostility.


    The reporters were stunned by her bluntness. Lucas''s face darkened-he hadn''t expected her to dismiss his abilities so openly. Before he could respond, Xenia quickly stepped in. "Noelle, how can you say that? The match hasn''t even started yet.


    "Our team has worked so hard to get here. Just because you''re gifted doesn''t mean you can look down on us."


    Lucas''s expression darkened further, his frustration palpable.


    Noelle responded with a cold smile, "I was just joking. Don''t take it so seriously."


    Xenia pressed on, "Noelle, it''s fine if you''re sitting out, but do you really have to tear us down like this?"


    "I''m only trying to help," Noelle replied indifferently. "Better to keep you grounded before the match than to let you get overconfident and blow it, right?"


    She turned to the reporters with a smirk. "Lucas has a pointpetitions aren''t just about individual skills.


    "Teamwork and synergy are key. Ms. Quigley and Lucas clearly have an amazing connection, so I believe they''ll ovee every obstacle and crush thepetition." Lucas''s expression turned even darker-he knew she was being sarcastic.


    Xenia couldn''t hold back her frustration. "Noelle, did youe here today just to make fun of us?"


    "No," Noelle replied. "For the record, I''m here as a special guest. Otherwise, I wouldn''t have bothered showing up." Just then, a fan approached her with a gift. "Noelle, we''re your fans-NellyBerries! We made this for you!"


    Noelle was caught off guard by their enthusiasm. Momentarily flustered, she responded, "Thank you, everyone." Before she knew it, she was surrounded by fans asking for photos, leaving Xenia standing awkwardly on the sidelines. Frustrated, Xenia turned to Lucas. "Do something, Lucas! This is our match-we''re supposed to be the stars of the show!" She couldn''t stand how effortlessly Noelle had stolen all the attention.


    Lucas recalled Noelle''s biting remarks from the night before. Unable to stand the situation any longer, he stormed off without a word. Xenia had no choice but to follow him, her anger simmering inside her.


    Half an hourter, Noelle finally managed to break free from the crowd. Waving to her fans, she called out, "The match is about.


    You don''t want to miss anyone


    start. Go find your seats and enjoy!


    Rachel tugged her along as they walked inside. "I told you: you should''ve worn a mask! Now you see how passionate your fans are!"


    "I never expected anything like this," Noelle admitted. As they entered the venue, Noelle took in the packed crowd.


    She knew their opposing team for this match was formidable their captain was known for staying calm under pressure.


    Lucas, on the other hand, had a fiery temper. If he wasn''t careful, his outbursts could give their opponents the upper hand.


    In her previous life, Noelle had endured Lucas'' tantrums to secure this very victory. Now, she was curious to see how things would y out without her on the team. She doubted if anyone-not even Xenia-could keep Lucas in check.


    "Noelle, here''s some popcorn and drinks." Frank appeared out of nowhere, holding two servings of popcorn and beverages.


    He took the seat next to her and said, "This match is going to be a long one. Better have something to snack on."


    Noelle shot him a nce. "Frank, instead of sitting here munchingon popcorn, maybe you should be figuring out how to stop the Liddell family''s team from an embarrassing defeat."


    "Lucas brought this on himself. He has no one else to me," Frank replied with a shrug. "Maybe losing will knock some sense into him."


    He had no faith in Team Luminark pulling off a win. Without Noelle, the odds were slim, and with Xenia''s terrible skills, the oue was all but decided.


    Rachel, awkwardly holding the


    popcorn Frank handed her, hesitated


    before speaking. "Honestly, Team


    Luminark could''ve just brought in a


    top-tier gunner. Why on earth would they put their faith in Xenia?


    "This is suicide! Everyone saw how bad she was in the revival match."


    Noelle''s lips curled into a faint smirk. "Because they''re family. Blood is thicker than water."

 Chapter 140

    Frank choked at Noelle''s words. He couldn''t understand Lucas''s intention, either. Was he trying to spite Noelle?


    The match quickly kicked off. Noelle watched as the match unfolded and, as she predicted, Team Luminark was headed for a crushing defeat.


    As expected, Lucas''s temper red up quickly. He tried to go on the offense, but Xenia couldn''t keep up, constantly exposing their positions. Every time she took a shot, she missed. Lucas cursed angrily, "Xenia, what''s wrong with you? I told you to shoot the enemy! Are you blind? How can you miss from this close?"


    "I''m trying! But they have someone holding me back," Xenia said, feeling frustrated that no one was covering for her.


    Soon, the enemy team closed in.


    Lucas kept cursing as he moved, "Xenia, I told you to snipe their mage. Come on, hit him!"


    "I really tried. They''re guarding him well, and no one is protecting me."


    "You''re gunner; that''s what you''re supposed to do! If Noelle were here, she''d get the job done!" Lucas blurted out.


    At that moment, the team fell silent. Lucas had voiced what everyone was thinking-if Noelle had been there, things wouldn''t have gone this way.


    Xenia burst into tears. "I may not be as capable as Noelle, but I''ve been giving it my all. What more do you want from me, Lucas? You were the one who acted recklessly and got ambushed!"


    "Enough with the excuses!" Lucas snapped. "We were in a worse situation in the revival match, but Noelle still managed to push through! You told me you could handle this-do you really think you can fucking do this now?" Lucas was on the verge of breaking down.


    If Xenia hadn''t kept insisting on how much she had been training, and if he hadn''t been impressed by her performance in the previous match, he might not have believed she was capable of handling this match.


    Who would have thought that Xenia had actually made no progress at all? No words could capture the depth of Lucas''s regret in the moment.


    Xenia continued to cry as she followed the team. In the end, they lost the match in a crushing defeat.


    Lucas mmed his keyboard in


    frustration and red coldly at Xenia. "You have the nerve to tell me you''ve made progress when you y like shit. This is a match, Xenia! Not some practice session! You''re not even half as good as Noelle, for crying out loud!"


    It wasn''t fair to make theparison. But now, Lucas finally understood how much Noelle had handled for him in the past, how she''d taken care of everything so he didn''t have to worry.


    It was when he started managing


    the team on his own that he realized


    just how much she had been


    doing-and how he had beenpletely oblivious to it. Without Noelle as the core of the team, it was impossible to keep going.


    Xenia was stunned. She never expected Lucas tosh out like this, especially not in front of everyone, andpare her to Noelle.


    When she noticed the cameras on her, she quickly wiped her tears and said, "I''m sorry. I really tried! I''m sorry!"


    "All you do is cry! Can crying fix this?" Lucas snapped, nearly losing hisposure.


    He looked up and saw Noelle in the VIP seats. His expression shifted to one of embarrassment and unease.


    Without Noelle, he was nothing. He needed her more than she needed him. Just then, the live broadcast cut to Noelle.

 Chapter 141

    Noelle wasn''t surprised by the oue of the match at all; she knew it would turn out like this.


    If Lucas hadn''t insisted on making Xenia the gunner and had instead brought in another expert, they probably wouldn''t have lost so miserably-they might not have lost at all. Yet, Lucas had chosen Xenia as the gunner, probably trying to prove that she alone was enough for the team. It seemed Lucas'' stubbornness hadn''t changed a bit.


    Noelle smiled at the thought. She wasn''t sure if Lucas was satisfied with how things turned out, but she certainly was.


    In her previous life, she had worked tirelessly to help the team win the championship, only to be reced by Xenia at thest minute, who took all the credit for the victory.


    This time, she stepped aside and watched as Lucas''s team fell apart. Back on stage, Lucas stormed off without a word, his expression dark.


    When the winning team was interviewed, the captain nced over at Noelle in the audience. "This match turned out easier than we expected. We were prepared for elimination, but we didn''t expect Noelle to sit this one out and give us a lucky break." They all knew that if Noelle had yed, with her ability to perform a 12-hitbo, they wouldn''t have stood a chance.


    Noelle took a sip of her drink as a reporter handed her a microphone and asked, "Ms. Liddell, do you have anything to say about today''s match?"


    "Well, inpetition, there will always be winners and losers. It''s part of the game. But I believe the final champion will bring honor and make the country proud," Noelle said, offering a diplomatic response.


    "Let''s go, Rachel," she added, standing up.


    After Noelle left, Frank headed to the locker room, where he found Lucas venting his frustration.


    Xenia was being berated mercilessly. She felt wronged, still believing she had done her part but that the rest of the team had let her down.


    Frank approached and said, "Alright, everyone. It''s been a tough day. Why don''t you head to the bus first?"


    After the rest of the team left, Xenia wiped her tears and said, "Frank, I really did my best."


    "I know. Go on with the others first," Frank urged.


    Xenia didn''t want to stay any longer and hurriedly walked out.


    "Frank, do you really think Xenia did her best? Her performance could barely bepared to Noelle''s


    shouldn''t have trusted her!" Lucas


    fumed.


    "You can''t me her," Frank replied. "You knew her abilities, but you still brought her in to spite Noelle. This is on you, Lucas."


    Lucas couldn''t let go of his


    frustration. He admitted he had


    he


    wanted to get back at Noelle, poorly.  ve


    never expected Xenia to y so


    He thought she had improved, even just a little. But he was sorely mistaken!


    "Lucas, Xenia did what she could. You can''t put all the me on her. You''re the one who pushed Noelle away. No one else is to me."


    Lucas slumped into a chair, defeated. "I just couldn''t ept Noelle''s change. It happened so quickly! I thought she was just upset."


    "I warned you, but you didn''t listen. Now it''s time to think it through," Frank said, his tone firm.


    Lucas covered his face in his hands, overwhelmed with emotions.


    He finally realized how much he missed Noelle his life just didn''t feel right without her.


    ...


    When Noelle left the venue, she was


    quickly surrounded by fans. She managed to hail a taxi and finally rxed when she got back to her apartment.


    Alfred was sitting on the couch. "So, how did you feel about the match, Nelly?"


    "It felt great!" Noelle replied, not missing a beat.

 Chapter 142

    Noelle walked over and sat down. Even though she already knew how thepetition would turn out, watching it unfold still felt satisfying. "Nelly, look! Someone made a voiceovermentary video about today''s match. It''s hrious!"


    Noelle nced at the video, and thementary poked fun at Xenia''s foolish moves. The voiceover added some hrious lines.


    "Ms. Little Bitch, your shooting speed can''t keep up with your crying speed!


    "I''m telling you, you''re a gunner, not a little princess who needs protection. You''re supposed to be the one protecting everyone else!"


    After watching it, Noelle chuckled. "If she sees this, she''ll probably start a live stream to cry andin."


    She knew Xenia too well. Sure enough, Xenia quickly issued a public statement, threatening to sue the video creator for defamation.


    Team Luminark''s defeat became theughingstock of themunity for days, providing endless material for jokes.


    Noelle then received a call from Donovan, who questioned her. "Noelle, you didn''t even participate in the finals? What''s going on? Even if you''re throwing a tantrum, you should know when to pick your moments!" Noelle responded mockingly, "It was Lucas who didn''t want me to y in the first ce. Later, when he couldn''t find a suitable recement, he lost the match because of his pride!"


    "You know how Lucas is. He couldn''t swallow his pride enough to ask you for help. But as his younger sister, couldn''t you have taken the initiative?"


    Noelle''s tone turned cold. "There''s no initiative to take."


    With that, she hung up the phone, her previously good mood now soured. It only proved one thing: she had spoiled her family too much in the past, letting them overlook her and take everything from her without hesitation. However, she wasn''t so naive anymore. Having vented her grievances from her past life, Noelle had been sleeping soundly these past few days.


    Shortly after the finals ended, the college entrance exam results were released. On the day the results were announced, Noelle couldn''t sleep at all. She sat in front of herputer early in the morning, anxiously waiting. Cedric walked in with a fruit tter. "Don''t be so nervous. Are you really this unsure about yourself?"


    "Yeah, a little. I just want to see the results."


    Even though she had lived this life once before and knew the oue of many events, she had no idea


    whather exam results this


    time.


    Alfred walked in with peanuts and sunflower seeds, cing them on the table. "Let''s snack while we wait.


    This is my first time waiting


    for


    exam results, you know."


    "You two didn''t take the college entrance exams?" Noelle asked, looking at them in surprise.


    Cedric nced at Alfred before replying, "We were admitted through rmendations and didn''t take the final exams."


    "Yeah, that''s right, we were admitted through rmendations," Alfred quickly added, realizing he had almost let something slip.


    For people like them, studying abroad was the only other option besides rmendations.


    Noelle looked at them with newfound respect. "The school you were rmended to wouldn''t happen to be Yole University, would it?" "Ahem, Nelly, you guessed it! So smart!"


    "I didn''t expect you two to be so impressive!"


    Admitted through rmendation? That was amazing!


    Feeling guilty, Alfred quickly


    changed the subject. "It''s almost et


    time, isn''t it? Nelly, open the


    webpage first, just in case it''s hard to get inter."


    Noelle didn''t press further. She took a deep breath and logged into the website.


    When the time came, she entered her exam number and password and clicked to view her results.


    But when the results page loaded, she was stunned. "Why isn''t anything showing? It''s just a bunch of asterisks."


    Could the site begging?

 Chapter 143

    While Noelle was still in a daze, Alfred''s excited shout rang beside her.


    "Holy crap, Nelly, your results were hidden! Amazing, congrattions in advance!"


    Noelle''s mind went nk for a moment. She instinctively turned to Cedric beside her. "Does that mean I did really well?"


    "Really well? You did exceptionally well!" Cedric replied.


    Alfred quickly snapped a photo and prepared to post it on social media. "A girl I know just had her exam results hidden! Everyone, drop whatever you''re doing and join me in congratting this hardworking genius!" Cedric smiled faintly. "Congrattions."


    His expression was calm, almost as if he had expected nothing less from Noelle''s results.


    Upon hearing his praise, Noelle finally broke into a wide, bright smile. It was only then that she truly understood what getting her results blocked meant.


    She had really done it. Yole University was certainly within reach!


    Unable to contain herself, Noelle jumped up, joining Alfred in excited shouts. Then, she turned to hug Cedric tightly, her cheeks flushed as she eximed, "I did it!"


    Cedric''s body stiffened, but his gaze remained as gentle as ever. "Yes, you did."


    Noelle suddenly lowered her head, letting go of him casually and turning to look for Alfred instead. She hoped her earlier actions hadn''t caught Cedric''s attention.


    To her, that brief hug was already enough. In her darkest, most desperate times, he had appeared by her side like a guiding light on a stormy night.


    Cedric watched her as she yfully bickered with Alfred, a hint of a relieved smile crossing his face. It was a peculiar feeling, as though the little sapling he''d carefully nurtured had finally grown up.


    Not long after, Noelle received a call from her homeroom teacher. "Noelle, we''ve seen your results here at school. Congrattions, you''re the top scorer in the entire city!"


    "Top scorer? Really?"


    "Really! Although the scores haven''t


    been officially released, we can see


    them internally. Your implent


    in


    this time has truly amazed us all. Congrattions!"


    Noelle couldn''t stop smiling at this news. When she looked up, she saw Cedric walking over with a cake..At that moment, she realized that this was her happiest since her rebirth.


    en


    "Noelle,e to school tomorrow. We''ll discuss your preferred major, and the school wants to make a promotional poster for you." "Alright."


    After ending the call, Noelle nced at the cake. The words ''Top of Honor Roll'' were written on it.


    She smiled softly. "When did you prepare this?"


    "This morning. I had someone deliver it ahead of time," Cedric replied, cing the cake before her and carefully putting a party hat on her.


    The two were very close. Standing before him, Noelle suddenly realized just how tall Cedric was. From her angle, all she could see were his shirt buttons.


    His fingers brushed against her hair, and his Adam''s apple bobbed a few times involuntarily.


    Cedric awkwardly stepped back, his expression slightly unnatural. "All set."


    Alfred lit the candle in the center of the cake and said, "Make a wish and blow out the candle!"


    After looking at the cake, Noelle


    closed her eyes. To her surprise, the first image that popped into her mind was Cedric. She couldn''t help but make an impossible wish. When she opened her eyes, she quietly blew out the candle.


    Cedric''s voice was deep and steady. "Congrattions on the start of your new life."


    Alfred leaned in with a teasing grin. "Let''s do a little interview. What wish did you just make, Nelly?"


    Feeling a little embarrassed, Noelle coughed lightly and replied, "Wishes don''te true if you say them out loud."

 Chapter 144

    Noelle couldn''t even bring herself to look at Cedric. She was afraid that even a single nce at him would give her away.


    Alfred spoke up, "Nelly, just say it! Whatever you wish for, I will make it happen!"


    Without thinking, Noelle blurted out, "I want to go to a bar."


    "No problem!" Alfred immediately agreed.


    "No way," Cedric interjected firmly.


    Noelle instinctively turned to Cedric, her eyes filled with a hint of anticipation.


    Their eyes met for a moment, and Cedric quickly relented. "Why do you want to go to a bar?"


    Noelle''s tone was full of longing. "Because I''ve never been, and I want to try it."


    In truth, it was because she hadn''t been to one in this lifetime. She had gone to a bar once in her previous life, but the experience had left her with a mental trauma. This time, she wanted to face it again and put those painful memories to rest. Alfred yfully smacked Cedric on the chest. "Why won''t you let her go? Boohoo, you viin! Such a meanie!"


    Cedric''s lips twitched. "You''d better shut up, you drama queen!"


    Noelleughed so hard her stomach hurt. She really liked how life felt now. But shortly after, she received a message from Frank. "Noelle, the results are out. How did you do? Did your score innguage take a hit?"


    Noelle let out a coldugh when she saw the message. So Frank also knew the stationery incident could have affected her performance.


    No one here was a fool. They just pretended not to understand. Noelle replied with a tone she hadn''t used before, "What do you think?"


    "I''m sorry, Noelle. Whateverpensation you want, I will agree to it. Even if you want to repeat a year, I''ll be there to apany you every day." But Noelle didn''t respond.


    Frank stared at his phone, frustration mounting inside him.


    It was his actions that had affected Noelle''s performance. He knew how hard she had worked in the past few months and how much her grades had improved. Frank then overheard Xenia crying as he returned to the


    living room.


    Gordon and Lucas were trying tofort her. Gordon said, "Ms. Quigley, you didn''t do well because you were sick during those days. Your abilities are far beyond those scores."


    Lucas added, "Exactly, Xenia, don''t


    be upset. Test scores don''t mean everything. Especially for families like ours-even if your results aren''t great, they won''t affect your future opportunities."  en


    Xenia said sadly, wiping her tears, "But Noelle must have done really well, right? I was hoping to go to the same school as her, but now it seems impossible."


    Lucas blurted out, "She probably didn''t do that well. I heard about a top student whosenguage exam didn''t go well, and their final score was only about a hundred points higher than yours."


    A trace of smugness shed in Xenia''s eyes. So it seemed Noelle really had been affected by that faulty stationery.


    Frank walked over with a stern expression. "Lucas, are you gloating? Noelle is our sister. If she doesn''t do well, how does that benefit you?"


    "Frank, that''s not what I meant. I was just trying tofort Xenia."


    "Comforting Xenia doesn''t mean you have to put down Noelle, does it?"


    After being reprimanded, Lucas realized his words were out of line and muttered, "I get it. I won''t do it again. But what did Noelle say?"


    Frank''s face remained grim. "What do you think? Anyone in her position would be upset. This is all my fault!"


    He med himself for mishandling the situation.


    Xenia chimed in with feigned concern, "Frank, if Noelle feels


    terrible about her results and wants to repeat a year, I''m happy to


    apany her. After all, we''real ne


    family, and we should improve together.


    "But I think Noelle probably won''t want to stay with the family any longer, so she might not consider repeating."


    Frank frowned. "That''s not her decision to make. I''ll personally ensure she repeats the year and will take care of everything for her until she retakes the exams."


    This way, he could also focus on mending his rtionship with Noelle.

 Chapter 145

    Lucas countered, "Even if Noelle didn''t do well, there''s no reason for her to repeat a year. Her grades are still better than ours, except for Carl, the medical genius. She''s actually doing quite well."


    The rapid improvement she''d made in just a few months was something most people couldn''t achieve.


    Xenia was taken aback. She hadn''t expected Lucas to defend Noelle like that.


    Frank had already changed, but it seemed like Lucas was also starting to shift his views.


    A wave of intense fear gripped Xenia. She couldn''t afford to lose her brothers'' favor.


    She said, feeling uneasy, "I know Noelle''s grades have improved a lot, but maybe the sudden increase isn''t stable, which could be why she didn''t do well in the exam."


    Frank hesitated. "Isn''t your school holding a lecture tomorrow on how to apply for college? And there will also be consultations for repeaters, right?"


    Xenia nodded. "Yes, that''s right."


    "Then go to school tomorrow and check it out."


    "Frank, do you really think I should repeat a year?"


    Xenia didn''t actually want to repeat. It seemed pointless to her. She would rather make money from live-streaming. In the future, she could always enter the entertainment industry through ke''s filmpany.


    Frank spoke calmly, "Xenia, even if you had done your best, you wouldn''t have made it into a top university. There''s no need to repeat. Just pick a major you like and go to college."


    Frank had made up his mind. He would persuade Noelle to repeat but not make the same mistake again. Without Xenia around, he wouldn''t let Noelle suffer any injustice. After saying this, Frank left.


    Xenia watched him walk away, and her lips pressed together in frustration. What did Frank mean by that? Did it mean she couldn''tpare to Noelle?


    Even if she repeated a year, it would never be as meaningful as Noelle doing so.


    Lucas rubbed his head, feeling a little awkward. "Xenia, don''t take


    Frank''s words too seriously. How D


    always favored Noelle. Things will calm down soon."


    "Lucas, why would I take it to heart? Frank has always been good to me. I''m grateful for everything I have."


    After pretending to be


    17.


    understanding, Xenia turned to Gordon. "Is the medicinal congee made for Frank ready? It''s not as good as what Noelle would make, but still want to help ease Frank''s stomach pain."


    "It should be ready soon."


    Lucas saw Xenia''s understanding attitude and gave a slight smile. "It doesn''t matter if you didn''t do well. I''ll take you to the barter to unwind." "Okay, I''ll go upstairs to change first. Gordon, please take the congee to Frankter."


    Xenia was quite excited as she went upstairs. But just as she finished changing into her dress, her phone rang. She nced at it and saw an unfamiliar number. It was the same call that hade through a few days ago, but she hadn''t answered.


    Assuming it was a wrong number, she didn''t give it much thought. Then, her phone rang again.


    She picked up the phone in a cheerful mood and asked sweetly, "Hello, who''s this?"


    "Xenny, it''s me."


    Xenia froze at the familiar voice on the other end. Her mind went nk. Her hands trembled, and she softened her voice. "Who are you?"


    Why did the voice sound exactly like her father''s? But her father had passed away many years ago in a car ident while driving for the Liddell family. He had died in an explosion trying to save Noelle''s parents, right?


    "Xenny, this is a veryplicated matter. I can''t exin everything right now. But if you could send me some money, I''m in urgent need." "Scammers are getting more and more brazen, pretending to be my deceased father to trick me into sending money. Do you think I''m that gullible?" Xenia hung up the phone, but she couldn''t calm down. It felt as though a storm had risen inside her because her father used to call her Xenny.

 Chapter 146

    Xenia hadn''t heard that nickname in a long time. She had always carried a lingering doubt. Her father had been an abusive gambler who, whenever he lost money, woulde home and take it out on her and her mother. Eventually, her mother couldn''t take it anymore and ran away. As a girl, Xenia''s life hadn''t been any easier.


    Then, one day, her father died while trying to save someone. She was taken in by the Liddell family and started living with them.


    She had always felt something about this story didn''t add up because her father hadn''t been a good man, and it didn''t make sense that he would have saved someone. But Xenia had never dared to voice her suspicions, afraid that she''d lose herfortable life if the Liddell family looked into it.


    She''d tried to bury those doubts, epting everything the Liddell family gave her. But now, panic surged within her after receiving a phone call from someone iming to be her father. What if her father was still alive?


    Then what had really happened with the car ident all those years ago? Xenia couldn''t bring herself to think about it any further. Suddenly, there was a knock at the door.


    "Xenia, does it really take you this long to change clothes?"


    It was Lucas''s voice from outside, pulling Xenia back to reality. "I''m done."


    She quickly blocked the earlier call and deleted all the call records, pretending it had never happened. It must have been a scam. Her father had been dead for so long-there was no way it could be real. After regaining herposure, Xenia walked out of the room. "Let''s go, Lucas."


    Lucas sounded a little impatient. "Girls are such a hassle when going out."


    Noelle stepped out of the car and followed Cedric and Alfred as they walked. However, the bar''s sign seemed strangely familiar to her. Wasn''t this the bar where Xenia had humiliated her in her past life? What a coincidence.


    Cedric noticed the shift in Noelle''s expression. "What''s wrong? If you don''t like this bar, we can go somewhere else."


    "It''s fine; this bar is pretty famous. It''s been quite poprtely, right?"


    Alfred turned around and nodded. "That''s right, this ce has been really lively."


    Cedric gave Noelle a deep look. "Are you sure you''re okay?"


    "What could possibly go wrong with you here?"


    Noelle quickly masked the disgust she had just shown. After all, this wasn''t her past life. She wouldn''t let Xenia bully her without retaliation this time.


    Cedric watched Noelle''s back,


    feeling like her expressions didn''t quite match her age, which created an odd sense of incongruity. He wasn''t sure if it was just his


    imagination.


    The three of them entered the bar, and Noelle put on a fox mask. Tonight''s theme was a masquerade ball. It was exactly like her past life.


    She remembered that in her past


    life, Xenia had been flirting with the campus heartthrob, Justin, at the bar. In order to defend her, Justin pretended to confess to Noelle in front of everyone.


    In that life, Noelle''s romantic life had been barren. When a boy made his first confession to her, it was met with the cruelest ridicule. The worst part had been that Lucas was there, defending Xenia and calling it


    a joke.


    Just


    She had been humiliated andughed at. She was eager to see how things would y out this time.


    As Noelle walked into the main hall, rhythmic music filled the air. She stepped inside and saw the lights shining on the stage.


    Justin walked up to a girl wearing a small rabbit mask with a bouquet.


    Noelle immediately recognized the girl in the rabbit mask-it was Xenia.

 Chapter 147

    Almost everyone''s attention was on the two figures bathed in the spotlight. Justin held a microphone and confessed his feelings with deep sincerity. Xenia acted shy, though she clearly relished the attention and cheers from the crowd.


    Noelle watched the scene with a hint of mockery in her eyes. So, without the added twist of her being humiliated in her past life, Justin was still confessing to Xenia? Xenia became a micro-influencer, and her pure image helped her attract decent attention.


    When Cedric saw Justin, he nced at Alfred, his eyes silently warning him.


    Alfred swallowed nervously. "I didn''t expect this kid to be here."


    Last time, after Justin publicly confessed to Noelle, Alfred had called Justin''s dadte at night, urging him to rein in his son and prevent any more reckless confessions.


    That was why Justin had disappeared after the exam and flown back to Yasnia toy low. Who would have guessed he''de back now? And, of course, where there was Justin, there was trouble. Noelle turned her head. "It''s fine. With these masks on, no one knows who''s who. Let''s just enjoy ourselves."


    "Nelly, I love your carefree attitude. Let''s head to the booths. Those are probably livelier than the private rooms."


    After all, with Noelle here, they couldn''t just go to a private room and party with a bunch of girls, right? The booths were a more realistic option for experiencing the atmosphere.


    After Noelle sat down, a waiter quickly came over to take their order. Alfred promptly ced his order. "Nelly, what do you want to drink?"


    "Cocktail, the pretty kind."


    Cedric thought back to when Noelle had gotten drunk before. He shot a look at the waiter and said, "Give her a ss of soda water."


    "I don''t want soda water! What''s the point ofing to a bar if I''m not drinking?" Noelleined.


    Cedric let out a weary sigh. The image of her getting drunk at the barbecue spot popped into his mind.


    He stared at her. "Did you forget about that time you got drunk at the barbecue? Don''t you know your own alcohol tolerance?"


    Noelle recalled that incident and felt a bit guilty. "Okay, I admit I''m not great with alcohol, but I didn''t do anything crazy, right?"


    Alfred looked at Cedric with curiosity. "Nelly''s such a good girl; she wouldn''t cause a scene when she''s drunk, right?"


    Faced with their questions, Cedric felt a bit uneasy and turned his gaze away. "When you''re drunk, there''s not much you can enjoy."


    His throat tightened slightly. He thought he had long since forgotten that night, but the memory resurfaced, and he couldn''t shake his emotions. Alfred nodded. "How about we order a low-alcohol cocktail?"


    "Okay." Noelle agreed, thinking Cedric had a point. If she got drunk, she wouldn''t remember what happened afterward.


    Before long, Alfred started chatting with some girls at a nearby booth and joined them. That left Noelle and Cedric alone in their booth.


    Feeling a little awkward, she took a sip of the cocktail that had been brought to her. To her surprise, it tasted pretty good.


    Cedric''s gaze fell on her face, his


    there was a hintact


    expression unusually serious, and


    annoyance.


    "Don''t drink alcohol carelessly when you go out in the future."


    Noelle finished her cocktail and felt a bit tipsy. She stood up quickly. "I''m going to have some fun."


    She was in a good mood and


    wanted to experience a sense of freedom and indulgence. As soon as Cedrie saw Noelle heading toward the center of the dance floor he immediately followed her.


    He thought about pulling her out, but she slithered away like a snake, and in the blink of an eye, she was


    already in the middle of the dance


    BUMS


    floor.


    Noelle danced freely, instantly capturing the attention of many people. Soon enough, she became the focal point of the crowd.

 Chapter 148

    As Cedric watched the scene, a mix of exasperation and helplessness washed over him. He knew he shouldn''t have let Noelle drink; even cocktails were too much.


    At a nearby VIP booth, Justin noticed Noelle dancing and immediately whistled. "Not bad."


    Watching from the side, Xenia felt a stab of jealousy. Of course, those seductive, vixen-like girls always managed to grab men''s attention. She had always kept Justin at arm''s length, never truly considering him.


    But today, she had received a call that she suspected was from her father, and panic flooded her. If she lost the Liddell family''s support, she''d have to find a scion to marry quickly. So, when Justin confessed to her at the bar, she reluctantly agreed. Xenia gritted her teeth, "Justin, let''s go dance."


    "Okay."


    Justin''s gaze remained fixed on the girl dancing in the middle of the floor. But with Xenia beside him, he couldn''t show too much interest. After all, he had only just managed to win her over today, and they''d even spent the night together. Soon, Noelle noticed out of the corner of her eye that Justin and Xenia were approaching.


    How annoying.


    She turned and walked toward Cedric, but a greasy dude blocked her path just then. "Ms. Fox, you dance so sexy. Want to have a drink with me? My treat." "No need."


    Noelle firmly rejected him, but the man was persistent. "You''re here alone anyway; don''t be so pretentious." "Who said I''m alone?"


    Noelle walked up to Cedric, hooking her arm around his, and said to the greasy man, "This is my boyfriend."


    When Cedric heard this, he looked deeply at the girl beside him. The lights were dim, but to him, Noelle seemed to glow.


    His throat tightened as he nced at the greasy man, his gaze cold and sharp, carrying an oppressive weight.


    The greasy man instantly recoiled, muttering in embarrassment, "Stop talking nonsense. I didn''t see any interaction between you two. He''s not really your boyfriend, right?"


    en


    "Says who?"


    IMS


    Noelle stood on tiptoe, kissed Cedric''s cheek, and then looked back at the man. "Isn''t this proof enough?"


    Cedric froze momentarily, the soft


    kiss feeling like a feather grazing his chest yet heavy enough to knock the wind out of him. The music on the dance floor red, but he could feel his heartbeat stutter.


    The greasy man finally backed off after seeing the situation.


    Noelle let out a breath of relief. Then, realizing what she had just done, she looked up at Cedric. "Well, I only kissed you to get rid of that


    greasy guy''s harassment."


    At that moment, she felt like she had overstepped. She was a little tipsy, and perhaps the music and the atmosphere had given her the nerve to go through with it.


    Cedric''s gaze darkened like a vortex pulling her in.


    Noelle felt uneasy under his gaze. "Uh, you''re not mad, are you? Are you worried your girlfriend might get jealous if she finds out?"


    She admitted her actions were a bit intentional. She couldn''t quite control how much she liked him.


    Though many people were around, Cedric reached out and embraced Noelle. He lowered his gaze and asked, "Do you know what it means to kiss a man like that?"


    His voice was slightly hoarse. In his arms, Noelle could feel the warmth of his chest, and her heartbeat quickened.


    Her courage growing, she met his gaze and answered softly, "I know."


    Her clear eyes gazed at him sincerely.

 Chapter 149

    Cedric faced her direct disy of affection, but all he could do was avert his gaze in panic. He couldn''t respond to Noelle''s advances.


    His throat felt like it was clogged with cotton. After a long pause, he finally spoke. "You''re still young. You don''t understand."


    "I''m already an adult, Cedric. Are you afraid of me getting too close? Afraid that you might want a taste of me?"


    Noelle decided to throw caution to the wind tonight. She felt that Cedric had been really good to her. She had almost believed he had feelings for her, but learning he was seeing other girls crushed her spirits. Cedric''s expression darkened. "Do you know that ''a taste of me'' isn''t something to be said so casually?"


    Noelle was taken aback for a moment. Then, her face turned bright red after realizing what he meant.


    She never expected a cold man like Cedric to make such ame joke. She murmured, her cheeks flushed, "Turns out all men are the same."


    Cedric pressed his thin lips together. "You can''t handle this kind of joke, but you''re trying to learn how others flirt in a bar?"


    Hearing his lecture, Noelle realized he had shifted the topic. Not giving up, she looked up at him and asked, "Cedric, I''ve always had one question. Why have you always been so good to me?"


    Cedric couldn''t answer her, not daring to even meet her eyes. He feared that he might reveal his true feelings if their gazes locked.


    Noelle wrapped her arms around his neck, asking, "You''ve always been so kind to me. Don''t you feel even a little bit of affection for me?"


    If Cedric didn''t like her, why had he been so good to her? Did he have feelings for her, too?


    At that moment, Noelle felt as if she had summoned all her courage, only able to ask him this in this dimly lit space. For once in her life, she wanted to be brave for herself.


    The girl in Cedric''s arms asked the question without hesitation, and her sincere words made his initial reasons feel so insignificant. He had only gotten close to her to ease his guilt, not because of real feelings for her. He couldn''t tell her the truth. He didn''t even dare to entertain the thought.


    When Cedric saw the look in Noelle''s


    eyes, his heart softened in a way he couldn''t exin, but he could only say the words that betrayed


    feelings.


    his true


    "Little girl, I''m only helping you because it''s convenient for me. I couldn''t stand how biased your brother was."


    In an instant, Noelle''s eyes filled with


    tears. His words were calm, almost


    gentle. Yet they rejected her so clearly, cutting through her hope without mercy.


    Noelle felt incredibly embarrassed at that moment, realizing she had just confessed to a man who already had a girlfriend. She had crossed a moral line. Panicking, she quickly pulled away from him, lowered her head, and stammered, "I... I was just joking. I''m going to the bathroom."


    She fled from the crowd awkwardly.


    Cedric followed closely behind. His expression darkened instantly as though he carried the weight of years of hardship.


    It wasn''t until Noelle entered the


    restroom that Cedric stopped in his tracks. He stood in ce and borrowed a cigarette from someone. His long fingers wrapped around the cigarette, and he exhaled a cloud of white smoke, hiding his tightly controlled expression.


    Alfred approached with two sses of alcohol, handing one over to him. "How''s the night going?"


    Cedric downed the red wine in one go. "She cried."


    "Tsk, I warned you. Keep your distance; don''t be too kind to her."


    "Then why are you also so kind to her?"


    Cedric bit down on the cigarette, his brows furrowed in frustration.

 Chapter 150

    Alfred raised an eyebrow. "This is different. How could anyone stand by after seeing how the Liddell family treated Nelly?"


    Cedric lowered his gaze. "Some things just can''t be controlled."


    "True," Alfred replied, giving him a meaningful look.


    When had he ever seen Cedric this frustrated? Thest time was probably right before theirpany went public, when they almost lost everything to a traitor, and the IPO was on the verge of failure.


    Over the years, Alfred had grown used to seeing Cedric calm andposed. It was rare to see him so unsettled. Alfred couldn''t help but feel that Noelle had be far more important to Cedric than anyone realized. Meanwhile, Noelle was sitting on the toilet, rubbing her face. She had been so brave earlier, but now she felt theplete opposite.


    It was no wonder why people always say confessions are impulsive-they can quickly make things awkward between two people. She must''ve been caught up in the moment to have said those things.


    What now? How could she face Cedric when she walked out there? It was all so embarrassing.


    Noelle stayed in the bathroom long, wishing she could just disappear. When there was a knock on the door, she finally stepped out of the stall, giving way to the neer.


    She walked over to the sink, feeling dejected as she washed her hands. Then, a surprised voice came from beside her. "Noelle, it''s actually you!"


    Noelle looked up and saw Xenia. She quickly turned away, focusing on her hands.


    But Xenia didn''t give up. When she noticed the fox mask, she recalled where she''d seen Noelle.


    She said with a hint of bitterness in her voice, "You were the one dancing in the middle of the dance floor just now, weren''t you?"


    She hadn''t expected Noelle to be so bold.


    Noelle shook the water off her hands. "None of your business!"


    "You came to a bar and were dancing with other men. If Frank finds out, he''ll be angry."


    Noelle rolled her eyes and walked out without responding.


    Xenia quickly followed her, running into Justin, who was waiting outside. She hurried to speak up, "Noelle, why are you leaving? I''m just worried about you. "Lucas''s here, too, but he''s in a private room with friends. I just texted him."


    Noelle turned around and shot Xenia a re. "Stop pretending to care. Just leave me alone."


    Xenia immediately put on a hurt


    S prompting Justin to


    speak up. "Noelle, watch your tone. If you keep bullying my girlfriend like this, I won''t just stand by."


    .nea


    Justin initially had been interested in Noelle, but after she embarrassed him publicly, he shifted his focus to Xenia, who he found pure and sensible. He nned to show Noelle how well Xenia was doing, hoping to make her regret turning him down.


    Now, the perfect opportunity had fallen right into hisp.


    Noelle''s eyes shed with mockery. "If ying the victim counts as getting bullied, then the prison wouldn''t have enough space for all the people who''d be locked up.


    en


    "What did you just say? Apologize right now!"


    swng


    Noelle wasn''t about to apologize. Was he out of his mind?


    Just then, Alfred and Cedric, who had been nearby, quickly rushed over after seeing the situation.


    The moment Noelle saw Cedric, her face flushed bright red. Fortunately, the dim lighting and her mask helped to hide her embarrassment.


    Upon seeing the two men in masks, Xenia deliberately said, "Noelle, why would youe to a bar with strange men like this? You''ve really changed."


    She was trying to tarnish Noelle''s reputation in front of Justin. Sure enough, Justin''s expression darkened as he sneered at Noelle.


    "I thought you''d found some rich guy after turning me down back then, but it turns out you''re this open. Should''ve said so earlier."


    Cedric stepped forward, his voice cold. "Brat, you''d better watch your mouth."

 Chapter 151

    Noelle looked up at the man standing before her, and her mind went nk for a moment. Her emotions were like a roller coaster.


    She noticed that Cedric appeared unusually calm, as though nothing had happened on the dance floor earlier. But on the other hand, Noelle couldn''t maintain herposure. Xenia was surprised after recognizing Cedric''s voice. "Noelle, I didn''t expect you to be with this school doctor."


    Xenia''s chest swelled with satisfaction. After all, her boyfriend was now the heir of the prestigious Parham family in Yasnia. On the other hand, Noelle''s boyfriend was just a humble school doctor-nothingpared to Justin''s status. Noelle''s cheeks flushed, and she quickly denied it. "Xenia, stop making things up. We''re just friends."


    She had just embarrassed herself with her failed confession, and now this little bitch was bringing it up again.


    "Noelle, stop pretending," Xenia shot back. "There have been rumors at school about you two being together, and then you ran away from home and even lived with this man. Who''s going to believe that you''re not together?" Justin raised his voice. "Noelle, you''re living with another man?"


    Xenia smiled knowingly. "Yes, I told you about it before, but you didn''t believe me."


    Noelle narrowed her eyes. "Do you know why Grandpa Simpson has lived so long?"


    Justin scoffed. "Why? Does that have anything to do with what we''re talking about?"


    "Because Grandpa Simpson never interferes with other people''s business and doesn''t gossip like some people."


    Noelle looked up at Cedric. "Let''s go."


    With that dumb duo still present, she no longer wanted to stay there.


    Cedric''s cold, sharp gaze shot a dagger at Justin, his expression a clear warning.


    Justin''s temper red at that look. He felt humiliated and, pointing at Cedric, shouted, "What the hell are you looking at? Try looking at me like that again!"


    Justin had left Yasnia to have a prosperous life here. No one had dared look at him like that before.


    Cedric ignored himpletely, standing calm and unbothered. In a fit of rage, Justin grabbed a bottle from the bar and charged toward Cedric. "I''m going to teach you a lesson today!"  en


    Noelle quickly pushed Cedric aside. "Watch out!"


    At that moment, everything around her seemed to slow down. She shut her eyes tightly, bracing for the bottle to hit her.


    But the next second, she felt a strong grip around her waist, and her head collided with Cedric''s chest, sending a sharp pain through her.


    Cedric swiftly kicked Justin away with brutal force. His face was ashen, his gaze sharp and frigid. If he hadn''t acted quickly, Noelle would have been seriously hurt.


    Justin hit the floor hard, grimacing in pain. Xenia rushed to his side, rmed. "Justin, are you alright? You''re bleeding!"


    Justin was in too much pain to respond.


    Xenia looked up and said, "Noelle, do you know who Justin is? If he gets hurt here and the Parham family investigates, you won''t be able to get away with it."


    Noelle held her forehead where it


    had collided with Cedric''s chest and turned to look at Xenia with cold


    disdain. "It was Justin who started it. We were just defending ourselves."


    "But in the end, you''re fine, aren''t you? The one injured is Justin, and he''s badly hurt. We''ll be calling the police and pursuing this."


    Xenia was starting to panic. If


    something happened to Justin, the Liddell family would definitely fall out of favor with the Parham family, and how could she possibly marry into the Parham family in the future?

 Chapter 152

    Alfred couldn''t take it any longer and stepped forward. "Justin, are you asking for trouble?" Why wasn''t he in Yasnia? What was he doing here?


    He had the nerve toy a hand on Cedric just now. Clearly, he was begging for trouble.


    When Justin heard the familiar voice, his body stiffened. He instinctively looked at the masked man standing before him.


    This voice... It sounded exactly like his cousin''s.


    Could it be Alfred?


    "What''s going on?"


    At that moment, Lucas came down from the private room upstairs. Seeing Justin lying on the ground with broken ss scattered around, he quickly helped Justin sit up. "Are you alright?" "I''m not alright. It hurts so much."


    Though Justin tried to act tough, the pain from Cedric''s kick made it hard to breathe. With every breath, a sharp pain shot through his chest, and he wasn''t sure if his ribs were broken. Xenia saw his face turn pale and quickly became anxious. "Lucas, what should we do now?"


    "Get him to the hospital, what else? Who did this?"


    Xenia turned to Noelle. "That school doctor went too far."


    Lucas immediately recognized Noelle, who was wearing a mask. He said softly, "Noelle, do you know who Justin is? He got hurt because of you, and the Liddell family could be in trouble." "But Justin started it. Even if this goes to the police, we''re in the right," Noelle retorted, feeling frustrated. She had hoped for a fun night, but meeting the dumb duo had caused nothing but problems. Lucas turned to Cedric. "Youid hands on him, didn''t you? When the Parham familyes after this, you''ll bear the brunt of their anger. If you''re a man, don''t drag my sister into this!"


    Before the Parham family could press charges, Noelle needed to be removed from the equation.


    Noelle stood firm in front of Cedric. "This has nothing to do with him. He was only trying to protect me."


    "Noelle, are you crazy? I''m trying to help you!"


    Lucas looked confused. "Can you take responsibility for this? This is the Parham family of Yasnia we''re talking about here!"


    They were no ordinary noble family.


    Noelle''s mood soured. She knew the Parham family wasn''t someone to trifle with, but she couldn''t let Cedric bear all the me alone.


    She straightened her back. "We''ll hire awyer. I don''t believe the Parham family will be unreasonable."


    "You think the Parham family will be reasonable with you?" Lucas snapped.


    Alfred chimed in, "That''s not right. How can you say the Parham family isn''t reasonable?"


    He was a reasonable person, after all.


    If it weren''t for the need to keep his identity under wraps, he would''ve already pped Justin across the face.


    Lucas ignored Alfred and turned his


    focus back to Noelle. "You''d better keep quiet. I''ll handle this. Later, the man you''re protecting will need to personallye to the hospital and apologize to Justin."


    With that, Lucas helped Justin to his feet. "Mr. Parham, let''s get you to the hospital. Your healthes first."


    Justin winced in pain, gritting his


    teeth. At


    that moment, he didn''t t


    about the me-he just felt like he


    might die from the pain.


    As Justin passed Noelle, he shot her a vicious re. "You better not forget this, you''ll pay for it... it hurts so much..."


    Xenia lingered behind, eyeing Noelle.


    "This time, you''re in big trouble. He''s


    one of Mrs. Parham Senior''s


    favourite grandchildren. When the timees, you''ll be in serious trouble. You''d better figure to apologize and earn his forgiveness."


    She was determined to make Noelle regret everything.


    anthow


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


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 153

    Noelle''s eyes gleamed with cold determination. "We haven''t done anything wrong, so why should we apologize?"


    "Noelle, you''re so naive. Even if Justin started it, so what? Once the Parham family gets involved, your boyfriend might not even keep his job. That''s how the Parham family operates, do you understand?" Xenia said, her voice dripping with smug arrogance. Alfred couldn''t hold back any longer. "You little bitch. The Parham family isn''t as bad as you''re making it out to be. Do you really know them that well? Stop spreading lies about people you don''t even know."


    "Haha, of course I know the Parham family. But people like you wouldn''t get it. When the powerful want to crush the ordinary, it''s as easy as squashing an ant."


    Xenia''s tone was full of pride as if she had already married Justin and be part of the Parham family.


    Alfred was left speechless by her arrogance. It was utterly absurd.


    Watching Xenia walk away, he couldn''t resistmenting, "Nelly, do people in your family always talk like that?"


    "Xenia usually pretends to be sweet, but now that she''s with Justin, she''s getting carried away. Looks like her true colors are finally showing," Noelle replied.


    Noelle cast a worried nce at Cedric. "I''ll hire awyer. I won''t let you apologize."


    After all, Cedric had only acted because of her, and she couldn''t just stand by.


    Seeing her concern, Cedric''s expression softened. "Don''t worry, it''s just a minor issue."


    Alfred added, "Nelly, don''t stress. I''m here too. That kid won''t dare to cause trouble."


    It was then that Noelle remembered Alfred''s wealthy background.


    A flicker of disappointment crossed her face. "This is all my fault. If it weren''t for me... Ugh."


    Suddenly, Noelle felt a light tap on her forehead. She looked up at Cedric in confusion, wondering why he had done that.


    Cedric''s gaze was deep as he spoke. "What you just said sounded like the typical ''little bitch'' speech. I couldn''t let you keep that up."


    "But Justin was aiming at me from the start, not you."


    Cedric had noticed everything-how she had pushed him aside to take the hit herself.


    "Your small frame couldn''t have taken that. Don''t try to be brave next time."


    "Yeah, Nelly, just let Cedric take the hit. He''s fine, but you''d definitely have gotten hurt. A big guy like him can take a few hits, but you can''t."


    BUMS


    Noelle lowered her head, feeling a bit down. After everything that happened with Justin, she had


    confession.


    The group left the bar and returned to the apartment.


    Cedric nced at her. "Don''t overthink it."


    Noelle nodded casually, then turned and walked into the apartment.


    Cedric and Alfred went into the next room. As soon as the door closed, Cedric said coldly, "What''s wrong with your family?"


    "Shit, I didn''t expect this. If Lucas hadn''t interrupted, I would''ve gone up and pped Justin myself. I''ve got to teach him some respect."


    "Remember to go to the hospital tomorrow and teach your cousin some manners."


    Cedric''s eyes darkened. He had noticed how badly the incident had affected Noelle on the way back.


    Alfred nodded helplessly. "Alright, I understand."


    Who could have predicted this turn of events?


    ...


    Back in her room, Noelle felt restless.


    This matter with Justin wasn''t going to end easily.


    But she absolutely couldn''t let Cedric get into trouble with the Parham family because of her.


    Her phone rang. Seeing the caller ID, she realized it was Frank calling.


    After a brief hesitation, she answered. "Hello, Frank."


    "Nelly, I know about what happened I with Justin. It''s a tricky situation, but Lucas and I will handle it. Stay out of it. It''s best if you move back home and distance yourself from that school doctor."

 Chapter 154

    When Noelle heard what Frank said about distancing herself from Cedric, she pursed her lips. "This situation started because of me, and I won''t run away from it."


    She couldn''t bring herself to pin all the me on Cedric, not when that would feel like backstabbing.


    "Nelly, stop being so stubborn. Listen to me ande home. I promise nothing will happen to you."


    "If that''s all you''ve got to say, then don''t say anything at all."


    Noelle hung up the phone decisively. She wasn''t going to follow Frank''s advice.


    Frank stared at the phone, sighing heavily.


    Standing beside him, Lucas asked, "So, did she agree?"


    "No."


    "Is Noelle out of her mind? She can''t solve Justin''s situation and is just going to get herself into more trouble with the Parham family."


    Frank was well aware of the seriousness of the situation.


    He looked at Lucas. "In any case, make sure the best doctor and caregiver are looking after Justin. Try to keep him calm and happy-maybe that will make things easier to handle."


    If reconciliation were impossible, they''d have to let Donovan step in.


    ...


    The next day, Noelle woke up with dark circles under her eyes. She hadn''t slept well at all the previous night, constantly thinking about how to resolve Justin''s situation.


    She picked up her phone and saw a message from herwyer with some advice. "You could buy some gifts and visit the patient in the hospital first to soften their attitude and work toward reconciliation." Noelle felt frustrated. If an apology was necessary, then she''d do it herself. She couldn''t let Cedric take the fall for this.


    But today, she had to stop by the school first.


    Noelle quickly got dressed and headed next door to the apartment, where the housekeeper had already prepared breakfast and ced it on the table.


    Cedric was in the study, and Alfred was probably still asleep.


    Thinking about the awkwardness of her failed confessionst night, she decided to avoid disturbing Cedric in the study.


    She left a sticky note and quietly left the apartment.


    She took a bus alone to the school.


    Large red banners hung outside, celebrating the school''s high enrollment rate.


    Another banner read, "Congrattions to student XX for ranking first in the city!"


    The student''s name was deliberately blocked as if to add an air of mystery.


    When Noelle entered the ssroom, everyone was excitedly discussing the exam results.


    As soon as she entered, many students nced at her with curious eyes.


    After the exams, Noelle quickly became the gaming queen on Firestorm. Her gaming skills were top-notch, hermentary was detailed and patient, and her grades were impressive.


    Noelle had suddenly be the idol of her ssmates.


    Rachel was the first to walk up to her.


    She smiled, asking, "Queen, how did you do on the exam? I heard the top scorer in the city is in our ss. Could it be you?"


    "Ha, no way it''s Noelle. I heard she did badly innguage, and her score probably won''t even make the first-tier college cutoff." Betty sneered as she entered the ssroom. Noelle replied coldly, "That''s still higher than your score."


    Xenia was dressed in a branded


    outfit with perfectly done ''influencer''


    makeup. Her voice oozed


    superiority. "Noelle, I know you didn''t do wett on the exam. So, if you want to repeat the year, I''ll keep youpany."


    Noelle was already in a bad mood because of Justin''s incident the night before, and now this little bitch was still trying to provoke her.


    Since Xenia had already put herself in the line of fire, why not take the shot?


    "Enough. With yourbined score,


    it doesn''t even add up to half of mine. How dare you talk about repeating the year with me? I could answer questions with my arse and still beat your score!"

 Chapter 155

    Noelle''s wordsnded like a sharp p.


    The room fell into stunned silence as everyone stared at her in disbelief. Truly, she deserved her idol status.


    Xenia''s face flushed with anger, and her eyes welled up with tears. "Noelle, I was just trying tofort you. I didn''t mean anything by it."


    Betty fumed. "Noelle, don''t be ungrateful. So what if your grades are a little better? If you''re so great, why didn''t you get first ce in the city? Why act so proud?"


    The boys who were always protective of Xenia chimed in, "Noelle, your grades are good, and your gaming skills are impressive, but you can''t keep putting others down like this. Xenia was just being kind." Noelle sneered. "I don''t need her kindness."


    Xenia sniffled. "Everyone, don''t argue with her for me. I know Noelle didn''t do well on the exam and is upset. I understand."


    Rachel chided, "What do you mean, ''understand"? Stop pretending to be so kind and pitiful! It was definitely you who took Noelle''s stationery."


    There were rumors that the top student''snguage exam had gone badly, bringing their overall score down. When Rachel heard about Noelle''s stationery being tampered with, she immediately suspected Xenia''s involvement.


    Xenia put on an innocent expression. "Rachel, what you''re saying is hurtful. I didn''t prepare Noelle''s stationery. If something went wrong with it, it''s just her bad luck."


    She couldn''t help but feel a little relieved that Noelle''s exam had gone poorly. As long as Noelle''s grades suffered, Xenia felt at ease.


    Noelle scoffed. "Who told you I did poorly?"


    She hadn''t nned to draw attention to herself, but seeing the little bitch attack Rachel like that, she couldn''t just stand by.


    Xenia hesitated for a moment. "Noelle, stop pretending. We all know the truth."


    Betty pushed further. "Noelle, if you''re iming you did well, how many points did you get?"


    Noellezily looked up. "I don''t know."


    "Tsk, tsk. You''re telling me you don''t know? Who are you trying to fool? Didn''t the resultse out already?"


    Rachel looked surprised. "Another possibility is that she really doesn''t know her score if it''s been blocked."


    Noelle leaned casually against her desk, exuding an air of effortless confidence.


    Xenia nced at her nervously, a feeling of unease creeping into her chest.


    No. Noelle was definitely lying.


    Betty wasn''t buying it either. "Noelle is just trying to save face. After all, no one knows what her actual score is." Xenia had the same thought, but seeing Noelle''s calm demeanor, doubt started to creep into her mind.


    Xenia cautiously said, "Noelle, I know you''ve been working hard thesest few months, and your grades have definitely improved. But good grades aren''t everything. You don''t need to carry such a heavy burden. There''s no need to make a big deakout of it."


    Before Noelle could respond, Rachel shot back, "Xenia, are you jealous? Everyone can see Noelle''s abilities. Maybe she just did really well on the exam. It''s not impossible that her results were blocked."


    Betty retorted, "But everyone knows Noelle''s usual grades. How could she suddenly do so well? And how could her scores be blocked and even make it into the top 50 the city?"


    Most of the room seemed skeptical.


    Just then, Lionel walked in, beaming. "ss, it looks like everyone''s here. Today, I''m treating you all to celebrate our top scorer in the city!"


    The ssroom erupted in shock at the teacher''s words.


    "My gosh, the top scorer in the city is in our ss?"

 Chapter 156

    "Hasn''t it been years since our school had a top scorer? Who could it be?"


    Lionel smiled, building suspense. "Now, let''s all guess who the top scorer in our ss might be."


    Xenia was quick to speak up. "It''s probably our ss''s top student, the head of the studymittee."


    "Yeah, if it''s the top scorer, it must be our studymittee leader. He''s been in the top three of the grade for years. It''s definitely him."


    At that moment, the top student stood up, shaking his head. "It''s not me."


    "How is that possible? If it''s not him, who else could be the top scorer? Could it be the second-ranked student?"


    As Lionel saw the reporters arriving, he announced, "It''s Noelle!"


    The ssroom fell into stunned silence.


    Then, Rachel was the first to scream, "Our queen! It''s you! You''re actually the top scorer in the city! Oh my god, you''re amazing!"


    The rest of the ss sat in shock,pletely speechless.


    They had guessed so many names, but no one had expected the top scorer to be Noelle.


    Xenia was left dumbfounded. How could it be? Noelle was actually the top scorer in the city.


    This revtion hit Xenia harder than anything else-worse than if someone had struck her down.


    Rachel threw a nce at Xenia and Betty, sneering. "Hmph! Some people were just running their mouths earlier, pretending tofort our city''s top scorer.


    "They were saying, ''If you don''t do well this time, I can apany you to repeat the year.'' How dare they say such things, thinking they''d apany our city''s number one to repeat a grade?"


    "Rachel, stop, you''re killing me! This is honestly the funniest thing I''ve heard in my life!"


    "Yeah, a student with bad grades actually tried tofort the top scorer in the city, saying she''ll. apany her to repeat the year. Who gave her the courage t@say that?"  en


    Xenia''s face turned pale as if she had swallowed something bitter.


    These words hit her like a p to the face, leaving herpletely stunned.


    Unable to contain himself, Betty shouted, "How could Noelle be the top scorer? Something must be wrong with her results, or she must''ve cheated!"


    Deep down, Xenia thought the same. How could Noelle possibly be the top scorer in the city?


    Lionel shot them both a cold re. "What''s wrong with you two? Noelle''s improvement is evident to everyone. She performed


    exceptionally well and became the


    dark horse of this exam.


    "As her ssmates and peers, instead of being happy for her, you''re questioning her results. Is this how I''ve taught you?"


    Xenia''s eyes welled up with tears.


    But no one came tofort her. The rest of the ss was busy celebrating Noelle''s sess as the top scorer.


    At that moment, reporters entered, followed by Bruce and the director.


    Bruce, a kind-hearted elderly man, smiled at Noelle. "I never expected you to do so well on the exam."


    Noelle smiled back. "Thank you for the set of stationery you gave me back then."


    If Bruce hadn''t given her a high-quality stationery set at just the right time, hernguage exam scores might have suffered.


    The poor-quality stationery had unclear writing and leaked ink. If she had used it, her paper would''ve been stained, and she would have definitely lost points.


    "I was just doing my job. It''s your own talent that made you the top scorer," Bruce replied.


    A reporter stepped forward, holding


    a microphone in front of Noelle. "Noelle, in thest few months, your grades skyrocketed, and you achieved the top score in the city. Surety you''ve had help and support


    from those around you. Who do you most want to thank?"

 Chapter 157

    Noelle gazed at the reporter''s camera, momentarily lost in thought.


    After a quick pause, she said, "The person I want to thank the most is my family. They''ve always ced a strong emphasis on education. Over thest few months of my studies, my brothers'' encouragement and support helped me a lot. "They even hired a tutor to help me at home, making sure I stayed focused every day. That''s how I''ve been able to achieve these good results."


    As she finished speaking, a wave of sarcasm washed over her.


    Xenia widened her eyes at her response. Was Noelle lying?


    The truth was that Noelle''s brothers hadn''t been that concerned about her grades.


    Even Lucas had downyed the importance of academics. During a teampetition, he even encouraged her to skip sses for gaming practice, contributing to her falling behind in her studies.


    Her poor exam results were directly tied to her focus on gaming.


    Why was Noelle saying the opposite?


    Xenia was confused. She wondered if Noelle was trying to mend things with her brothers.


    The reporter continued, "Noelle, we''ve heard that your grades weren''t outstanding in the past, but over thest few months, your scores improved, and you even achieved the top score in the city. Was it the result of private tutoring?" "No," Noelle answered, "It was due to the excellent teaching from our school''s teachers."


    After the brief interview, Noelle took photos with the school''s leaders.


    The banner hanging on campus, which had previously obscured her name, was now torn open, proudly revealing "Noelle" in bold letters.


    Noelle was treated like a star surrounded by ssmates and teachers. Everyone wanted to shake hands with the top scorer, eager to bask in her sess.


    Meanwhile, Xenia watched from the side, jealousy gnawing at her. She snapped off a fingernail, her eyes reddening with envy.


    She never imagined Noelle''s grades could improve so rapidly, let alone that she would be the top scorer in the city.


    How could this happen?


    Noelle''s grades had always been poor, and she couldn''t evenpare to Xenia.


    Beside her, Betty muttered angrily, "Xenia, I just heard Noelle thank the principal for the stationery he gave her. Could it be that she has some special connection with him? Did he give her the answers? Otherwise, how could she have possibly be the top scorer in the city?"


    Xenia had also heard Noelle''s words and started to suspect something wasn''t right.


    In reality, Noelle hadn''t used subpar stationery for the exam, but she had kept that fact quiet.


    Xenia''s eyes briefly shed with cunning intent. "You should go find the reporters and leak this."


    She was sure that someone would question the authenticity of Noelle''s exam results.


    Plus, Noelle had caused Justin''s injury and sent him to the hospital The her get away with that. Content Belongs to


    gearham family wouldn''t L


    Once the truth came out, Noelle would be knocked off her pedestal and never recover.


    She needed to quickly stir up trouble with Justin''s family at the hospital.


    After Noelle finished the interview and some promotional activities for the school, Lionel urged her to attend the school''s celebration banquet.


    Unable to refuse, Noelle walked out of the campus with Rachel.


    A luxury car was parked on the roadside.


    Frank stepped out of the car and approached Noelle with a serious expression. "Nelly, you need toe with me right now."

 Chapter 158

    "To where?"


    "To the hospital to visit Justin of course. When you get there, exin everything clearly and put the me on the school doctor. That way, when the Parham family shows up, they won''t cause any trouble for you." This was the n Frank and Lucas hade up with.


    Noelle couldn''t help butugh in disbelief. "I remember rejecting this idea clearlyst night. Frank, did you not understand? Do you need me to say it again?"


    "Nelly, this isn''t the time for a tantrum. If the Parham familyes after us, it won''t just affect you the whole Liddell family could get dragged into it."


    Noelle responded sarcastically, "Don''t worry. I won''t let the Liddell family get involved."


    "Whether we get involved isn''t up to you. This situation is moreplicated than you think. Lucas already spoke to Justin on your behalf. If you apologize to Mr. Parham and exin things, he won''t hold it against you." Noelle frowned. "I refuse. I have more important things to do right now."


    "How long are you going to keep acting like this? What could possibly be more important than this?"


    Rachel interrupted, raising her voice, "Of course, attending the celebration banquet for our city''s top schr is more important!"


    Frank frowned. "I heard the top schr is from your school, but that''s someone else''s business. What you should be doing right now is handling your own issues, not running around causing trouble."


    Rachel raised her voice again. "If Noelle doesn''t attend today''s celebration banquet, it can''t even start!"


    Frank snapped back. "Noelle isn''t that important. Why does the banquet have to wait for her to begin?"


    "Because our queen, Noelle, is the city''s top scorer! How could the celebration banquet possibly start without her?"


    Rachel had been waiting for this moment to finally defend Noelle.


    Earlier, Frank had been dismissive, showing no interest in her achievements and instead bossing her around to apologize so arrogantly.


    "What did you just say? You''re saying Noelle is the top scorer?"


    "Exactly! It seems everyone knows by now, except you people in the Liddell family. And to think you''re her brother! You don''t care about her at all."


    Frank was stunned, his thoughts in disarray. He couldn''t believe it.


    He had never imagined that Noelle could be the city''s top scorer.


    Looking up, he saw the banner hanging at the school entrance. "Congrattions to our student Noelle for achieving the city''s top score!"


    The bright, celebratory message felt like a p in the face.


    Frank still couldn''t quite process it.


    He hesitated and asked, "Didn''t you say yournguage exam didn''t go well because of the faulty stationery?"


    Noelle''s voice dripped with sarcasm. "So what?"


    Frank swallowed nervously, guilt written all over his face. "Nelly, I''m really happy for you. It''s just... this news is so shocking."


    No one expected the Liddell family to produce the city''s top scorer!


    Rachel added, "The top student


    whosenguage score was said to suffer wasn''t Noelle-it was


    someone else. But Xenia deliberately pinned the me on Noelle. She was probably jealous of Noelle outshining her, so she decided to tarnish her name first."  Frank instinctively said, "Xenia isn like that. It was probably just a misunderstanding because of the defective stationery. She didn''t mean anything else."


    After all, he had thought the same thing.


    But no one could have predicted that Noelle would surprise them all like this.


    At that moment, Lionel, Bruce, and several reporters walked out to join them.


    Lionel nced at Frank and said, "Perfect timing, Noelle''s brother. Come join us for the celebration banquet."


    One reporter immediately pointed a microphone at Frank. "We''ve heard that Noelle''s academic performance improve dramatically in thest few months. It must have been thanks to the support of her family. Could you share some tips or experiences with us?"

 Chapter 159

    When Noelle saw Frank being interviewed by the reporter, a sly glint shed in her eyes. Frank was caught entirely off guard by the reporter''s questions and stood there stunned.


    What did they mean by the family''s involvement helped Noelle improve her grades?


    Noelle had moved out well before the exams and barely came home. Her rapid academic progress had nothing to do with them.


    In fact, back then, Lucas had insisted that Noelle take a leave to train with the esports team, and Xenia had pushed her in the same direction, which had actually harmed her grades, causing them to drop significantly.


    In short, the Liddell family had contributed nothing to Noelle''s sess as the top scorer-if anything, they had been a hindrance.


    Had Noelle not insisted on moving out and refusing to participate in the esports training, her chances of bing the city''s top scorer would have been almost nonexistent.


    As these thoughts ran through his mind, Frank instinctively nced at Noelle.


    It dawned on him that Noelle had done this on purpose.


    She had set this up to deliberately mock the entire Liddell family.


    Noelle knew none of them would have the courage to im this honor for themselves.


    He had to admit, this was a hard p across the face-one that left him deeply ashamed. He couldn''t deny that he had failed as a proper brother. Frank''s expression turned awkward, his difort clear.


    He cleared his throat and said hoarsely, "Actually, we didn''t really do anything. The truth is, my sister is naturally intelligent, diligent, and hardworking." The reporter seemed disappointed by this response.


    However, Lionel understood the backstory and suspected that Noelle''s earlier words were a sarcastic jab at her family.


    Bruce said to Frank, "Congrattions, Mr. Liddell. Your family has produced a top scorer."


    Frank couldn''t bring himself to smile. He felt utterly humiliated.


    Noelle''s remarkable achievement had nothing to do with him, and hearing others congratte him only made him feel more ufortable.


    He couldn''t bring himself to look at Noelle, especially after the things he had just said.


    Lionel quickly tried to ease the tension. "Alright, let''s stop standing around and head to the restaurant for the banquet."


    Noelle hung back for a moment and turned to Frank, "You should leave."


    "Nelly!"


    Frank looked at her retreating figure with aplicated expression but no longer dared to speak as he had before.


    As Noelle got into the car, she nced back at Frank standing by the roadside. Bruce''s earlier congrattory remark amused her.


    Soon, everyone arrived at a restaurant near the school.


    Frank followed them there-he couldn''t bring himself not to go.


    As he stepped out of the car, his phone rang.


    It was Lucas.


    "Frank, what''s going on? Xenia''s already at the hospital, so why haven''t you brought Noelle over yet?"


    Frank took a deep breath before replying, "Maybe after lunch."


    "What lunch could possibly be more important than dealing with the Parham family right now? Justin''s exam results were terrible, and Mrs. Parham has already called several times. "Justin had even rejected her video calls. If she sees he''s at the hospital, all our efforts will be wasted."


    Frank''s voice trembled as he said, "This is Nelly''s celebration banquet. I can''t leave."


    Even though he hadn''t contributed to Noelle''s sess, he still felt he had to be there as her brother, especially for today''s banquet.


    "What celebration banquet? Did


    Noelle be the city''s top scorer


    or something? She didn''t even do that well right? Stop messing around ande back to deal with the Parham family. Do you know how hard I''ve been working to


    build


    a good rtionship with Mr. Parham sincest night?"


    "Nelly is the city''s top scorer. She is the top student."


    "What?"


    Lucas nearly lost his bnce hearing the news. "You''re saying Noelle is the city''s top scorer? How is that possible? Didn''t they say hernguage score suffered because of the faulty stationery?"


    Even if the issue with hernguage exam hadn''t held her back, her grades shouldn''t have been enough to im the top spot in the entire city, right?


    "I thought the same, but the school


    has already put up a banner, and reporters are here interviewing the top scorer. It''s true-Nelly is the one. I''m already at the restaurant with them now."  en


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


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 160

    Lucas was silent for a long time on the other end of the phone.


    He could never have imagined that Noelle had actually be the city''s top scorer.


    After a long pause, Lucas finally said, "Well, if she''s the city''s top scorer, then she deserves to be celebrated."


    His younger sister, who had always seemed unremarkable, suddenly became the top scorer in the city. The shock of it left him struggling to process it.


    "Exactly. That''s exactly how I feel. I have to be there for such an important asion. I''ll finish my meal here and then bring her over. As for Justin, you keep an eye on things over there." "Got it, no problem. Since Noelle did so well, should we throw her a celebration banquet as well?"


    Ever since the loss of thepetition, Lucas had been reflecting on his actions. He realized he had been too harsh on Noelle in the past, and now he wanted to improve their sibling rtionship. Frank replied with relief, "How could I forget? Of course, we need to throw her a grand celebration. She''s the city''s top scorer-when Donovan hears this, he''ll be thrilled."


    After hanging up, Frank entered the restaurant, excitement bubbling inside him.


    Noelle was sitting at the center of the room, the focus of everyone''s attention.


    When Frank entered, someone stood up and said, "The top scorer''s brother is here! Let''s give him a seat."


    Frank sat next to Noelle, feeling an uneasy sense of unfamiliarity.


    In the past, he was always respected as Mr. Liddell. He had never imagined a day woulde when he would be riding on Noelle''s coattails.


    But despite the difort, he couldn''t help getting swept up in the festive atmosphere, and his mood began to lift.


    He poured himself a drink and raised his ss to Lionel and Bruce. "I toast to both of you. Thanks to your support, Noelle has been able to achieve such great results." "Not at all. It''s all thanks to Noelle''s hard work. We didn''t do much to help," Lionel said.


    Noelle watched as Frank drank ss after ss. She couldn''t help but tug on his sleeve, whispering, "Are you trying to kill yourself?"


    "Don''t worry, Nelly. I''m fine. It''s a happy day, and I should be the one to toast to you."


    Frank had a lump in his throat. He felt as if he had to do something for Noelle-otherwise, he might lose his mind.


    He made the rounds, toasting to everyone on Noelle''s behalf.


    Noelle was starting to feel ufortable.


    She didn''t need Frank''s so-called "atonement" because she wasn''t changing her mind.


    She nced down at her phone and saw a message from Cedric.


    "Remember not to drink at the banquet."


    "I know."


    "Call me if you need anything."


    Reading his message, she felt a sense of reassurance but didn''t mention that Frank was there. The banquet soon came to an end.


    Frank was a little drunk.


    After Noelle said her goodbyes to Lionel and Bruce, she helped him to the car.


    The driver had been waiting outside and immediately walked over to assist Frank into the vehicle.


    Noelle when


    "Nellyk grabbed her hand.


    about to walk away


    youe with me to the hospital?"


    "Let the driver take you!"


    Noelle jerked her hand free and turned


    Pelongs to


    preten leave. She didn''t want t to have some sibling bet


    swnoget


    He had dismissed her in the past, and now that she was the top


    scorer, he wanted to mend their rtionship? Not happove


    Holding his stomach in difort, Frank said, "What are you nning to do about Justin''s situation?"


    Noelle stopped in her tracks. "None of your business."


    "I''ve already arranged for the school doctor to go to the hospital."


    Noelle''s expression darkened, and she turned to look at him. "Why are you doing this?"


    "Because you''re my sister. I have to protect you!"


    Huh?


    Noelle sneered. "Then starting today, we''re no longer siblings. Don''t interfere with my life anymore!"

 Chapter 161

    Frank swayed his feet.


    He put a hand over his chest and asked, "Noelle, what did you say?"


    "I said, I want to sever ties with you. I hate it when you use the excuse of wanting the best for me to control my life."


    Noelle was furious. She had never said she wanted to sever ties before. She only tried to get as far away from him as possible.


    "I should''ve told you this earlier. It would stop you guys from doing all that shit with the excuse that you''re my brothers who want the best for me. You guys are disgusting!"


    Noelle''s re was icy. She hadn''t wanted to say all this while leaving the Liddell Residence. However, they had crossed the line.


    Frank felt like he couldn''t breathe. He said shakily, "Noelle, I had no idea you hated me and the Liddells this much!"


    "Right. Do you understand what I want now?"


    Frank looked up at her and said, "I''ll take this as an angry rant you don''t mean. The school doctor should''ve bore the consequences of his actions alone if he was a man worth anything. He should head to the hospital and apologize!" "You''re too much!"


    "Now, can you go with me to the hospital?"


    Noelle red at Frank. Then, she hailed a cab and left.


    She called Cedric, but no one picked up.


    She thought of what happened with Justin in herst life. Justin got into a fight with Cedric. Then, the Parhams forced Cedric to apologize to Justin. Cedric ended up being humiliated and beaten up by Justin. Noelle was livid.


    She texted Cedric and asked, "Where are you now?"


    "I''m at the hospital."


    Noelle immediately called him after seeing his response. "Cedric, don''t go in just yet. Wait for me outside. I''ll be there in a minute."


    "You''reing too?"


    Cedric had just got out of the car. He asked with a frown, "Are you guys done with the celebratory dinner already?"


    "Don''t change the topic. We''ll talk when I get there."


    Noelle hung up.


    Cedric nced at his phone before looking up at the hospital.


    Alfred walked over after parking the car. "Did Nelly call you just now?"


    "Yeah, she asked me to wait for her outside."


    "Nelly''s quite protective over you."


    Frank had contacted Cedric today. However, he didn''t see the Liddells''s threat as a legitimate danger.


    They were only here to settle the thing with Justin. It was mainly him who would teach Justin a lesson. Cedric stood by the door. "You can go in first. I''ll wait for her here."


    "Alright. I''ll get this over with as soon as possible."


    Alfred strode into the hospital and headed straight toward Justin''s luxurious hospital room. Justin was lying in bed covered in bandages while enjoying Xenia''s service.


    She said gently, "Justin, please spare Nelly and Lucas when theye to apologize to you. After all, Noelte is a


    member of the Liddell


    "I know. I won''t hold this against Noelle as long as she''s genuine with her apology. However, I will make her broke doctor boyfriend pay!"


    swney


    Justin spoke too loudly. His ribs throbbed and he sucked in a breath.


    Satisfaction glinted in Xenia''s eyes. "Thanks, Justin. Noelle was deluded by Cedric. That''s why she left home to live with him."


    "How could I have fallen for a scious woman like Noelle? You''re so much better than her, Xenia."


    Although Justin yed around, he liked his women pure.


    "Who are you calling scious?"


    Alfred walked into the room, only to


    hear Justin ndering Noelle. He was lucky Cedric hadn''t followed him@p. If not, Justin would''ve been done for.


    Cedric was extremely protective of Noelle.


    Upon seeing Alfred, Justin was terrified. He dropped the apple he had been holding. "Y-you..."


    Alfred was his cousin!


    Had his family found out about what he did and sent Alfred to teach him a lesson?


    When Xenia saw that Alfred was alone, she asked, "It''s you. Where''s Cedric?"


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


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 162

    Alfred said calmly, "I can handle this alone. There''s no need to involve Cedric."


    Why would he need Alfred''s help to teach Justin a lesson? It would be like using an axe to cut a watermelon.


    Xenia remarked, "You? I think you''re not powerful enough. Wasn''t Alfred filled with bravado? Why is he hiding away now?"


    "Shut up," Justin said. He added, "Why are you taking that tone with him?"


    Even he didn''t dare to speak to Alfred like that.


    Xenia felt sad. "What''s wrong with what I said, Justin?"


    Alfred smiled, but it didn''t reach his eyes. He said to Justin, "Ask her to leave. We''ll discuss this among ourselves."


    "Right, right. Xenia, please leave the room and shut the door behind you."


    "Justin, this has to do with me as well. Why do I have to leave?"


    Xenia felt like Justin wasn''t respecting her. Men never valued women once they roped them into a rtionship.


    Justin said impatiently, "Just get out like I told you to. Do you not understand English or what?"


    He didn''t want to let her watch how Alfred beat him up. He wanted to preserve his reputation.


    Xenia stomped her foot and walked out angrily, leaving the two men in the room.


    Alfred walked over, pulled out a chair and sat down. "You really know how to have a good time, don''t you?"


    "The man in the club sounded like you but I thought I''d recognized the wrong person. Why didn''t you take your mask off there?"


    "This has nothing to do with you. You deserved to get hurt. Don''t drag others into this, alright?"


    Justin was confused. "Is the doctor your friend?"


    If not, why would Alfrede to settle this at the hospital himself?


    "Yes. Do you know what needs to be done now?"


    "But he broke my bones. You don''t care about me, Alfred. Who''s that doctor? How has he managed to send you to talk to me?"


    Alfred wished Justin would just take the hint. "You better stay unaware. As long as you don''t make a big deal out of this, I''ll talk to your mom about your grades."


    Justin was ecstatic. "Deal!"


    For him, his results caused him the most grief. After all, Alfred was intelligent but he was dumb as a brick!


    ...


    Noelle got out of the car as soon as it stopped in front of the hospital.


    She rushed toward the hospital and failed to watch her step. As a result, she stumbled.


    "Be careful. Watch where you''re going."


    Cedric caught her in time, resigned at her antics.


    Noelle sighed in relief when she looked up at him. "You didn''t go in, did you?"


    "No, I''ve been standing here waiting for you."


    Cedric didn''t see why he needed to head in. Alfred could settle this on his own.


    However, he hadn''t expected Noelle to rush over in a hurry. He could still smell food on her.


    Noelle instantly rxed after hearing his response. "That''s great."


    "What do you need to tell me that''s so urgent?"


    "I wanted to tell you that you don''t have to obey what Frank says. I''ve found awyer for you. If the


    velket


    Parhams try to cause trouble, we''ll tough it out to the end."


    Noelle looked extremely serious about it.


    Cedric studied the determination on her face. When she called him just now, he noted her concern and anxiety over him. His heart, which had been still for ages, skipped a beat.


    Cedric couldn''t help but flick her forehead. "It''s not that serious. I''ll settle it."


    "What can you settle? Even though


    you have rich friends like Alfred, his family isn''t important enough in


    Yasnia. If Justin''s parents are


    adamant on suing you, you can''t make it out on your own."


    "Why not?"


    "You''re just a school doctor. How would you be able to hold your own against a wealthy family like theirs?"


    Noelle pursed her lips and said, "After all, this happened because of me. You hurt that dumb, rich kid, Justin, for me."


    Noelle calling Justin names did something to Cedric.


    He chuckled and asked, "You want to take responsibility for me with that little figure of yours?"


    "That''s exactly what I want to do. So what?"

 Chapter 163

    Noelle looked up at him. She had spoken without thinking.


    Cedric felt his heart skip a beat.


    His Adam''s apple bobbed as he said, "Kiddo, don''t promise to take responsibility for men. Words like this shoulde from men.


    Noelle realized that what she''d said had been appropriate, as though she had been hinting at something.


    She looked down anxiously and said, "Don''t misunderstand me. I didn''t mean anything by that. You''re my friend. I can''t let you get dragged into this because of me."


    "Yeah, I understand."


    Cedric looked up and asked, "What do you n to do?"


    "I want to talk to Justin myself."


    "Let''s go."


    Noelle watched him walk over and ran after him. "You don''t have to go. I''m fine on my own."


    If Cedric went, Justin would give him a bad time. She didn''t want him to suffer. "Noelle, wait for me."


    Frank caught up with Noelle. He hadn''t expected Noelle to leave in a cab. Her stubbornness forced him to go after her.


    When he saw Cedric standing in front of Noelle, he said coldly, "You''vee. You''re quite brave."


    He thought Cedric would cower away and note.


    Noelle said with a frown, "Frank, I''ve told you this has nothing to do with him. Why are you doing this?"


    "Noelle, I''m doing this for your sake."


    "That''s enough. What do you mean by that? Have you asked for my opinion on this? I think it''s horrible."


    Noelle was done with their self-confidence.


    She walked into the lift.


    Cedric followed her. He felt bad for her and said, "It''s not aplicated issue. Don''t get yourself worked up over this."


    "Easy for you to say, Mr. Greene. All


    the


    thinksure is on Noelle. Did y I would be able to defet


    Parsons of Yasnia?"


    the


    Frank looked down on Cedric. Although he might''ve been skilled and was filled with bravado, he was nothing before the Parsons.


    Cedric said calmly, "There''s no need to fight them. It can be settled with words alone."


    "That''s a big guarantee. I''ll watch how you settle this with words aler."


    Frank thought this was a good opportunity for Noelle to see that Cedric was a nobody whose only skill was showing off.


    Noelle took a deep breath and walked out of the elevator. She looked back at Cedric and said, "Wait for me out here."


    Cedric studied her expression and offered, "I can go in with you."


    Justin knew who he was.


    He didn''t want to see Noelle so worked up about this to the point where he was willing to risk exposing his identity.


    "No way. Wait for me here."


    Frank didn''t approve. "Noelle, can you stop being so lovesick?"


    She ignored him and walked toward the ward.


    When she pushed the door open, she heard Xenia''s surprised question. "What? You''re not nning to take legal action against them?


    "Yeah. I made the first move in the club. It was my fault, not to mention how they''ve paid me back already It''s fine, Justin said. He continued awkwardly, "Isn''t Noelle part of the Liddell family anyway? Suing them won''t benefit you guys."


    Xenia didn''t want to give up like that. "But..."


    That wasn''t his stance just now. Why had he changed his stance as soon as he saw Alfred?


    Justin looked up and said, "Xenia, I''m letting this go because of you."

 Chapter 164

    Alfred had told Justin not to disclose too much information to the Liddells, so he couldn''t tell the truth.


    Xenia looked rather displeased. If Lucas hadn''t been present, she would''ve continued egging Justin on to take legal action against them.


    She could only say, "Justin, thank you for doing this for me. The Liddell family is grateful for what you''ve done."


    Lucas sighed in relief. All was well now that Justin wasn''t going to sue them for it.


    Noelle found this unbelievable. Was Justin really not going to take legal action against them? Something felt a little off but she couldn''t put her finger on what was wrong.


    Frank walked over and said, "Thank you, Mr. Parson. Our apologies for causing so much trouble. Don''t worry, we''ll pay for all the medical fees. Xenia will also take care of you until you recover."


    Justin coughed and replied, "It would be inappropriate to make too big a deal of this. After all, it''s all for Xenia.


    He had zed over the main issue now, right?


    Although Xenia felt a little frustrated that he had given up, she was ttered by how much Justin was doing for her.


    Xenia turned to Noelle and said, "Although he''ll let this go, Justin has been badly wounded. Shouldn''t you apologize?"


    Lucas nodded. "Indeed, an apology is in order. Come here, Noelle."


    Frank frowned and said, "The school doctor is here as well. Tell him to apologize."


    Why was Noelle the one to apologize?


    Justin immediately shook his hands and said, "T-there''s no need for apologies. These are just unnecessary courtesies."


    Alfred probably hadn''t left yet.


    He''d stood up for Cedric and Justin had promised him not to continue finding fault in Cedric for this issue. If Alfred and Cedric came, he would probably be the one apologizing!


    Frank said, "Mr. Parson, you''ve been wounded. An apology is well deserved."


    "No, no, no. I''m not hung up on stuff like this. It''s all water under the bridge now. Please, let''s all not bring this up again, alright?"


    Justin was terrified of Alfred and didn''t want to see him.


    Noelle was not the only one who found this weird. Even the other Liddells hadn''t expected the conflict to be resolved so easily. It was a little weird!


    Xenia said happily, "Thank you for being so generous because of me., Justin. I''m touched. Frank, since Justin has decided not to take action, we''ll let this go."


    Justin said hurriedly, "I would like to rest now. Please leave."


    He wanted to be alone.


    Everyone left.


    Noelle''s intense worry receded. Justin hadn''t acted like he did in the rumors about him.


    Xenia said purposely, "Noelle, go and tell that school doctor not to be so impulsive in the future. Not everyone is as magnanimous as Justin."


    Frank nodded and said, "Xenia, I knew that you were mature and obedient. Thank you."


    Lucas turned to Noelle and said, "Stop running around with Cedric and move back home. We won''t treat you like we used to. Stop holding a grudge, alright?" Noelle chuckled coldly.


    She looked at Lucas and said, "Stop daydreaming. I''ve got nothing to do with you all. Don''t try to control me."


    Lucas was about to pop a fuse. Frank immediately held him back and said, "Noelle, let this go. You''ve gotten excellent grades this time We''re nning to host a huge celebratory g for you. If you''ve got any ideas or requests, tell me and I''ll make it happen."


    Xenia fiddled with her fingers, jealousy brewing inside her. She wouldn''t let Noelle gloat over her. What schr? She definitely worked with the headmaster to cheat.


    §Ú§Þ


    Noelle red at Frank. He felt his heart sink into his stomach.


    She backed away from him and said, "A celebratory g for me? What made you think you could do that? Was it when you made things difficult for me and forced me to game with you, slowing down my academic progress?"


    "Noelle, you''re being too harsh."


    "I''ve got harsher words to say. Who are you to throw a celebratory g for me?"


    Frank replied loudly, "I''m your brother."


    "Not anymore."

 Chapter 165

    Noelle said coldly, "To be urate, you haven''t been my brother for a long time."


    "Do you want to sever ties with me?" Frank said.


    "You''ve said that so many times. Have you forgotten?" she retorted.


    Frank responded uneasily, "I said that in a fit of rage. I didn''t mean it."


    "I thought you meant it. You''ve got to honor your promises."


    Noelle looked at Frank and Lucas. She said, "I never say things I don''t mean in a fit of rage. See you around. Oh, that''s not right. I hope I never see you again."


    She looked extremely serious. Although she was pale, her eyes gleamed.


    She turned around and saw Cedric standing with Frank. Cedric seemed proud of her. Alfred pped and praised her. "Said like a true queen!"


    When she saw them, Noelle rxed.


    She hadn''t wanted to say all this. It made her seem like she cared about the Liddells. However, she had finally had enough when Frank contacted Cedric behind her back to force him toe to the hospital.


    "Noelle, don''t think you''re all that just because you got good grades. You think you can leave the Liddells behind? Without us, you''re nothing!"


    Her words angered Lucas.


    He hadn''t thought that Noelle cared so much about them. Why hadn''t she voiced this out in the past? He thought she didn''t care.


    Noelle turned around and said coldly, "Without me, your team can''t even get into the finals. Is that it? Without me, is the app going to cancel their coboration with you?"


    Embarrassment shed across Luca''s eyes.


    He couldn''t rebut her. It was the truth.


    Alfred stoked the fire by saying, "Without you, Noelle''s grades have improved and she''s be valedictorian. She''s also a famous livestreamer now. Many teams have invited her to join them. Without you, she''s doing better than ever."


    Cedric said icily, "Ask yourselves what you''ve done for her all these years."


    Lucas shot back. "Of course we''ve done a lot for her."


    However, Lucas couldn''t recall anything. He could only remember Noelle trailing after him. He got used to her contributions, but forgot that these things had to go both ways.


    en


    Noelle said calmly, "In the future, stop using the excuse that blood is thicker than water. It''s hrious."


    Then, she walked away.


    Frank sped a hand over his abdomen and copsed onto the floor. He felt horrible.


    Lucas and Xenia shrieked, "What''s wrong, Frank?"


    Noelle heard their voices and turned


    around after walking into the


    elevator, She saw Frank lying on the


    floor looking up at her. She stared at him emotionlessly until the doors closed.


    "Noelle!"


    He kept mumbling Noelle''s name while he squeezed his eyes shut. He finally realized that he had lost her forever.


    In the past, Noelle would never have left him while he was sick. She cared greatly about him.


    Frank realized that things had changed.


    He was losing his sister.


    ...


    Noelle walked out of the hospital and sighed.


    As Alfred drove, he said, "Noelle, you should have done this a long time ago and


    stopped them from walking all over you."


    "You''re right."


    Noelle also believed that she should''ve made things clear with them earlier so they didn''t keep thinking she was only throwing a tantrum She''d never joked about. this. She had nned her every step out of the Liddell family. Yet, they lived in their imaginations, believing that she was just holding a grudge.

 Chapter 166

    Cedric sat in the passenger seat and nced at her through the mirror. "It''s not toote now."


    Noelle was rxed. "Right, there''s something I find weird. Why would he decide to not to take legal action against us? He also didn''t need us to apologize."


    Alfred said unnaturally, "It was Justin who made the first move. He must''ve suddenly realized it was his problem."


    "Is that the case?"


    Noelle thought it seemed a little off.


    Based on her understanding of Justin from herst life, he wasn''t that magnanimous of a person. However, this could be because of Xenia. After all, she''d deployed all her tactics to make a good impression with Justin.


    When she got back to her apartment in the afternoon, her phone kept ringing. Upon seeing that it was Lucas calling, she blocked him. The world suddenly fell silent.


    Noelle knew what Lucas wanted to say, but she didn''t want to hear from him at all.


    She logged into the game and formed a team with two others.


    At night, she nned to livestream her yer Kill Match.


    If she won tonight, she would be ranked first.


    However, after beginning her stream, Rachel texted her and said, "Queen, Xenia


    is spreading misinformation about you in her steam."


    "What''s she saying?"


    "She used you of pissing off your brother so much he had to be hospitalized. Xenia also said you were ungrateful."


    This was all Xenia could do.


    Noelle didn''t pay her any attention. She streamed as scheduled. There were people who came in and left nastyments, but her fans chased them out.


    Noelle put all her focus into gaming and felt satisfied when she finally got first ce.


    While she was resting, someone spammed, "Why are you not answering the questions? Are you guilty?"


    Noelle chuckled coldly. "Why would I


    reply to your untrue usations?


    Just because a bitch sobs and


    uses me of something I haven''t


    done, all of you have


    dinto


    online judges. If you''re so capable, you should just be detectives and cry at criminals."


    "Don''t change the topic. Answer the question."


    Noelle red at them and said, "Everyone knows that I''ve never been on good terms with the Liddells. I''ve never hidden this. I hereby announce that whatever happens with the Liddells have nothing to do with me. I rely on


    myself at all times."


    Rachel helped her exin in thement section, "Noelle has not been treated fairly. All her ssmates know that."


    "Now that Noelle has escaped them, they''vee to guilt trip her after she got state valedictorian."


    Thement section was distracted by this new information.


    Her valedictorian interview was publicly avable online. Noelle went viral once again.


    When Xenia saw that the topics of discussions weren''t as she


    expected, she furiously stopped her stream. The number of her fans were declining. However, Noelle had been gaining followers.


    Xenia was driven mad with jealousy. Couldn''t Noelle just disappear from her life?


    Her phone buzzed. "Xenia, is Noelle causing trouble for you? I can help you get rid of her."


    When she saw the text, Xenia screamed. Hadn''t she blocked him? Was he really her dad? How could that be possible?


    "Xenia, what''s wrong?"


    Lucas walked in. Xenia switched her phone off. Lucas couldn''t see this! She''d finally solidified her position in the Liddell family and didn''t want to return to her life of poverty.

 Chapter 167

    Xenia pocketed her phone and said, "Just some videos rmended to me. No one sent anything to me."


    None of the Liddells could find out about this.


    They''d taken her home because she was an orphan, not to mention how there was definitely a story behind why her dad was alive.


    Xenia had a bad feeling about this. She immediately changed the topic and asked, "Why have youe home? Is Frank feeling better?"


    "He is."


    Lucas retracted his hand. "You said that Frank was sick while you were streaming. What did Noelle say?"


    Xenia sighed and said, "She seems to have gotten even angrier. It was my fault. I shouldn''t have spoken about this before so many people."


    She''d done that on purpose. Publicly guilt-tripping Noelle would further discourage her froming home.


    "Don''t beat yourself up over this. Noelle has changed."


    Lucas looked around her bedroom and said, "Xenia, the room you had been staying in was a little small. I''m nning to renovate the guest room for you. However, let''s return this room to Noelle. What do you think?"


    Xenia had moved into Noelle''s room and treated it as her own. The idea of moving out had never urred to her!


    Since Noelle said she was moving out, Xenia was now the only daughter the Liddells had. Of course she would stay in the biggest room.


    She''d never expected Lucas to say that she should move out.


    Lucas said awkwardly, "Xenia, don''t overthink this. I don''t mean anything bad. It''s just that Noelle has been throwing a tantrum about this. We''ve got to give things back to her."


    When Noelle said she wanted to sever ties, he felt like he''d been pped across the face.


    He reflected on how he''d treated Noelle and Xenia differently. Now, he had to learn to be fairer. After all, Noelle did care.


    Lucas had to change.


    "Lucas, what are you going on about? Why would I overthink? This room has always belonged to Noelle. It''s only right that it should be returned to its original owner."


    Xenia smiled kindly. In reality, she loathed Noelle.


    you''d


    Lucas sighed in relief, "Iter to


    understand. We can only cater to Noelle''s horrible temper now. Don''t worry, I won''t treat you badly in the future."


    "I know."


    "Right, do put aside the jewelry left


    with you when Noelle apologized f


    the g. When shees back, ¨¨ it all back to her."


    When Xenia heard that, her smile faltered.


    She could move out, but if she had to return the jewelry to Noelle, it felt like her flesh was getting torn off her.


    Xenia''s eyes teared up. "Lucas, I


    know that the jewelry was given to me temporarily. However, I''ve worn them at a g. If I don''t wear anything at the next event, will the journalists make up stories about me?"


    "Don''t worry about that. I''ll buy you some more in the future."


    "Alright, thanks Lucas."


    Although Xenia didn''t want to give them up, she had to put up a good front.


    At Xenia''s agreeable attitude, Lucas sighed, "If only Noelle was as obedient as you."


    It wouldn''t be so inconvenient now.


    A mocking glee shed across Xenia''s eyes. Her obedience was but a front to please her brothers.


    She''d been wronged time and time again.


    After Lucas left, she glowered.


    She''d thought she was almost like Noelle. Reality was like a p across her face.


    Her phone buzzed. "No matter how much you pretend to be a rich Liddell, you''ll never really be part of them. We''re family!"


    Hatred gleamed in Xenia''s eyes.

 Chapter 168

    Yeah, Xenia schemed for years and treated the Liddell brothers as her own. What


    did she get in the end? She would never match up to Noelle!


    In the end, Xenia picked up her phone and opened the text. It was time to


    formte a backup n.


    Once Noelle came home, there would be no ce for her here!


    Noelle enjoyed her next few days. She yed games every day.


    However, she received a call from the Ministry of Education. "You''re Noelle, right? We''re from the Ministry of Education. Many people have reported you for cheating. We will be conducting an investigation into your exam results. Pleasee on campus and help us with this."


    She cheated on her exams?


    It seemed like a joke to Noelle.


    As to who had reported her, Noelle didn''t even need to guess.


    Xenia was the only person who was jealous of her.


    Noelle wasn''t flustered. After all, she hadn''t cheated.


    Before leaving, she surveyed the empty apartment. Cedric and Alfred were at work all day.


    The app she had participated in creating was about to be published.


    She thought for a moment, but decided not to inform Cedric about this. Instead, she called a cab and headed to school. She could handle this on her own.


    When Noelle arrived in school, she realized that Bruce and Lionel were present. She walked into the office. The man sitting on the couch said, "You''re Noelle, right? I''m Robert Jameson, and I''ll be in charge of looking into your grades. I''ve got some questions for you."


    "Sure."


    Noelle was unbothered.


    Lionel said, "Noelle''s grades surged toward the end, but her grades weren''t bad at all before that. She''s got firm foundations. It wouldn''t be a stretch for her to mature


    in thest few months. She''s capable. We''re not afraid of getting her papers checked."


    "Her papers are being looked through presently. We''ll conduct an open and fair investigation."


    After he finished asking her questions, Noelle asked, "Who reported me to the authorities?"


    "We can''t disclose this information. We''re done for today. More discussions will be conducted back at the Ministry."


    Lionel was rather nervous. "Noelle didn''t cheat. Why don''t you let her do a mock paper. You''ll know how capable she is."


    Noelle was touched when Lionel spoke out for her. He believed her.


    Bruce said calmly, "Noelle, don''t read too


    into this. You''ve done


    wrong so you''ve got none


    to be scared of."


    Noelle nodded and replied, "I know. I''m not afraid at all."


    "That''s great. There''s nothing that needs to be done now. You can go home and wait for further updates from us."


    After Noelle left the office, Bruce called Cedric and said, "Mr. Greene, I''ve got something to tell you."


    After Cedric listened to what Bruce had to say, he paused the meeting and left the meeting room.


    He looked out at the skyline of the city center and asked strictly, "Did she go to school just now?"


    "Yes, she came to help with the


    investigation. Noelle has left now et


    The person who reported her said that the stationery I provided with her helped her to cheat."


    "Absolute bullshit."


    Cedric knew more about this than anyone else. Noelle''s capabilities didn''t require her to cheat.


    He knocked on the ss window and said darkly, "I got it."


    Cedirc hung up and smirked.


    Alfred left the meeting room. "Hey, why are you smiling like a maniac? Who called you?"


    "Someone used Noelle of cheating."


    "Who''s so shameless as to do this?"


    Cedric said coldly, "Do those people


    really think that they''ll be safe


    forever? Go look into who reported Noelle to the authorities. Then, get the surveince footage for Xenia''s examination process.


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


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 169

    When Noelle returned to her apartment, she was rather distracted. She knew that this was Xenia''s doing.


    Her disgusting actions had disgusted Noelle indeed.


    She ruminated for a moment before calling to make a report of her own. "I would like to report someone for cheating on their examination."


    Noelle would give Xenia a taste of her own medicine.


    Although Noelle wasn''t sure whether Xenia cheated, based on her usual cheating practices, there was a high chance she''d done something during the exam.


    She wanted to give Xenia a hard time.


    While Noelle was leaving the house to shop, she saw a familiar car parked by the side of the road.


    She sped up and pretended like she couldn''t see it.


    "Noelle."


    Lucas hurried over. "I''m here to warn you."


    Noelle smirked mockingly. "That''s funny. I never needed you to do all this."


    "Frank''s disease is more severe than expected. He couldn''t handle his work and Donovan found out about what happened. He also knows that you are the state valedictorian."


    "So?"


    "Donovan caught a flight back tonight. You know that temper of his. My suggestion is for you to move back for now. After he leaves, you can move out again. Frank and I will keep your secret."


    He knew that Noelle had moved out because they hurt her. He had to atone for his sins.


    Noelle hadn''t expected Donovan toe back.


    However, he was always going toe back eventually after her exam. It was the same in herst life.


    Noelle had to face him eventually.


    She said coldly, "There''s no need for that."


    "Noelle, there''s no need to go up against him forcefully. You''ll be the only victim. It might even implicate Cedric. You know how he is. He''ll do anything."


    Frustration took over Noelle. "I know how to handle it myself. I don''t need you to interfere."


    Of course, Noelle knew that Donovan was difficult to deal with.


    However, she didn''t want to take Lucas'' suggestion. She had left the Liddells and wouldn''t go back.


    Lucas sighed. He could only devise another n.


    Noelle went back to the apartment and ruffled her hair in annoyance.


    She didn''t care. Noelle was just scared that Cedric would be dragged into this.


    After finishing her livestream, Cedric still hadn''te back.


    Noelle waited for him on the couch until she fell asleep. After an indefinite amount of time, the door opened.


    Noelle opened the door to see the two men by the door. To be urate, it was Cedric holding drunk Alfred up.


    She stood up and asked, "Did you guys go to a business dinner?"


    "It''s sote. Haven''t you gone to bed?"


    Cedric helped Alfred back to his room he turned to Noelle and asked, "Do


    and dumped him in bed. The


    you have anything tot


    "Yes."


    Cedric threw off his coat and loosened his tie. Then, he unbuttoned his shirt.


    Noelle immediately ran out to get some water. She put a ss of


    lemonade on Alfred''s bed befor


    trotting over to Cedric with another ss in her hands.


    Cedric nced at her hands and his Adam''s apple bobbed. He said, "What''s up?"


    He guessed that it had something to do with Xenia reporting her grades.


    Noelle looked at him and said, "I would like to find a house of my own and not live here anymore."


    Cedric raised an eyebrow and red at her. She looked rather nervous. "What''s your reason?"


    "B-because it''s inappropriate for me to keep staying here. I''ve got some money now. I can buy a house of my own. If your girlfriendes to see you, it would be inconveniento have Alfred here."


    "Scared that my girlfriend might not have a ce to sleep?"

 Chapter 170

    Cedric leaned back into the couch with his shirt open, his corbones exposed to the air.


    Noelle felt seduced by his leisurely attitude.


    She looked down and said, "It''s just a kind suggestion."


    "Don''t worry, she''ll sleep with me."


    Cedric smirked and said, "Kiddo, you''ve got many ideas at your young age."


    Noelle''s mood soured after hearing that. She couldn''t imagine him being so nice to other women. Thinking of him sleeping on the same bed with someone else made her feel bad.


    She calmed down. "I''m going back to rest."


    She turned and left, mming the door while she left.


    Cedric heard the noise she made and raised an eyebrow. Had she gotten angry?


    "Cedric, you''re being dishonest. You don''t have a girlfriend. Liar!"


    "I hadn''t lied to her. Wouldn''t your girlfriend sleep with you?"


    Alfred sipped at his lemonade. "You''re ying verbal games with her. Noelle is so sweet. She even ced this by my bedside. If not for her background, I think she''d be a great match for you."


    Cedric''s eyes darkened. "Don''t make jokes like that."


    "Alright, back to the topic. I received news that the surveince footage for Xenia''s exam has been obtained. She''d cheated and there''s concrete evidence. What are you nning to do about this?"


    Cedric smiled, but it never reached his eyes. "We''ll do what needs to be done" Pests like her had to be destroyed.


    ...


    After Noelle got back, she thought of what Cedric had said. She wanted to beat him to a pulp.


    She cuddled up in bed, feeling sad.


    Initially, she''d forgotten that Cedric had a girlfriend and thought that she could forget about it if she ignored it. However, in the end she was merely lying to herself.


    ?


    She proposed to move out so that Donovan wouldn''t track her back to Cedric when he found out she''d moved out. Because of this, Noelle


    deep.


    The next day, she received a call from James Ms. Liddell, the game you helped to create is about to be published We need all the participants to do a meeting together. You need to show up as a technical support too. Are you free in the afternoon?"


    "I don''t want to go. Having one less person won''t affect anything."


    She didn''t want to see anyone from the Liddell family.


    "Ms. Liddell. This has to do with work. I know what you''re thinking, but that''s an issue on its own. Work is work. If your future business of work has to do with the Liddells, are you going to escape it for the rest of your life?"


    "Who said I was trying to escape?"


    Noelle thought for a moment before saying, "I''lle overter."


    After hanging up, he felt a little frustrated. She wouldn''t escape.


    Noelle headed straight to the hospital where Frank was still being hospitalized.


    After walking into the room, she saw many people from each project department. They were really having a meeting.


    While she was on the way here, she''d considered whether it was a trap for her.


    When Frank saw her, he nced at her warmly and said, "You''re here. Start the meeting."


    Noelle stood outside and listened to everyone speak. Some evenined that the partners were pushing too hard.


    She considered that a few days ago Cedric and Alfred hadn''t beening home. They''d probably gone to handle issues rted to the game.


    After the meeting ended, Noelle prepared to leave without a backwards nce. "Noelle, wait."


    They were the only people left in the room.


    Frank said, "Donovan came backst night. Do you know that?"


    "I know, but my decision isn''t going to change."


    Noelle had just reached the door when people appeared. The man in front of


    everyone wore a suit. He was handsome and stern.


    Donovan asked, "Where do you think you''re going?"

 Chapter 171

    When Noelle saw Dominic, her pupils constricted. In the past, she was most terrified of Donovan. Every time he came home, she did her best to hide from him to prevent herself from getting scolded.


    After he chased her out of their house in herst lifetime, Noelle gave up on him.


    Noelle looked up and said coldly, "There''s nothing for me to do after the meeting. Of course I''m going to leave."


    "Where are you going?"


    Donovan red at her.


    Lucas hurriedly approached them and tried to smooth things over. "Naturally, she''s going back to the Liddell Residence. Where else would she go? Isn''t that right, Noelle?"


    He signalled at Noelle, hoping that she would give in. If not, judging by Donovan''s temper, she would probably suffer.


    Xenia added disingenuously, "Noelle, since Donovan is back, you should stop holding that grudge of yours."


    Lucas frowned at Xenia. Why was she saying that? She knew Noelle was stubborn.


    Noelle looked up and replied, "I''m living outside independently."


    "Noelle, are you mad?"


    Lucas hadn''t thought she would reply to him like that. Donovan had phrased his question in that way to give her a chance! However, she didn''t seize the opportunity!


    Noelle said neutrally, fierceness shing across her eyes, "I''m very sane."


    Donovan paled. "Noelle, I didn''t believe you would partake in such rebellious behavior. In the few months of my absence, you''ve been influenced by that school medic."


    "I was done with the Liddells. It has nothing to do with Cedric."


    "Did you think I would believe that?"


    Donovan continued coldly, "You''re never going to see him ever again."


    Terror took over Noelle''s features. "Donovan, what are you going to do with him?"


    "How you behave determines what I''ll do to him. It''s a pity you didn''t pass my test. Thus, I''ll use my way to discipline you."


    Noelle saw the guards down the hallway and understood what was happening.


    She looked back at Frank with red-rimmed eyes. "It was a trap all along?"


    Frank exined anxiously, "Noelle, I didn''t expect Donovan toe to the hospital at this hour."


    "That''s enough. Your exnation does nothing apart from disgust me."


    Noelle felt chills run down her spine. They never perceived her as an independent being. She was treated as a puppet who always had to obey their whims.


    Donovan roared, "Noelle, don''t think that you''re all that just because you''re state valedictorian. Did you


    think your cheating would be kept


    under the radar if not for me?"


    en


    Noelle said emotionlessly, "First, I didn''t cheat, so I don''t need you to keep this under the radar."


    "You''re still being stubborn! We''ve seen your grades through the years. Did you think that your improvement in thest few months would be enough to turn you into the state valedictorian? Did you think that no one would be suspicious of your grades?"


    ine


    Donovan didn''t believe Noelle could achieve such ster results.


    Frank said, "Donovan, Noelle improved because of her hard work. Her teachers


    said that she was capable. I believe she hadn''t cheated."


    "Enough. You and Lucas have been


    wrapped around her little finger. Just because she throws a tantrum, you guys are going along with it? Xenia has told me the truth. There''s no need to hide it from me


    Sumore."


    When Donovan heard of what Noelle had done, he was livid.


    Lucas and Frank turned to Xenia simultaneously. It didn''t sit well with them. They''d promised not to tell Donovan about this. Why would Xenia go ahead and do just that?


    For the first time, they were displeased by Xenia. After all, she used to be so thoughtful. Why would she do something like this?


    Xenia noticed their expressions and came up with an exnation. "I''m sorry. It slipped out of me unintentionally. It''s all my fault."

 Chapter 172

    Donovan waved his arms and said, "Xenia, how could this be your fault? Frank and Lucas forced you to lie. It''s their problem!"


    Frank and Lucas felt wronged.


    Lucas couldn''t help but interject. "Donovan, it''s my fault Noelle left. I hadn''t been treating her well and pushed her around frequently. She left because she was hurt."


    He slowly realized how uneptable his behavior had been and wanted to make up to Noelle. ncing at Noelle, he said, "It''s my fault. I won''t behave like that in the future."


    Lucas swore on it! He didn''t want to sever ties with Noelle. She was his only sister.


    Upon hearing what Lucas had to say, she smirked mockingly and said, "Ate apology doesn''t suffice. Get out of my way. I want to leave!"


    However, the guards at the door blocked her and didn''t move an inch.


    Donovan picked up a call. He said, "Noelle, you can''t leave just yet. The Ministry of Education is sending people over to investigate your cheating behavior. You better y nice, if not even the Liddells won''t be able to save you."


    Noelle was confused. Hadn''t they conducted their investigation already? Bruce told her to go home and wait for further updates? Why had theye again? Something felt off.


    Xenia was ecstatic to hear the news. She simpered, "Noelle, just own up to it. Perhaps they won''t punish you as harshly if you do so."


    Frank red at her and said, "What are you going on about? Noelle didn''t cheat!"


    What was up with Xenia? Why was she ndering Noelle?


    Xenia immediately said pitifully, "Frank, I''m doing so for Noelle''s sake."


    Dominic immediately stood up for her. He red at Frank and said, "Xenia has done nothing wrong. You''ve been pampering Noelle too much. This is the result."


    Frank was frustrated. Looking at Xenia, who was cowered behind Dominic, as though everyone had wronged her, he finally got a taste for how Noelle had been feeling in the past.


    Of course Noelle would be devastated and fixated on leaving the Liddell family.


    Frank narrowed his eyes at Xenia and said, "Before the investigation is concluded, you better not make such misleading statements."


    "Frank, I..."


    "Shut it. I don''t want to hear your excuse."


    Frank was in a horrible mood.


    Xenia could only close her mouth. Thankfully, Donovan was on her side and they had to obey him.


    As Noelle watched Frank stand up for her, she found him hrious.


    Perhaps he finally realized that Xenia was different from how she pretended to be. However, Noelle didn''t care about that anymore.


    She pulled her phone out and tried to text Cedric.


    "What are you doing?"


    Donovan grabbed Noelle''s phone and nced at it. "Texting him won''t help. He can''t make it here."


    Noelle said coldly, "I''ve told you that this has nothing to do with him."


    "Wait for the investigators toe over. After that, you can negotiate with me if you''re still feeling so brave!"


    Donovan slipped her phone into his pocket. "If your cheating is put into your record, you''ll be banned from the examination for five years. You''ll have to live off the Liddells for the rest of your life. Did you really think that Cedric would provide for a useless woman like you for the rest of your life?"


    Noelle chuckled coldly and shot back, "I''m useless? Without me, Lucas'' team can''t even qualify for the finals Frank wouldn''t have been able to settle the problem with the firewall in his project if not for me. I''m so fucking sick of how you all pretend to be high-and-mighty!"

 Chapter 173

    Donovan was livid. He pped Noelle.


    "Noelle, I dare you to repeat that."


    Her face throbbed. Noelle licked her lips. She had enough of this.


    Noelle had thought that leaving the Liddells meant that she could start a life for herself. After all, they weren''t important to her. She hadn''t expected them to cling on to her and cause so much chaos!


    Her hatred for them had reached a boiling point.


    Xenia came over and held Donovan back. "Donovan, don''t get mad. After all, Noelle is quite talented. It wouldn''t be correct to say that she hadn''t put in any effort at all. This is all my fault. It''s because..."


    Noelle backhanded Xenia with all the strength she could muster.


    Xenia stumbled and nearly fell. She was dumbstruck. She hadn''t expected Noelle tosh out all of a sudden!


    sping her cheek, Xenia shrieked, "Are you out of your mind? How dare you hit me?"


    Noelle pped back coldly, "Didn''t you say this was all your fault and it happened because of you? In that case, it wouldn''t be too much for me to p you, right?"


    Putting on that front? This is what she got for it!


    Xenia was speechless. Although she had said so, it was just an excuse. She wasn''t really owning up to her mistakes.


    Tears welled up in Xenia''s eyes. She looked up at Donovan and said, "Donovan, if Noelle''s anger can be soothed by pping me, I don''t have anyints."


    Donovan pushed Xenia behind him. "Noelle, you''re getting more rebellious. You sacrificed so little for the Liddells, but now you think you can walk all over us?"


    Frank said, "Donovan, Noelle was telling the truth."


    "Nonsense. If not for the Liddells, would you be so excellent?"


    Donovan felt like Noelle was making excuses. How dare she hit Xenia?


    At that moment, a few people arrived outside the room. "We''re here to investigate the cheating scandal."


    Donovan nced at his guards to signal that they could be let in.


    Donovan nced back at Noelle. "Now, the investigators are here. I''ll watch how long you continue to be stubborn. Didn''t you consider how people would be suspicious of you after you became valedictorian by cheating? Idiot!"


    Xenia pretended to be mature. "Donovan, Noelle probably yearned to get approval from Liddells. That was why she made the risky move."


    "Noelle, if you apologize and admit that it was your fault, I''ll allow you to remain in the Liddell family."


    At the end of the day, she was still his sister. No matter how incapable she was, she was still family. They''d just keep her alive on the bare minimum.


    Noelle replied coldly, "Staying in the Liddell family means nothing to me."


    §ï§ä


    "Did you think that Cedric would stay with you after you get sanctioned for cheating? You''ve got nothing but a high-school diploma. When that happens, we''ll banish you from the family. When he finds out that you''re no longer a Liddell, would he still


    treat you so well? Wake


    up.


    No


    kindnesses for free!"


    Donovan was furious. He felt like his sister had been scammed by a country boy.


    He even influenced her to cheat.


    He''d never set expectations for his siblings to get excellent grades. His only


    standard was for them to not participate in criminal activity.


    Noelle smiled, but it didn''t reach her eyes. "The investigation hasn''t been concluded. You''re so sure that I''ve cheated? Can''t you think about me in a positive light?"


    "Did you think I don''t know what kind of person you are?"


    Donovan was impatient.


    Lucas stepped forward and exined, "Donovan, during her semester exams, people used, her of cheating too. I watched herplete the exam with my own eyes and achieve excellent grades."


    It was the truth.


    When Lucas saw Donovan treat Noelle cruelty and oppress her, he suddenly recalled how he''d done so as well. He felt as though his heart dropped to his stomach.

 Chapter 174

    That exined why Frank kept saying that Noelle had been hurt. Lucas failed toprehend why until now.


    Donovan frowned. "Lucas, don''t stand up for Noelle just yet. The investigation will yield the truth."


    Noelle crossed her arms. "I agree."


    "You won''t repent till there''s concrete evidence."


    Donovan turned to the investigators and said resignedly, "As you''ve seen, she''s always been rebellious. I''m not surprised that she would do something like this. You don''t have to take heed and save her reputation. Do what must be done."


    He hoped that Noelle could turn over a new leaf after this.


    Xenia was vibrating with excitement. She''d finally toppled Noelle from her throne. Why did Noelle get to be valedictorian while her grades were so bad she couldn''t even get into a third-rate university?


    If Xenia got bad grades, Noelle would suffer with her.


    The leader looked at Noelle and asked, "I hope you can be honest with us. Did you cheat or not?"


    Noelle answered coldly, "I didn''t. You''ve asked me all this already. Is there any meaning in repeating it?"


    He was surprised. "This is our first time speaking to you. What do you mean by that?"


    It was Noelle''s turn to be surprised. "That doesn''t seem right. There was an investigation in school a few days ago."


    She was right. Their second investigation was out of the ordinary.


    He nced between Noelle and Xenia. "Which of you is Xenia?"


    "I''m Xenia."


    Xenia had a bad feeling about this. Did they want her to stand as a witness?


    Glee sparked within Xenia. "Noelle and I are ssmates. She hadn''t


    1.n


    been performing well consistently Although she put in effort to increase her grades in thest few months, perhaps she did


    ¦¯¦É


    unexpectedly well."


    "We''re not here to ask about that."


    Donovan frowned. "In that case, just look into Noelle. Why are you asking Xenia questions?"


    "The person we''re here to investigate for cheating is Xenia, not Noelle."


    When they said this, the whole room fell silent.


    Noelle raised an eyebrow. That exined it. They took action quite swiftly.


    When Xenia heard this, she was dumbfounded. "Why would you be investigating me? I didn''t cheat."


    Weren''t they here to look into Noelle''s cheating? Why was being involved? Had her little.


    Swet


    been discovered? Conte


    Xenia was anxious.


    Donovan said incredulously, "Indeed. The one who was reporting for cheating was


    Noelle. Have you made a mistake?"


    "No. We''re here for Xenia. We need to ask her a few questions."


    Xenia guiltily backed away and turned to Donovan, her eyes widened, as though asking for his help. "Donovan, I really didn''t cheat. What do they mean by this? Are they framing me?"


    She couldn''t allow them to find evidence of her cheating. If they did, she would be done for!"

 Chapter 175

    Donovan pitied Xenia when he looked at her helpless expression.


    He turned to the investigators and said, "I know Xenia well. She wouldn''t cheat, not to mention how bad her grades are. There''s no need to cheat."


    Xenia was struck by his tone. She felt offended. Her grades were bad because she had been distracted by thepetition.


    However, she still faked gratitude. "Thank you for believing me, Donovan."


    They had seen this millions of times over. "My apologies. We need to get through the procedure. I hope you''ll cooperate."


    Why was he so gung-ho when they wanted to investigate Noelle? Yet, when they needed to look into Xenia, Donovan was doing everything to stop them!


    It looked like the rumors were true. The Liddells favored their adopted daughter while abusing their biological daughter.


    Donovan said coldly, "No. You can''t conduct the investigation just like that. We''ve gotwyers."


    "Mr. Liddell. Your behavior will be noted into the final investigation report. Is it guilt that''s making you prevent us from investigating?"


    "Why would I feel guilty? Xenia is sensitive. What if your investigation traumatizes her?"


    He egged Donovan on, "However, just now when you asked us to investigate Noelle, you were not saying all this. Is your favoritism that obvious?"


    Noelle roasted Donovan, "Yeah. I can be investigated for cheating but Noelle can''t? Who says that people with bad grades won''t cheat? What if she''ll get zero marks if she doesn''t cheat?"


    There was a mocking glint in Noelle''s eye.


    Donovan was rendered speechless for a moment. He said unnaturally, "I believe Xenia is a good girl."


    Noelle was different. From a young age, she tried to vie for affection from Xenia. It wasn''t surprising that she would do all this.


    Noelle chuckled coldly. Right, Donovan trusted Xenia just like that in her past life.


    Frank said, "Donovan, I believe Xenia. To rid her of suspicion, it''s better to let her be investigated."


    Xenia had lost her cool, but she


    hoped that these investigators didn''t


    have evidence. After all, she''d


    cheated for so many years and


    never once had the teachers


    realized. Even though they nearly found her out once, in the end


    someone bore the responsibility for it.


    She collected her thoughts and simpered pitifully, "Donovan, it''s alright for me to suffer a bit as long as the Liddells don''t get a bad reputation from this. I will do anything."


    This enraged Donovan.


    He insisted stubbornly, "How dare they investigate on a whim? Do you have evidence?"


    "Indeed we do. There were surveince cameras in the exam hall."


    When Noelle heard that, she was excited. She only reported Xenia for the sake of


    it. Had she really been on to something?


    Xenia cheated but only ended up with such meager marks. What a weirdo!


    She was dumbstruck. Blood drained out of her face. Even her hands were trembling. Had she really been filmed?


    Impossible. There was no way!


    Donovan didn''t believe them. "Show us the footage."


    He immediately showed the video on his phone. "She was filmed clearly. There


    were notes being exchanged between her and the girl in front of her."


    Noelle watched the video andmented with a smirk, "The video is quite clear."


    It had captured Xenia''s cheating


    process. Noelle wanted to see how Xenia would deny it now that there was concrete evidence. What would Donovan''s expression be? How exciting!


    Xenia was terrified. She copsed onto the floor. It was impossible that she''d


    been discovered. She had taken care to avoid the cameras. Why did she still get filmed?


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


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 176

    What to do? Xenia was dead meat. If the Liddells hated her because of this, she would be done for.


    After watching the video, Donovan turned to Xenia, dumbstruck. "What''s going on? What did you do, Xenia?"


    He couldn''t believe she''d done something like this. To think that he had protected her. Now that evidence was presented to him, Donovan felt nothing but embarrassment!


    Xenia lowered her head guiltily. She couldn''t gather the courage to offer a reply. What to do now? If she couldn''t exin herself, she would be done for! She couldn''t be banished from the Liddell family. She couldn''t lose her identity as a rich Liddell heiress!


    Noelle intentionally announced loudly, "Xenia cheated. Isn''t that obvious? You must be blind if that''s not clear to you, Donovan. She cheated. Do you know what that means? Should I tell you the definition of cheating?"


    Donovan was pale. He''d been so sure just now but it had turned around to bite him in the back.


    Xenia backed away guiltily, pale as a ghost. The word ''cheating'' stabbed into her heart like a needle.


    Noelle should''ve been the one being humiliated. Why had the opposite be true? This wasn''t right.


    Donovan also felt humiliated. He''d always believed in Xenia. Yet, they pulled out footage of her cheating and shoved it into his face.


    The leader mocked, "Is this evidence enough for you? That''s why we came to talk to Xenia so she could tell her side of the story."


    Donovan knew that he was in the wrong, so he said nothing. How humiliating!


    However, no matter how she was questioned, Xenia didn''t let out a peep. She didn''t dare to offer a response! She was terrified that her life would be over if she did.


    Upon seeing her behavior, Noelle


    said loudly, "Xenia, did you think that being silent will allow you to escape this? There''s indisputable evidence of you cheating. The school will find out soon and publish it in a report to the students. Based on the school rules, you''ll be expelled!"


    Xenia put her hands on her head and shrieked, "Stop talking!"


    She hadn''t thought she would fail here. Xenia shouldn''t have reported Noelle for cheating. If she hadn''t


    done so, no one would think to look


    into her.


    Suddenly, Xenia thought of something. She looked up at Noelle and asked, "Were


    you the one who reported me?"


    There was no one else other than her who would do something like this.


    Noelle smirked. "What are you talking about? Why would I do that?"


    Why would Noelle confess to it?


    As though she''d found out a way to save herself, Xenia wailed, "Noelle, I know you''ve never liked me and you


    believe I took your family away from you. However, you can''t do this."


    Donovan turned to Noelle, "Be honest, was this your doing? Why would you do


    something so sinister to a family member?"


    Upon hearing this, Noelle chuckled, "I''m sinister? It''s not like I forced her to cheat."


    Xenia looked down guiltily. She had to find a way to ovee this hurdle. She would exploit their weakness for her!


    After all, her dad saved Noelle''s life. The Liddells were indebted to him!

 Chapter 177

    When Donovan heard Noelle talking back to him, he felt like she was challenging his authority. He couldn''t help but interject, "Noelle, this is a family matter. How could you handle it like that?"


    Xenia''s father had even saved Noelle''s life! Had she forgotten all about that?


    The investigator couldn''t take it. "Mr. Liddell, you''re showing favorites. The one who cheated was Xenia. What does this have to do with Noelle?"


    "Yeah, she''s the state valedictorian. How would she cheat? She''s already the first."


    "Usually, those who cheat are those who get bad grades. Even if they had good grades, they definitely wouldn''t be able to cheat a valedictorian. You couldn''t get here by copying."


    Donovan was rendered speechless. There was an unnatural expression on his face. He was finding it difficult to contend with the truth. Why had Xenia be the cheater?


    Donovan replied insistently, "But Xenia has always been obedient and mature. Noelle was the one who was reported first. Have you investigated her thoroughly?"


    He didn''t believe that she would be able to get state valedictorian no matter how much she improved. It was too much of a stretch?


    "We''ve heard about the investigation. Her grades arepletely fine."


    "I''ve got to say, Mr. Liddell, you guys are a weird family. Instead of pampering the valedictorian, you hope that she cheated. What kind of thought process goes behind this?"


    "Yeah. instead of protecting your valedictorian sister, you sided with the stupid, lying girl. I really don''t understand the world of the rich."


    Donovan was so angry he couldn''t formte a response.


    He red at Noelle in disbelief. He hadn''t expected her grades to improve so drastically. They even stood up in the investigation! However, he''d never seen Noelle demonstrate this sort of potential when they were kids!


    Noelle turned to Xenia, who was curled up on the ground. "Stop pretending to be innocent. Just admit that you cheated. After all, the evidence is right here. Perhaps you can even plead for them to reduce our sentencing?"


    "Noelle, you''ve crossed a line."


    She chuckled and said, "Donovan, I''m only repeating what Xenia told me just now. You think it''s too much now? Just now when she was attacking me, you didn''t think it was too much, though."


    Donovan was silenced. He hadn''t realized. Xenia had always been weak, so he was more protective over her.


    Donovan felt like Noelle wasing on too strong. "Xenia is much more thoughtful and obedient than you. Why would you hold a grudge about this?"


    "Indeed, she''s an idiot who can''t even get into a good university after cheating. There''s no need for me to find fault in her. However, I need to warn her not to cross me in the future Although she''s incapable, she''s got a huge appetite. She


    doesn''t deserve to be my nemesis!"


    After Noelle finished speaking, Xenia seemed to be greatly offended. She rushed


    over with teary eyes. "Noelle, how dare you speak to me like that? You bitch!"


    Noelle grabbed Xenia''s hair and pped her multiple times. Xenia''s head spun.


    Noelle had exhausted all her


    strength without holding back. If she wasn''t already raving mad at this point, they were forcing her into insanity. Since the Liddells didn''t understand what she was saying, everyone could sink into depravity together!


    After getting hit, Noelle lost herposure and fought back against Noelle. However, Noelle wiped the floor with Xenia, who kept herself skinny. They weren''t even in the same weight ss.


    In that moment, Noelle avenged herself for all past and present wrongdoings.


    When they started fighting, everyone in the room was slow to react.


    Frank was the first to speak. "Donovan, why are you standing there watching them? Stop them."


    Donovan finally came to his senses. He pulled Noelle back and said, "Stop this right now."


    Noelle didn''t budge.


    Donovan put Noelle into a fireman''s carry. She bit his wrist till the metallic taste of blood spread through her mouth. Only then did she let go.

 Chapter 178

    Donovan grimaced in pain. "Noelle, have you gone out of your mind?"


    Noelle wiped at her lips, her hair a mess. Her eyes glinted coldly.


    She said calmly, "You forced me to do this!"


    Lucas helped Xenia up. Her face was swollen and her hair was sticking up.


    She wailed, "Donovan, you must help me. She hit me!"


    Donovan felt like he was being yanked in two opposing directions. He said to Noelle, "Why aren''t you apologizing already?"


    "An apology?"


    Noelle grabbed a vase and threw it at Donovan. "Xenia was the one who made the first move. Why is it me who needs to apologize? Why? I''m not offering a fucking apology!"


    Thest thread of her sanity snapped. She grabbed everything in sight and threw them around while scolding, "Since young, this has been the case. Every time Xenia cries, I''m supposed to apologize. What the fuck am I apologizing for? Tell me. What have I owed you lot?"


    Noelle destroyed everything she could get her hands on in the room while eyeing everyone darkly.


    In the end, Noelle grabbed the IV stand and red at everyone. "I dare you to say that again. What apology? I didn''t hear you just now?"


    She would not let them guilt trip her. She''d just go mad. How freeing!


    The room was like a warzone. No one dared to say a word.


    Donovan looked at the mess and said, "Frank, look at how you''ve pampered her?"


    She flung stuff around at the tiniest provocation! How could this be?


    Frank stared back helplessly. Noelle had been forced to this state by them. They couldn''t me her for losing it!


    Frank looked up and said apologetically, "Can you put that down first?"


    "No!"


    Noelle climbed onto the table. If she was going to be mad, she was going to be utterly insane!


    Initially, she''d nned to stay as far away from the Liddells as possible. They wouldn''t interfere in each other''s lives. Since they wanted to force her past the point of no return, they couldn''t me her for pulling out all the stops.


    Lucas burst out, "Noelle, I think you''re holding Frank''s IV stand!"


    Noelle looked down. He was right.


    Xenia sobbed and said, "Noelle, if you''re not happy, take it out on me. Don''t take Frank''s IV stand. He''ll get hurt."


    Frank turned to Xenia with a frown. Why hadn''t he realized how twisted her words were? On the surface, it sounded like she was speaking for him. Inreality, she was scolding Noelle so everyone thought Noelle was in the wrong!


    Frank pulled out the needle, "No worries. It won''t cause death."


    He didn''t want this IV to be another reason Noelle was scolded. He owed her too


    much. Frank would give his life for her!


    When Noelle saw him yank the needle out, she felt a little ufortable.


    She said coldly, "I don''t need you to do that!"


    Noelle put the stand back in ce


    and pointed at Xenia, saying, "Crying again. All you know how to do is fucking cry. Every time you pretend to be pitiful and cry, everything bes my fault. What a fucking annoyance!"


    Xenia''s sobbing session was interrupted by Noelle. She hadn''t expected Noelle to lose her marbles.


    Xenia whined, "Donovan, I''m in so much pain."


    If pretending to be pitiful was such a good tactic, there was no reason why she


    didn''t y it up to her advantage!

 Chapter 179

    Donovan was feeling rather awkward. He hadn''t expected Noelle to go mad. She was growing more stubborn by the day.


    He turned to Noelle and said, "That''s enough. You were the one who insulted Xenia."


    "Her cheating is a fact! Soon, everyone will find out that the Liddells'' adopted daughter is a cheating bitch. Thankfully, I''m a state valedictorian. Oh wait, it has nothing to do with you."


    Her every word was a sharp barb. Noelle thought that keeping her distance would bring her calmness. However, the Liddells were unreceptive. In that case, they couldn''t me her for taking drastic measures.


    If they gave her grief, they wouldn''t live undisturbed either.


    The leader finally saw an opportunity to speak and seized it. "That''s right. It''s very clear what happened. Xenia, you cheated. We''ll conduct further rifications and inform the school to take action."


    "I didn''t cheat," shrieked Xenia, unwilling to give in.


    Noelle chuckled and nced at her brothers. "She says she didn''t cheat. Were you all blind just now too?"


    She wanted to see how Xenia wiggled out of this now that there was indisputable evidence.


    Frank questioned Xenia, "Since you''ve cheated, tell the truth. What''s going on?"


    He saw her cheating with his own eyes.


    During the mock examinations, there were rumors that Xenia had cheated. However, another student bore the responsibility for that. When he thought about it, there were signs that all was not as it seemed. He didn''t think she dared to cheat in the final entrance exams!"


    "Frank, I-I only wanted to pass my answers to the person in front of me. She wanted to copy my answers!"


    Under duress, Xenia came up with this solution. Shifting the me onto others was something she excelled in.


    When Noelle heard that, she immediately knew what Xenia was trying to do. After all, Betty sat in front of Xenia. What happened to Gwen was going to repeat on Betty.


    After saying that, Xenia regained her confidence and said to the investigators, "The one in front of me wanted to copy my answers. Usually, my grades are better than hers. There''s no reason why I would copy from someone doing even worse than I was."


    "Are you admitting that you cheated with the girl sitting in front of you?"


    "I didn''t cheat. She copied me."


    Hope sparked within Xenia. Right, as long as she framed Betty like how she did Gwen, she would be fine.


    She wasn''t the one who was


    punished thest time, right?


    ABUMS


    same thing would happen this time.


    The investigator said coldly, "No matter who copied who, your behavior still counts


    as cheating!"


    Xenia was taken aback. "But I''m innocent."


    Noelle raised an eyebrow. "Do you mean to say that you''re innocent even though you knew cheating was a crime and still did it regardless?"


    Xenia was frustrated to tears. "Donovan, you''ve got to believe me. The person in front of me wanted to copy my answers."


    Donovan was in a crisis. The footage was clear. It was hard to deny it.


    He turned to the investigators and said, "We will hirewyers to deal with this."


    "It makes no difference. We''ll go about this as required by procedure. We''ll take our leave now and inform you of


    of any updates once we wrap the case up."


    Before leaving, their leader turned to


    Noelle and said, "Noelle, my


    daughter likes you. She thinks that you''ve got good grades and are


    amazing at gaming. Could she get a


    signature from you encouraging her to work hard in her studies?


    "Noelle, my son loves gaming as well, but it has affected his grades. I''ll tell him to learn from your example and excel at both gaming and studying."


    Noelle watched as he pulled out a photo of her. She was surprised by how there was merchandise about her.


    Taking the card, she wrote words of encouragement telling him to work hard. Then, they left.


    The room fell silent. Awkwardness was rife in the room.


    Donovan questioned Xenia, "Now that there are no outsiders in the room, tell us


    why you cheated. How disappointing."


    Xenia kept denying it.

 Chapter 180

    Everyone knew what the truth was.


    Lucas was disappointed as well. He suddenly realized that Xenia was not who he thought she was. She cheated, lied, and tried to frame someone else. If not for the clear footage, he might not have believed that she would cheat!


    Had he been misguided by her frequently in the past?


    Lucas could barely bring himself to consider it. He couldn''t even look Noelle in the eye as he fretted.


    Xenia whined through sobs, "I didn''t cheat. My friend pleaded with me to give her the answers. In a moment of weakness I..."


    Before she finished speaking, Xenia passed out. When Noelle saw her pretending to faint, she rolled her eyes.


    Donovan was worked up. "Xenia fainted. Get a doctor."


    She grabbed his water and sshed it on Xenia''s face.


    Donovan said loudly, "Xenia has fainted already. What are you trying to do?"


    She squeezed her eyes shut, refusing to wake up.


    Noelle said, "You''re not waking up? Alright then, boiling water it is."


    Xenia was terrified. Her eyes immediately snapped open, only to realize Noelle


    had no boiling water on hand. She''d fallen into Noelle''s trap.


    Her features seized with awkwardness. Then, she said pitifully, "Noelle, what are you doing?"


    "You fainted and I helped you wake up. You should thank me."


    Noelle put the cup down and said, "Before you exin this, you shouldn''t faint. If you pass out again, I''ll shower you in piss."


    Xenia was enraged. "How dare you treat me like that? I''m a victim in this situation. I shouldn''t have given the answer to my friend. If I''d known the consequences would be so dire, I wouldn''t have done it."


    As long as she insisted that she was passing her answer to her friend, she would be able to twist it to her liking even if it was included in her record. No one could find out that she was trying to cheat!


    Donovan loudly interjected, "That''s enough. Stop arguing."


    He didn''t know things had gotten to this point at home. It exined why Frank was hospitalized.


    Donovan said, "Get some rest, Frank. I''ll take the two of them home."


    These family affairs could not be hashed out in public to avoid humiliation.


    Frank was concerned. He sat up and said, "I''ll go back with you."


    Lucas went over and consoled, "Stay here, Frank. I''ll go back with them. Don''t worry."


    He would protect Noelle this time. It was a form of reparation for all the bad he''d done to her.


    ?? (


    However, Noelle stood in ce. She looked


    and said coldly, t


    i was going to return to t


    Liddell residence?" Content Belongs to


    She''d onlye for a meeting today.


    If not for how James had helped her in her past life, she wouldn''t havee. However, her visit was not for naught. She got to see Xenia''s


    cheating get proved.


    Donovan was livid. "Noelle, if you leave now, we''ll pretend like you never existed!"


    "You''d be fulfilling my wildest dreams!"


    She never wanted to have anything to do with the Liddells in the future!


    "Noelle, don''t go!"


    Frank stumbled out of bed and


    Noelle, tears in his e


    ,"Donovan''s just sps. He


    out of anger. Don''t go!"


    He was aware of his sins. He wanted to make up with her.


    Noelle looked at his pale face and said, "If you don''t want me to go, that can be arranged, but on one condition."


    "What is it? Tell me. Even if you ask for the stars in the sky, I''ll find a way to catch them for you!"


    Frank was ecstatic. He knew she still loved the Liddells. He would do anything as long as she was no longer mad!


    She said coldly, "There can only be one daughter in the Liddell family. It''s either Xenia or me. Make your choice, Frank."

 Chapter 181

    After Noelle finished speaking, she stared at Frank intently.


    His expression went from excitement to hesitation.


    Noelle smirked. This was within her expectation.


    With that meager honesty, he wanted her to stay in the Liddell family?


    Frank couldn''t muster any words. How would he choose between the two of them?


    Lucas came over and rified, "Noelle, you''re giving us a hard time. We owe you, but it has nothing to do with Xenia, right?"


    Noelle snickered. She said that on purpose to see through their disingenuous words.


    Xenia gritted her teeth and said, "I can leave. It''s fine. Growing up here has been amazing. As long as Noelle agrees toe back, I''m willing to move out."


    Donovan was the first to speak out against this. "No way. What would the Liddells look like? Your dad saved Noelle. He went back to save our parents, which was why he died in the ident. How could we abandon you, an orphan?"


    They had taken her home to repay his kindness.


    Xenia averted her eyes guiltily.


    She thought that her dad had passed away. However, the man who contacted her recently seemed very simr to her dad, even though she had only texted him and never saw him before.


    If his dad didn''t die, who did? Why had he lived in secret all these years? What secrets were buried in the ident?


    She''d asked him about it, but he wouldn''t answer her questions. He kept asking her for money!


    Xenia had her guesses, but she didn''t dare to expose herself. If they found out about her, her life as a rich heiress would be over. This secret was suffocating her.


    Now that Donovan brought her dad up, she felt it uneasily within her, terrified that something would happen.


    After hearing what Donovan had to say, Noelle said softly, "In that case, I''ve got nothing else to say."


    He stated sternly, "If you''re insistent on leaving, nevere back anymore. You won''t be economically supported by Liddells anymore."


    "Fine. Since you want to draw the line, I have something to say as well."


    She pulled a document out of her bag. "This is a contract which deres that we''ve severed ties. I''ve signed my name."


    She''d almost forgotten that she''d brought this to the hospital. In the struggle, if he hadn''t brought up severing ties, she wouldn''t have recalled it.


    The document was exposed to everyone.


    sto


    Frank was standing the closest. He could see it clearly.


    The title of the contract stabbed into him, causing him endless agony.


    Frank said hoarsely, "Do you have to be so cruel, Noelle?"


    "Frank, you must get your head on straight. I wasn''t the one who chased me out of the family."


    She flung the document at Frank


    and turned to leave. He tried to catch the papers, but they slipped


    out of his grasp, as though he tried to keep Noelle by his side but failed.


    Donovan was dumbstruck by the document.


    He looked at Frank and Lucas. "What happened while I was away? Why has she


    changed so much?"


    If this was the past and he told


    Noelle to get out, she wouldn''t have gone against his wishes! Not only had she left, she also gave him the contract! She''d signed it! This wasn''t a grudge. She was for real.


    Frank didn''t know whether tough or cry. "Donovan, Noelle is our only biological


    sister! Why did you say all that?"

 Chapter 182

    "I just thought that she was growing more disobedient and wanted to teach her a lesson. Who knew she would really leave? She''lle back after she runs out of money."


    "It''s no use. I tried that already. Noelle is now a famous livestreamer. Her wages are considerable. I heard that her signing bonus was worth millions, not to mention how she''s now state valedictorian. She might not need us anymore."


    Lucas was regretful as well.


    Donovan didn''t know what to say. He hadn''t expected to change that much. Upon seeing that things weren''t going her way, Xenia pretended to faint. She needed to focus the room''s attention on her so that Donovan helped her resolve the cheating issue!


    After she fainted, Donovan whisked her away as expected.


    Frank clutched his stomach in agony and ordered, "Go check who reported Noelle for cheating."


    He felt like something was off.


    "Alright, Frank. Your appendicitis is getting worse. You must be careful. Drink the medicine Xenia prepared for you."


    Frank shook his head and said, "It''s no use. Only the medicine Noelle prepared will work. I did some research. The medicine was prescribed by a famous pharmacist. Noelle used to care about me so much."


    It was a pity. He didn''t give a damn about her sacrifices.


    "I''ll go to the pharmacist and get another prescription."


    "I''ve sent people to do that but he wouldn''t prescribe it. Then only did I find out that she pleaded for this medicine from him and worked for him unpaid for a year. Only then did she get the medicine."


    After Lucas heard this, he was dumbstruck. "We had no idea how much she did for us. I thought the medicine was easily obtained."


    They even thought that her medicine wasn''t of much use.


    Frank said hoarsely with red-rimmed eyes, "Lucas, we missed too much."


    "Frank, as long as we put effort into making up for our mistakes, she''ll forgive us. After all, blood is thicker than water."


    Lucas still believed that Noelle wouldn''t sever ties. They had crossed a line, so this was how she exacted her revenge.


    Frank nodded and said, "Go on."


    There were many more things to do.


    ...


    After leaving the hospital, Noelle called Cedric. If Donovan touched Cedric, she would call the police.


    Her phone had been destroyed by Donovan. It was no longer sensitive to the touch.


    Noelle stood in ce and said, "Pick up!"


    "Noelle."


    She saw Cedric standing away from her. Her head went empty.


    Noelle''s eyes teared up. "You''re alright. That''s all that matters."


    Cedric stuck his hand out and said, "Come, I''ll bring you home."


    Noelle didn''t hesitate. She ran toward him and flung herself into his arms. She could hear his hearte beating. It calmed her. He was


    alright. What a relief!


    Cedric''s hands were outstretched, but there was a girl in his arms. His Adam''s apple bobbed. A


    velet


    Cedric withdrew his hands and


    looked down at her. Noticing the et


    teardrops on her eyshes, he said, "I''ll help you resolve your problem with Donovan."

 Chapter 183

    If all Noelle''s family did was hold her back and stop her from beginning her new life, Cedric would forge a path for her. Anyone who stood in her way would be killed.


    Noelle heard his voice and sniffled, "There''s no need for that. I''ve resolved the problem myself. Don''t piss my brother off. He isn''t someone to be yed with."


    Donovan had always been a tyrant. She was scared he''d suffer in Donovan''s heed. After all, he was powerful in Yasnia. Cedric didn''t hail from a wealthy background. It was a David versus Goliath situation.


    Cedric narrowed his eyes and asked, "Do you think I''m one to be toyed with?"


    He didn''t know whether tough or cry. For all these years, it had always been other people pissing him off. There was no one he couldn''t contend with!


    Cedric saw the concern in her eyes. He wanted to say something but swallowed it back.


    After all, Donovan might''ve met him before. If he showed up, his identity would be revealed. Before he told her about who he was, he could interact with Noelle as friends. After he revealed his identity, he would no longer have the right to stay by her side.


    Cedric admitted that he was shrinking back.


    Noelle noticed that she was still clinging onto Cedric. She let him go slowly, looking a little awkward. "It''s great that you''re alright. Let''s go home."


    Today, she signed the contract to sever ties with the Liddells.


    Donovan prioritized his reputation over all else. He definitely wouldn''t pay her any attention now. This was the effect she wanted to achieve.


    On the third floor of the hospital, Donovan stood in the corridor outside the emergency room, watching Noelle hug a man through the window.


    However, he could only see the back of the man. His face was obscured.


    Donovan frowned and said, "That''s the medic, right? He shouldn''t show up here."


    Hisckey reported, "Mr. Liddell, all the men we sent have gone missing. We can''t contact them."


    "What do you mean? He''s just a school medic. How did he manage that?"


    Lucas added, "He probablyes from a formidable background? He was the one who hid her in an apartment. Frank spent a long time finding her."


    "No matter what background hees from, he''s still nothing more than a gangster. I think Noelle was deluded by him. She''ll regret


    decisions. From today onward, stop


    providing for Noelleozmet


    "Donovan, since we adopted Xenia officially and Noelle got pissed at us, she hasn''t spent a single penny of our money."


    Donovan was surprised, "How did she survive?"


    "Her school provides a schrship. She improved tremendously in thest few months. Now, she''s one of the best livestreamers in Firestorm Entertainment. She''s not in need of any money."


    When Lucas mentioned this, he felt guilty. Noelle didn''t need to rely on the Liddells anymore.


    Donovan wasn''t expecting Noelle to be economically independent. He raged, "She''s just a small livestreamer. That tters her. What is it inparison to the Liddells'' wealth?"


    Lucas said internally, "But she was the state valedictorian."


    She had a bright future ahead of her.


    Donovan received a call. "Good day,


    Mr. Liddell. We''re from the


    admissions department of the


    University of Yasnia. You''re the legal guardian of Noelle, right? We would


    like to discuss her applic


    BUMS


    He huffed and said, "She won''t go there. She''ll stay back here."


    Donovan immediately hung up. "If Noelle goes to Yasnia, who knows what she''ll do, with that personality of hers. It''s better for her to study locally. The Liddel family car look after her."


    "Aren''t you going to discuss this with her?"


    "Why would I do that?"


    Lucas felt like it wasn''t appropriate, but he said nothing. He sighed and added,


    "With Xenia''s grades, she can probably only study locally."

 Chapter 184

    "It''s good that they can look out for each other. In the future, it would be even better if they could marry into a local prestigious family," Donovan said.


    He felt that girls didn''t need such big career ambitions. Getting married earlier was better.


    ...


    Noelle returned to the apartment, feeling uneasy. "I think I should find a new ce


    to stay."


    "Are you worried that your brother wille looking for trouble?" Cedric asked.


    He now understood why she had suggested moving out earlier. It was because of this.


    Noelle nodded. "Yes. My brother is very stubborn. He never listens to anyone."


    At that moment, Alfred walked over. "Nelly, why don''t you just go to Yasnia? Your grades are good enough to get into Yole University. It might be better for you to settle in and get used to life there early."


    In Yasnia, Donovan didn''t matter at all.


    Noelle thought the suggestion was good. She instinctively looked at Cedric, waiting for his advice.


    Cedric''s expression remained calm. "It''s indeed a good idea."


    Once she went to Yasnia, she would be free from the control of the Liddell family.


    Noelle smiled faintly. "Then it''s decided. I''ll move to Yasnia!"


    She suddenly thought of something and nced at Cedric. "If I do that, I don''t know when we''ll see each other again."


    Cedric avoided her gaze. "You should be focusing on your studies."


    Noelle lowered her gaze, feeling a little disappointed.


    Alfred chimed in to lighten the mood. "All things muste to an end. Nelly, I hope you live a wonderful life in Yasnia, free from the shadow of the Liddell family."


    Noelle forced a smile. "You''re right."


    After all, Cedric didn''t like her.


    Besides, he was probably seeing someone else. She figured the person must be a good girl, too.


    Noelle felt a pang of sadness. "I''ll go back and n things out."


    She practically fled the scene.


    Once Noelle left, the room fell silent.


    Alfred nced at Cedric with a knowing look. "Feeling reluctant?"


    Cedric shook his head. "She''s going to Yasnia for university. It means she''ll finally break away from the Liddell family. There''s nothing to feel reluctant about. I''m happy for her."


    "That''s right. Take this opportunity to say a proper goodbye to Nelly The closer you get, the more she''ll suffer in the future," Alfred said.


    Cedric''s mood suddenly soured. "I don''t need you to remind me of this."


    Alfred watched as he walked away wondering if this was truly the same man who had rushed to mobilize people to the hospital the moment he heard Noelle was there.


    When had Cedric ever lost control like that before?


    ...


    Noelle barely slept that night.


    Although she was happy to go to Yasnia and leave the Liddell family behind, the thought of not seeing Cedric often left her feeling down.


    The next morning, Lionel''s call woke her up.


    "Noelle, why did you reject Yole University''s admissions offer? Your grades are more than enough to get into their top program!"


    Noelle was instantly wide awake. "What? I didn''t reject the offer! I didn''t even get


    a call from the admissions office!"


    It was her dream to attend Yole University. There was no way she would turn it down.


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


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 185

    Noelle brieflymunicated with Lionel, then realized the person answering the phone was likely one of her family members-maybe Donovan or Frank.


    Just like in her previous life, they took matters into their own hands and decided which school she should apply to.


    Despite having the grades to get into a top university in her past life, she was forced to attend the same school as Xenia. They imed it was for Xenia and her to look after each other.


    If she disagreed, they would cut off her allowance and all financial support.


    Noelle''s expression turned cold. "Mr. Kramer, you know my rtionship with my family. I didn''t expect them to make decisions for me without consulting me. However, I''m going to Yole University. I need to change my ount and password."


    Lionel replied, "Alright, I understand. I''ll contact the admissions office right away. You shoulde in person to confirm your enrollment."


    Lionel knew the Liddells were biased, but he never expected their favoritism to go this far.


    He couldn''t understand how they could reject the offer on Noelle''s behalf without consulting her. It was as if they were deliberately trying to ruin her future.


    After hanging up the phone, Noelle washed her face and changed her clothes. Before leaving the apartment, she nced at the door of the neighboring unit.


    She thought about it for a moment but decided not to tell Cedric. She needed to handle her own matters.


    She couldn''t rely on Cedric too much.


    In the afternoon, Noelle took a taxi to the university alone.


    When she arrived, she met with the admissions staff from Yole University.


    Lionel introduced her. "This is Noelle Liddell. I''ve briefly exined her family situation to you, but this doesn''t reflect Noelle''s wishes."


    The admission staff smiled. "Got it. Based on your scores, you''re eligible for our top programs-Finance, Computer Science and Mathematics. Feel free to explore your interests, and we can discuss them further."


    Noelle had already decided. She was interested in Computer Science and Medicine.


    After talking with the admissions staff, she realized several hours had passed.


    As she left the meeting room, she saw the sunset and felt the warmth in the air.


    Her mood lifted. At least this time, no one could change her decision regarding her university application.


    "Noelle, what are you doing here?", Donovan asked, looking surprised saw her. "You didn''te


    when


    here to make things worse,


    sw you?"


    Noelle coldly responded, "Why can''t I be here? Is this school yours?"


    Donovan frowned. "Noelle, what''s with your attitude?"


    She retorted, "I''m just matching yours."


    Noelle''s disgust was now so deep that she couldn''t even pretend to hide it.


    After discovering they had secretly changed her university choices once again, the disgust she felt was overwhelming.


    Xenia pretended to cry and said, "Noelle, are you here to testify against me for cheating? Why are you ndering me?"


    Typically, investigations into


    cheating required someone to testify. Xenia thought for sure that Noelle wouldn''t speak up in her favor. ,


    Donovan immediately frowned. "Noelle, what have you been saying to the school? Do you realize that spreading rumors has consequences?"


    Under the Sun, Noelle''s fair skin stood out in her simple white T-shirt. She wore an expression of


    Lovel


    frustration and irritation aft Shirt.


    hearing what Donovan said.


    Suddenly, Lionel''s voice came from behind her. "Mr. Liddell, Noelle is here for


    something else, not because of Xenia."

 Chapter 186

    Donovan frowned. "What is she doing here? I bet it''s not for anything good!"


    Ever since Noelle handed him the severance agreement, Donovan had been too upset to sleep properly the night before.


    "This is actually good news. Mr. Benedict Graham from Yole University admissions office came to discuss Noelle''s application with her." Lionel deliberately phrased it this way.


    Even he couldn''t understand why the Liddells wouldn''t let Noelle attend Yole University. He couldn''t help but wonder if the Liddells had lost their minds.


    Donovan''s expression immediately darkened. "Didn''t I already turn down the offer from the admissions office at Yole University?"


    Lionel responded, "This is Noelle''s own choice. She has the right to make her own decisions, and no one has the right to stop her."


    "No! I won''t allow it!" Donovan shouted, looking directly at Noelle. "With your personality, you''ll just cause trouble if you go to Yasnia. Who''s going to look after you then? Studying locally is the best choice for you."


    When Xenia heard that Noelle could go to Yole University, jealousy and


    resentment bubbled up inside her. Why could Noelle easily get the offer, but she couldn''t?


    Xenia pretended to be sweet and said, "Yes, Noelle, why don''t you stay here and study with me? You''ll have your family to protect you. It''s much better than going so far away."


    Noelle smirked. "How could someone who can''t even pass the college entrance exam get into Yole University? Dream on. Don''t you feel ashamed expecting me to settle for your level? Have some self-respect."


    Xenia was stunned by Noelle''s sharp words. Her face turned red with embarrassment.


    The admissions staff came out and walked straight to Donovan, shaking his hand. "Mr. Liddell, she is truly outstanding. If she doesn''t attend Yole University, it would be such a waste."


    Donovan''s expression grew tense. Even he was surprised by Noelle''s impressive progress.


    He replied coldly, "Noelle has never gone far from home. She isn''t suited for Yasnia."


    Just then, Noelle interrupted, "Did you forget that I signed the severance agreement with you yesterday? I''m no longer part of the Liddell family. You have no say in my future."


    Donovan''s face reddened in frustration. "Noelle, you''ve really gotten ahead of yourself, haven''t you? Do you think you''re so special just because you topped the exams? After graduation, you''ll still have to rely on the Liddell family!"


    The admissions staff immediately let go of Donovan''s hand and turned to Noelle.


    "Noelle, don''t worry about your employment. Yole University has more than


    enough credibility."


    Then, the admissions staff


    deliberately added, "I''ve never seen such bias. You must be out of your mind to make a national top scorer attend the same university as someone who didn''t even make it into college."


    Donovan''s temper red, and he became even more irritated with Noelle. "Noelle,


    are you satisfied now? What''s there to be so proud of?"


    Noelle scoffed. "Well, I''m pretty satisfied, considering I''m the top student in the


    city. Some people can''t even get into a basic university without cheating."


    Xenia''s face turned crimson with anger. "I didn''t cheat! Betty begged me for a long time to let her copy my test answers!"


    Lionel couldn''t stand it any longer. "Has Betty shown up?"


    At that moment, a couple dressed in in clothes and wearing calctive gazes walked over. "Mr. Kramer, Betty admitted to cheating, but she''s too guilty to face the school. She ran away. We''vee to take responsibility for her actions."


    Noelle felt something was off as soon as she heard this.


    She nced at Xenia, whose expression seemed unusually calm, as if she had expected this oue.


    Could it be that Gwen''s story was ying out all over again?


    Noelle said, "Mr. Kramer, I think it''s best if Bettyes to the school in person to make it official."


    What if Xenia had bribed Betty''s parents?

 Chapter 187

    Panic shed across Xenia''s face.


    Trying to appear pitiful, she said, "Betty has already admitted it. Even if shees in person, it won''t change anything."


    Betty had no intention of taking the me, which was why Xenia had bribed her parents to testify instead.


    Betty''s parents nodded in agreement. "That''s right. Our useless daughter is responsible for everything. We''ll ept any punishment, but please leave Ms. Quigley out of this. She''s innocent."


    To them, sending their daughter to college wasn''t important. With the money from the Liddell family, their son''s education was already taken care of.


    Lionel hesitated for a moment. "That won''t do. Betty still needs toe to the school herself."


    Xenia''s expression stiffened. Everything had been arranged perfectly, but Noelle ruined it with just one sentence.


    Hearing this, Donovan looked at Lionel. "Can I speak to Mr. York alone?"


    Lionel nodded. Donovan turned to Xenia and said, "Don''t worry, nothing will happen. I believe you''re innocent."


    "Thank you for believing me, Donovan," Xenia replied sweetly, watching as Donovan and Lionel walked away.


    Noelle let out a coldugh. "Whether Betty admits it or not, the fact that you cheated won''t change."


    Xenia was going to face consequences, and her results would be invalidated. Xenia gritted her teeth. "It doesn''t matter. As long as Donovan believes I''m innocent, I can still go to college. We have money, after all."


    Noelle didn''t bother wasting more words on her, so she left.


    A sense of unease crept into Xenia''s heart. She turned to the middle-aged couple before her. "Are you sure Betty agreed to take the me?"


    "Betty refused to take the me, so she ran off after we scolded her. However, we can admit it on her behalf. Please remember the payment you promised us, Ms. Quigley."


    "Don''t worry. As long as Betty keeps her mouth shut, you''ll get your money," Xenia said, though she still felt uneasy.


    If Betty said something she shouldn''t, Xenia would lose her ce in the Liddell family.


    Just then, her phone buzzed. A message from an unknown number popped up. "I found Betty. I''ll make sure she stays quiet. Nothing will stand in the way of your future."


    Xenia''s face went pale.


    She immediately called the number back, but it was disconnected.


    After a moment''s hesitation, she thought maybe this was for the best.


    A few dayster, Noelle submitted her university application. She finally felt relieved.


    However, Rachel sent her a news article. "Queen, have you heard? Betty''s dead."


    Noelle clicked on the link. A hiker had discovered a body hanging in the mountains. The investigation revealed she was a high school student who allegedly took her own life after being caught cheating on the college entrance exam.


    Noelle felt an uneasy heaviness settle in her chest.


    That didn''t seem right. Betty wasn''t the type to give up, even if she got expelled.


    Rachel messaged again. "Xenia was involved too, but since Betty''s dead, the school might go easy on her. They''re scared she''ll do the same thing."


    Noelle rolled her eyes. "Xenia? Suicide? Not a chance."


    Xenia would never do something like that.


    However, something about this felt off.


    Noelle couldn''t help but wonder if Xenia was involved, or if the Liddells were behind it.


    She didn''t know the truth, but she was sure this wasn''t just a random tragedy.


    Yet, the police had already ruled it as suicide.


    Her phone rang just then. It was Cedric.


    "Hey, what''s going on?"

 Chapter 188

    "Are you free tonight?" Cedric asked.


    "I am," Noelle replied casually.


    "Put on a nice dress. I''ll pick you upter," Cedric said.


    Noelle''s heart skipped a beat. "Where are we going?" she asked.


    "You''ll see," Cedric replied.


    After hanging up, Noelle found herself pressing a hand to her warm face. She wondered if Cedric was asking her out on a date. After all, he was never the type to joke around.


    She purposely washed her hair and changed into something nice. As she waited nervously, her phone buzzed again.


    "I''m downstairs."


    When Noelle stepped into the parking lot, Cedric was waiting by his car. He wore a ck suit, and his hair was styled perfectly. He looked sharp-more so than usual.


    "You look different today," shemented, feeling a little shy.


    "It''s an important event," Cedric replied as he opened the passenger door for her.


    Noelle slid into the car, ncing over at him as they drove. She couldn''t help but wonder where they were headed.


    The car finally stopped outside the exhibition center.


    It was then that Noelle realized this was the venue for the Outstanding Youth Awards.


    She couldn''t shake the memory of thest time she had been here. In her previous life, Lucas had been honored for his first-ce victory in apetition. He brought Xenia along to attend the event and gave an interview that night.


    As Noelle followed Cedric into the hall, a staff member approached them with a warm smile. "You must be the top scorer, Ms. Noelle Liddell! Pleasee with me to prepare. You''ll need to give a speechter."


    Noelle was stunned. She turned toward Cedric, unsure of how to process this.


    He smiled gently. "The game you helped develop had a sessfulunch, and now, as the top scorer, you''re being nominated for this award. It''s good for your future."


    Noelle knew exactly how prestigious the award was.


    In her previous life, Lucas had leveraged it to secure investment for a streaming tform, and that investment made all the difference. Now, as she thought about it, Noelle realized how useful the Outstanding Youth Award could be if she wanted to start her own esports team or business.


    She followed the staff to the preparation room, still processing it all.


    Then, a familiar voice interrupted her thoughts. "Noelle? What are you doing here?"


    She turned around to see Donovan and Lucas standing together.


    Noelle didn''t bother answering. Instead, she focused on her speech, keeping her attention away from them.


    Frustration bubbled up in Donovan as he was ignored by Noelle. "Do you think you can do whatever you want just because you''re a top scorer and got into Yole University?" he scolded.


    "Donovan, take it easy," Lucas interjected. "Maybe she''s here for the event too."


    However, Donovan wasn''t done. "What has she done to deserve this? She''s just good at exams. That''s it."


    To Donovan, Noelle''s defiance felt like a direct challenge to his authority.


    Noelle chuckled, standing up and ncing in his direction. "Whether I deserve to be here isn''t your concern," she said, grabbing her speech and heading for the door.


    Donovan''s expression darkened with frustration. "Look at her! How can you and Frank keep defending her?" he chided.


    Lucas sighed. "Donovan, Noelle''s talented. If she wins, it''s good for the Liddell family. Why can''t you just support her?"


    Lucas couldn''t understand why


    Donovan was so hard on Noelle. He


    finally started to grasp how Frank


    must have felt back then, as he had acted


    d the same way before. No wonder Noelle had such a strong aversion to the Liddells now.


    Donovan scoffed. "Do you really think she has a shot at winning? She''s just a kid


    with good grades. Nothing more."


    With that, he stormed into the venue. He was determined to see just how capable Noelle truly was.


    To his surprise, Noelle was sitting in


    the front row, and beside her was a man in a suit. Donovan''s gaze fixed on the mah, and he suddenly realized that the figure looked strangely familiar. "Who''s the man next to Noelle?" he asked.

 Chapter 189

    Lucas'' expression shifted as he looked at the man sitting beside Noelle. "That''s the school doctor," he said.


    Donovan frowned. "The school doctor? Why does he look so familiar?"


    Lucas nced at him. "Donovan, have you met him before?"


    Donovan narrowed his eyes and studied the man. "There''s a resemnce, but I''ve only seen him from a distance, given his status," he muttered.


    The Liddells were nothingpared to the Greene family. There was no way the heir of the Greenes would be at an event like this, let alone be involved with Noelle.


    Donovan shook his head and convinced himself it must have been a mistake.


    The host stepped onto the stage with a bright smile, holding a microphone. "Wee, everyone! We''re thrilled to have you here today. Our first Outstanding Youth Award goes to this year''s youngest recipient-Yasnia''s top exam scorer, Ms. Noelle Liddell!"


    Donovan''s expression twisted in disbelief. "What? She actually won?"


    Noelle froze in shock when she heard her name.


    He couldn''t help but wonder when Noelle had be so capable.


    Lucas grinned. "It''s great. Noelle''s incredible, and I''m proud of her."


    However, Donovan felt something sink inside him. His emotions churned ufortably.


    Noelle took a deep breath as she stepped onto the stage. This felt like the beginning of something new.


    After her speech, the host turned to Noelle with a warm smile. "Ms. Liddell, not only are you the top scorer this year, but you were also involved in a highly sessful game development project. Despite your young age, you''ve achieved so much. You''ve mentioned before that your family yed a big role in your sess. Since the Liddells are here tonight, let''s hear from them!"


    Then, she handed the microphone to Donovan.


    Donovan held it awkwardly, as if it were burning his hand. With all eyes on him, his face flushed hot.


    "Noelle''s achievements today wouldn''t have been possible without the support and guidance from her family," Donovan said smoothly.


    His years of business dealing had made him adept at polite public statements. Familiar faces in the crowd congratted him.


    "Mr. Liddell, you must be proud to have such an aplished sister," someone said.


    "You''ll have to share your secrets to raising a top scorer," another added with a chuckle.


    Donovan smiled politely. "Well, her grades are good, but her personality could use some work."


    Noelle''s sess suddenly seemed like a valuable asset. If she could acknowledge her mistakes, he might consider letting her return to the family.


    Noelle let out a scoff as she listened. The Liddells had some nerve.


    After Donovan''s brief speech, the host looked back at Noelle. "Ms. Liddell, is there anything you''d like to add?"


    J.ne


    Noelle looked at Donovan with a hint of amusement in her gaze. "I find it funny," she said calmly. "It''s amusing how someone who contributed nothing to my sess can stand here and im credit for myo achievements."


    The host was taken aback. "Ms. Liddell, could you exin what you mean?"


    "It''s simple," Noelle said without hesitation. "Before the exams, they forced me to take time off to participate in teampetitions. If I refused, they threatened to cut off my living expenses. I barely made it to the exams thanks to


    schrships.


    "When my scores improved, they used me of cheating and tried to make me admit to something I didn''t do. They didn''t believe in me-not even for a second. So tell me, why did they have the nerve to call themselves my family?"


    Then, she added, "I''ve already cut ties with the Liddells. I don''t have a family anymore."


    The room exploded in whispers.


    Donovan''s face burned with rage. Anger rose in his chest like a cloud of smoke.


    He had never been so humiliated. How could Noelle dare to say something like this in front of the media?


    He clutched his chest, feeling suffocated.


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


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 190

    Lucas quicklyforted him, saying, "Donovan, calm down. It''s our fault with Noelle. She''s right to be angry."


    Hearing those words, Lucas remembered how he had forced Noelle topete, and a wave of guilt washed over him. Thankfully, Noelle wasn''t affected, or she wouldn''t have performed so well on the exam.


    "Wasn''t she raised by the Liddell family? How can she cut ties with them just because of a little grievance? Who does that?" Donovan snapped.


    Then, he turned to Noelle and said, "Noelle, tell me clearly, how had the Liddell family wronged you?"


    Donovan felt humiliated, as if everyone around him wasughing at him. This was the first time he had ever felt such shame. He thought all of it was Noelle''s doing.


    Noelle walked down the stage and looked at him coldly. "Did someone from Yole University''s admissions office call you yesterday? Did you reject their offer and tell them I wouldn''t be attending?"


    Donovan''s expression changed. For a moment, he didn''t know how to respond.


    Noelle pressed on, "Did you forbid me from going to Yole University, telling me to stay here and attend a local college with Xenia, who couldn''t even pass the entrance exam?"


    The crowd gasped.


    "As the top scorer in the college entrance exam, Noelle attending Yole University would be a huge honor. How could the Liddells turn it down for her?"


    "Yeah, if I had such an outstanding family member, I''d be celebrating for days! I''d make sure everyone knew about it-it would be a scandal if they didn''t."


    "Are the Liddells blind? How could they not see Noelle''s worth and yet favor someone unrted to them?"


    Hearing thesements, Donovan''s anger boiled over. "That''s not it! I asked you to stay because I want what''s best for you!"


    "For my own good?" Noelle sneered. "For my own good, you wanted me to attend the same university as someone who didn''t even pass the entrance exam? Is this how you care for me? I don''t need anything from you or the Liddell family!"


    Donovan couldn''t bear to look Noelle in the eye.


    Lucas quickly tried to exin, "Noelle, Donovan didn''t mean it that way, please don''t misunderstand!"


    "And you!" Noelle turned her sharp gaze to Lucas. "You were the one who forced me to take leave from school toy games, and you only won the repechage because of me! Without me, you would''ve been eliminated in the first round of the finals."


    Lucas immediately felt guilty. "Noelle, it was my fault. I shouldn''t have pressured you like that. Thankfully, your exam results weren''t affected."


    Noelle scoffed. "I don''t need your apology. I''ve severed ties with both of you. I hope you understand that clearly."


    With that, she left the venue. She was determined never to have anything to do with the Liddell family again.


    Donovan red at his secretary and ordered, "Suppress this news. It can''t get out."


    If it did, the Liddell family would be theughingstock of the city.


    He nced around at the crowd, trying to salvage the situation. "She''s just going through a rebellious phase. You know how difficult it is to deal with teenagers."


    Lucas was anxious. "Donovan, why did you reject Yole University''s offer to Noelle? She''s the top scorer! If our parents knew, they''d be thrilled to have a child attending such a prestigious university."


    Donovan faltered, still unwilling to admit his mistake. "With her temperament, what would happen if she caused trouble at Yole University? Staying at a local university is the best option for her."


    Lucas was increasingly frustrated with Donovan''s decisions and chased after him. "Donovan! She has us to protect her. What could possibly happen? Are you out of your mind?"


    Noelle walked alone outside, with Cedric beside her. "Feeling better now?"


    Noelle smiled. "Yes."


    Cedric remarked, "I guess you''ve finally stopped avoiding them, right?"


    Noelle smirked, "I used to think


    staying away from the Liddells would let me start a new life, but now I realize that some people just never learn. No matter how many times I try to make them understand, they''ll never get it."


    After clearing things up in public today, she felt much better.


    "Noelle, Noelle, wait for me!" Lucas called out, running after her.

 Chapter 191

    Noelle heard Lucas''s voice, but she didn''t even turn her head. She had nothing left to say to the Liddells.


    Without a word, Noelle got into the passenger seat. Lucas knocked on the window. "Noelle, don''t take what Donovan said earlier to heart."


    Noelle''s expression was cold. "I never take the words of irrelevant people to heart."


    Lucas felt a sting in his heart. He stammered, "Noelle, Donovan''s always b-been like this. He c-cares about his pride. You embarrassed him in front of everyone, and that''s why he''s upset. We''re still f-family, aren''t we? Do we really need to go this far?"


    Noelle let out a bitterugh. "Family? I''ve already severed ties with you all. We''re no longer family. From now on, you better act like we''re strangers when you see me."


    Cedric stepped on the gas and drove off, not giving Lucas the chance to say anything more.


    Lucas watched the car disappear into the distance. He slumped to the ground and pulled out his phone to message Noelle, only to realize he had been blocked long ago.


    Thinking back to the things he had said to Noelle, regret surged through him.


    Donovan stormed out. "Where''s Noelle? How dare she spout nonsense in front of the media? I''ll make sure she learns her lesson this time!"


    "Donovan, Noelle''s gone. It''s because we''ve let her down that she''s upset and cut ties with the Liddell family. We''re the ones in the wrong," Lucas said.


    "You fool. Why are you standing up for Noelle? She''s this arrogant because you and Frank spoiled her. Isn''t she relying on that school doctor now? I''ll take care of him. He''s just a mere doctor, so it''ll be easy to get rid of him."


    Donovan exploded in anger and stormed off.


    Lucas hurriedly called Frank. "Frank, it''s bad. Noelle received the Outstanding Youth Award at the convention today, but she publicly announced cutting ties with the Liddell family in front of the media. Donovan''s furious. He''s already nning to go after Noelle and that school doctor."


    Frank immediately got out of bed. "I''m on my way. You need to calm Donovan down. Don''t let him do anything to harm Noelle."


    The attending doctor quickly intervened. "Mr. Liddell, you''re still undergoing treatment. You can''t leave."


    Frank yanked the IV out of his arm, rushing out of the hospital without even changing his clothes.


    He repeatedly called Noelle, but no one answered.


    Clutching his stomach in pain, Frank


    texted her. "Noelle, where are you? Donovan''s furious and out of


    Ovel.


    control. Don''t go back to the apartment."


    Noelle had just gotten out of the car when she saw Frank''s message. She frowned instinctively. "As expected, they never understand what respect means."


    Cedric''s expression darkened as he caught a glimpse of the message. "Are you leaving?"


    "No," Noelle replied firmly. "If I''m cutting ties with the Liddells, I might as well make it clean."


    Determination shed in Noelle''s eyes as she looked at Cedric. "I can handle this myself."


    "Are you sure?" Cedric asked.


    The Liddells just couldn''t seem to leave her alone.


    Noelle''s gaze was icy. "Yes. If they can''te to their senses, I''ll make sure they do."


    A n was already forming in her mind.


    Turning to Cedric, she asked, "Can I borrow yourputer in the study?"


    Noelle sat down in front of theputer and hacked into Liddell Corporation''s official website.


    In her previous life, there had been a mole among thepany''s internal tech team who had leaked business secrets, nearly causing the downfall of Liddell Corporation.


    It was Noelle who had fixed the internal system vulnerabilities and found the


    traitor, saving Donovan from the crisis.


    Later, she even wrote the firewall source code for their internal system to prevent the same thing from happening again.

 Chapter 192

    Noelle was determined to reim what she had previously contributed.


    Cedric stood by the door, watching her resolute expression without interfering.


    He didn''t know exactly what Noelle nned to do, but judging by her demeanor, he figured she had it under control. If not, he would step in to clean up the mess. Just as Noelle exited the system, there was a loud knock on the door.


    She sneered. "He''s finally here."


    Noelle walked out of the study and looked at Cedric. "You might want to hide for now."


    He raised an eyebrow. "Do I really look that bad?"


    Noelle chuckled. "I don''t mean it like that. Donovan''s here to cause trouble, and I''m worried he''ll walk in and hit you first."


    With that, she pushed Cedric back into his room. "I''ll handle my own problems."


    Cedric reluctantly nodded and returned to his room.


    Noelle turned to open the front door, only to find Frank sitting outside in a wheelchair.


    Her expression turned cold. "Why are you here?"


    Frank looked up at her and said, "I dyed Donovan as much as I could. Come with me now."


    Noelle took a step back, widening the space between them. "I''m not going anywhere."


    Frank frowned and said, "Noelle, stop being stubborn. Donovan''s furious, and he''ll do anything in his anger. Come with me, and I''ll exin things to him."


    Noelle scoffed. "I don''t need you to exin anything. I''m cutting ties with all of you. This isn''t a joke."


    Frank''s face grew even paler. "Noelle, we''re family. Are you really going to sever ties over a misunderstanding?"


    He had never truly believed Noelle meant to sever ties until she announced it to the media. That was when the panic finally set in.


    Frank anxiously exined, "Noelle, I know I''ve made mistakes, but I want to make


    it up to you. Can''t you give me that chance?"


    Noelleughed coldly. "Keep your fake apologies to yourself. I don''t need them."


    "Noelle, is that how you talk to


    Frank? He left his surgery toe after you. Do you see what you''ve be? Donovan said as he


    emerged from the elevator with


    stern Ook on his face. "I was going to give you a chance, but now I think I need to teach you a lesson so you don''t cause trouble for the Liddell family in the future!"


    Noelle nced up at him. "I''ve already cut ties with your family, but you''re still so arrogant. Before I leave, I have a gift for you."


    Donovan sheered. "Noelle, are you


    scared now? It''s toote for that Unless you break things off with that school doctor and kneel to apologize to Xenia, don''t expect any forgiveness."


    Noelle could onlyugh at the absurdity. She calmly said, "Donovan, do you remember who wrote the firewall source code for Liddell Corporation?"


    Donovan hesitated for a moment. "Why does that matter? Just because you worked on some game development doesn''t mean you have the right to bring this


    up!"


    At that moment, Donovan''s


    secretary rushed over. "Mr. Liddell,


    thepany''s internal system has


    been hacked. The firewall haspletely crashed, and internal secrets might be leaked."


    Donovan turned to Noelle. "What did you do? How did you manage to do this?"


    Frank bitterly reminded him, "Donovan, have you forgotten that Noelle wrote the firewall source code?"

 Chapter 193

    "Are you saying Noelle wrote the source code?" Donovan froze, disbelief clouding his face. "How did I not know this?"


    Could Noelle really be that capable at such a young age?


    "Donovan, I''ve mentioned this to you before. You just forgot," Frank said with a sigh. "Noelle has done a lot for this family behind the scenes, but we''ve always overlooked it."


    Only now did Frank realize how badly they had wronged her.


    Donovan was at a loss for words. "I thought you wrote the source code and she just helped a little."


    He had assumed Frank was simply trying to appease Noelle by giving her more credit than she deserved. He hadn''t expected it to be true.


    The secretary interrupted anxiously, "Mr. Liddell, the tech department can''t handle it. What should we do? If this leaks, thepany will be in huge trouble."


    Donovan said angrily, "What''s the tech department even doing? How can a young girl outdo them?"


    Donovan''s pride was wounded. He red at Noelle. "What exactly do you want? Are you doing this just to get back at me because I forgot who wrote the code?"


    He couldn''t believe Noelle would go this far just to get back at him for forgetting who contributed to the source code.


    He thought it was only natural for Noelle to contribute, considering she was part of the Liddell family.


    "Yes," Noelle said, looking at him coldly. "Donovan, you''ve got bigger problems. I suggest you fix this before yourpany falls apart."


    Donovan shouted, "You ingrate! Everything you have the clothes, the food, the roof over your head¡ªcame from the Liddell family. How dare you try to destroy us? Don''t you have any conscience?"


    Noelle stood firm at the door. "First of all, my parents left us trust funds. All my schooling came from that."


    Donovan sneered. "Fine, but you lived here for years. We took care of you. What about that? Every birthday, we bought you expensive gifts. Doesn''t that count for anything?"


    Noelle let out a bitterugh. "Have you forgotten? Since our parents passed, I stopped celebrating my birthday. Every gift was for Xenia, not me."


    "No, I remember buying you an antique crown," Donovan retorted.


    Noelle smirked. "Xenia took it a long time ago."


    "Impossible. That was for you, not her!" Donovan eximed, shooting a questioning look at Frank.


    Frank lowered his gaze and said, "Donovan, it''s a misunderstanding. Noelle gave


    it to Xenia as an apology after their fight."


    Donovan''s face flushed with embarrassment, and he felt a sting of difort. "You can apologize all you want, but you can''t just pass off the gift gave you to someone else. Frank, what were you thinking?"


    2UMS


    Noelle calmly pulled out an envelope stuffed with cash. "This is the total of my meals over the years-ten thousand dors. Consider this paid in full. I have no further ties to the Liddell family."


    She tossed the money into Frank''s trembling hands, but he couldn''t bring himself to take it.


    Donovan''s face turned crimson with rage. "Noelle, don''t think you can get away with this!"


    Noelle met his gaze. "Mr. Liddell, I suggest you leave. If you don''t, I''ll be forced to release the source code for the Liddell Corporation system. All of yourpany''s secrets will be exposed to outside hackers. Yourpetitors will be thrilled


    Donovan shook with fury. "How dare you? Very well! From now on, I''m officially cutting ties with you, Noelle. I''ll never forgive you, and I''ll never recognize you as my sister!"


    "Donovan! How can you say that?" Frank interjected, quickly grabbing him. "She''s our sister! We promised Mom and Dad we''d take care of her!"


    "If it weren''t for Noelle, our parents wouldn''t have died in that car ident! Donovan said, his eyes bloodshot with fury. "If I had known Noelle would turn out like this, wish Xenia''s father had saved our parents first, not her!"


    Noelle''s mind shed back to the scene of the ident. She nearly lost her bnce, barely managing to steady herself against the doorframe.

 Chapter 194

    However, Noelle just couldn''t recall the events that happened on the day of the car ident.


    It felt as though something inside was tearing her apart, and she struggled to breathe.


    Donovan took his coat off angrily. "You keep saying that we favor Xenia, but we only adopted her because of you to repay your debt! You didn''t just kill Mom and Dad, you killed her father as well. Since you''ve decided to leave, then go ahead!"


    With that, he turned to enter the elevator and left.


    "Donovan,e back!" Frank called out in frustration. He turned to Noelle. "Forget what he just said. He didn''t mean it. He was just too angry."


    Noelle''s knees had gone weak.


    Cedric stepped forward and held her up by the shoulders, his gaze filled with concern. "Are you okay?"


    She shook her head. Hoarsely, she asked Frank, "I still can''t remember what happened that day. Was Mom and Dad''s death really my fault?"


    "No, you had nothing to do with it! It was an ident. Someone ran a red light and hit their car. That person''s the real murderer!"


    Cedric''s eyes widened when he heard the word "murderer", pain shing in his eyes.


    Noelle found her brother''s words hard to believe. "But that''s not what Donovan said."


    "He only said that out of anger. You should know how his temper is."


    Cedric looked at Noelle''s troubled expression and reassured her. "Your brother''s made it clear that none of it was your fault."


    Noelle wiped her tears and turned to Frank. "You should leave. From now on, I''m not part of your family anymore."


    "Noelle, listen-"


    Cedric stopped him. "At this point, do you really think your family deserves her forgiveness? You guys can''t erase all the pain she''s suffered with a simple apology."


    Tears filled Frank''s eyes. "I-I truly am sorry."


    He had tried to stop Donovan and Lucas.


    "If you really care about her, stop disturbing her."


    Cedric shoved Frank aside and shut the door.


    Standing outside, Frank clutched his stomach. However, the intense pain was


    nothingpared to the ache in his heart.


    as ran out of the


    Just then, Lucas


    elevator. "Frank, I just saw Donovan storming out. He said he was


    catching the next flight back to.


    Yasnia because of somepany


    issue. How''s Noelle? Is she


    okay?"


    Frank wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and waved his hand


    dismissively. "She''s fine. Let''s go."


    "Didn''t you say you would make her stay no matter what?"


    "Maybe the best thing to do is to stay away from her. We''ve done so much


    damage, we shouldn''t disturb her new life."


    Frank pped his forehead in frustration. "If only I could turn back time, I would never let this happen."


    If only there was a way to undo all of this.


    Back inside the apartment, Noelle sat on the sofa. Word about Liddell Corporation''s systems being hacked had made the headlines once again.


    She was certain that her eldest brother was on his way back to Yasnia now.


    She breathed a sigh of relief. "He''ll finally stop bothering me now."


    At least, he wouldn''t be making any rash moves until he could rece the source code she had written.


    She had nearly forgotten all about the source code and had never considered resorting to such drastic measures.


    However, they left her no choice.


    Cedric''s gaze was dark. "Don''t let Donovan''s words get to you."


    Noelle smiled bitterly. "Honestly, sometimes I wish I was the one who died back then. If only Xenia''s father saved my parents first, everything would have been so much better."


    That way, she wouldn''t have to carry this guilt for the rest of her life. Cedric trembled slightly. "But your parents chose to save you first."

 Chapter 195

    Hearing his words, Noelle looked over in astonishment.


    What did he mean? And how did he know?


    Avoiding her gaze, he continued, "After all, your parents loved you very much, and they definitely would have chosen to save you. So, you don''t need to feel guilty."


    Tears welled up in her eyes. "But I do feel guilty, and I still miss them after all these years."


    If her parents hadn''t had that ident, Xenia wouldn''t be in her life, and none of this would have happened.


    Unfortunately, life didn''t live on what-ifs.


    When Cedric noticed her reddened eyes, his throat tightened.


    He stared at her quietly, the guilt inside him threatening to burst forth and drown him.


    He patted her shoulder and said, "You''re finally free now. You should head back to Yasnia and start a new life."


    "Yeah, that''s what I was nning to do. Once I buy a house there, I''ll finally have a ce I can call home."


    She didn''t n on returning.


    Cedric looked away, admiration flickering in his eyes. "Liddell Corporation''s firewall is well-known in Yasnia. I never expected you to be the programmer behind it. How many more secrets do you have?"


    "I just happened to be naturally talented at it. Frank studiedputer science and gave me a lot of books, and I slowly picked it up."


    "Is that why you want to major inputer science at Yole University?"


    "Bingo. I might even pursue a double degree, though I haven''t decided on the second one."


    She nced at Cedric. "When I was receiving the Outstanding Youth Award today, I think I saw that Yasnia was going to have a business fair on artificial intelligence. Do you think Alfred''spany would be interested in that?"


    She recalled that in her previous life, Frank''spany had ventured into this field and eventually skyrocketed as the industry rose to prominence.


    She had also been involved in developing the systems and personally wrote the code for the software.


    This time, she wanted to start her ownpany and build something from scratch instead of working for someone else.


    Cedric was already aware of the event. He just never expected her to be interested in this too.


    He replied, "The project does sound promising."


    "I think so too. Who knows? Maybe thepany might gain traction because of this project?"


    Seeing eagerness rece her sadness, Cedric silently vowed to help her achieve all her dreams.


    That evening, Noelle continued her gaming livestream in good spirits.


    Her winning streak for solo matches has yet to be broken, so she was still the top yer.


    Countless yers had challenged her but so far, no one has won yet.


    As usual, after her matches, she would review key points and strategies with her viewers.


    Her fans also left somements in the chat box.


    "Queen Nelly, you seem to be in a good mood today. Did something good happen?"


    "She''s the top scorer for this year''s national exams. I''m guessing


    saw Yale University opening it


    3. Ors


    to students and made up her mind to apply there."


    Noelle nced at thements


    ove


    and replied with a smile, "Something good did happen today, and I''m looking forward to starting anew life in Yasnia."


    "Are you really going to Yole? Gosh, to be a top scorer while being awesome at games-how I wish I could be you!"


    "I guess I''ll spend another day


    envying others. Then again, I betcher family must be even more envious. I heard that your adopted sister got her grades canceled for cheating."


    en


    Noelle hadn''t paid attention to what would happen to Xenia.


    Betty was dead now, but she felt there was more than met the eye. She hoped the police would be able to uncover more details.


    Calmly, she said, "Let''s not sour the mood with such unpleasant stuff."


    She didn''t want to bring up anything rted to the Liddell family right now. Just then, someone sent her Carnivals.

 Chapter 196

    Recognizing Frank''s user ID, she instantly kicked him out of the livestream and blocked his ount.


    Since she had decided to cut all ties with her family, he should keep his nose out of her business.


    Frank was just about to pay for the gift when he realized he had been kicked out, so he stopped.


    A sad smile crept onto his lips. It seemed like Noelle had really been hurt this time.


    At first, he assumed she was merely being stubborn.


    If only he had realized the problem earlier, things never would have turned out this


    way.


    "Mr. Frank, something bad happened! Ms. Quigley triedmitting suicide. Fortunately, Mr. Lucas stopped her in time. They''re on their way to the hospital now."


    Frank immediately set his phone down. "Why did she do that?"


    Gordon eximed, "I heard that although the school didn''t give her any demerits, they still canceled her results. She couldn''t handle the news and tried to kill herself. Sir, you shouldfort herter."


    Frank rubbed his temples. "Why can''t she just behave herself? I never had to worry about Noelle''s studies, and she still did so well."


    Gordon scowled. "Ms. Quigley did badly on her exams because Ms. Liddell got her sick. Now, she''s being punished unfairly because of her friends. It''s only natural that she''s devastated."


    "Gordon, of all people, you have no right to say that. You nearly messed up Noelle''s grades when you prepared faulty stationery for her."


    Gordon fell silent, bowing his head in shame.


    The thought of the incident made Frank''s heart ache for Noelle even more.


    Soon after, Xenia was rushed to the hospital with an ashen face.


    Teary-eyed, she stared at Frank. "It''s all my fault, Frank. Now that my grades have


    been canceled, the Liddell family will be aughingstock."


    Frank frowned. "And did you think thatmitting suicide would solve this problem?"


    Xenia swallowed her words awkwardly. Lowering her head, she sobbed softly. She hadn''t expected the school to cancel her results.


    Noelle had scored the highest in the city and been epted to Yole University while she didn''t even have a score.


    She felt crushed to see the contrast between her and Noelle, especially after all these years of looking down on thetter.


    Lucas hurriedly consoled her. "It''s no big deal, Xenia. You can just repeat a grade."


    He continued, "You''ll be fine as long


    as you work hard. I mean, look at Noelle. She managed to improve her


    grades during thest few months before the exams."


    Hearing Lucaspare her and Noelle only made her feel worse. After all, she hadn''t really nned on killing herself. She just wanted the


    Liddells'' attention and sympathy.


    "Stop crying. Make sure to apply for grade retention in the next few days."


    Frank was starting to get irritated by her tears.


    He also suspected she wasn''t as innocent in the cheating scandal as she imed. After all, it took two to tango.


    Still, he hadn''t found proof that she was rted to Betty''s sudden death, although Betty had left a confession letter behind.


    Gordon looked at Xenia worriedly. "Ms. Quigley, please don''t do this again. Do you have any idea how horrifying that ssmate of yours looked after her body was O discovered?"


    "Enough!" Xenia shouted, visibly panicked as she lowered her head in guilt.


    Once her wound was treated, she was sent to a private room.


    She pulled out her phone and found several unread messages.


    "I''ve taken care of that ssmate of yours. I''ll get rid of anyone who tries to stand in your way."


    Xenia was mortified. "I only asked you to keep her quiet! Why did you kill her?"


    God knew how frightened she was when the police started questioning her. She never wanted Betty to die.


    "She was too stubborn. Only the dead can keep secrets forever."


    A wave of regret washed over Xenia. She never should have asked this person


    for help. She hadn''t even confirmed his identity yet.


    "Do you want to get rid of Noelle Liddell too? Once she''s dead, you''ll be the only daughter in the Liddell family."


    Xenia hesitated, imagining how no one could take what she had now if Noelle was dead.


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


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 197

    However, Xenia dismissed the thought as quickly as it came.


    If any more people died, the police were sure to start suspecting her. She needed to stop this now.


    She quickly typed out a reply. "I''ve already sent you the money. Stop bugging me!"


    She wanted nothing more to do with this person, nor did she want anyone to find out she was rted to Betty''s death!


    Just then, Gordon knocked on her door. "Ms. Liddell, Betty''s family came looking for you. Thankfully, I managed to keep them out. It would be bad if they spoke to Mr. Frank and said inappropriate things."


    "Thanks for keeping their mouths shut, Gordon. Please make sure they don''t babble to Frank. You know he''s been treating me differentlytely."


    Xenia was on edge now, fearful that her rtionship with that mysterious person might be discovered.


    Frank and Lucas didn''t treat her the same anymore, so she had to get back in their favor.


    After Gordon left, Xenia immediately went over to the room next door and overheard Lucas and Frank talking.


    "Frank, what are we going to do now that Donovan''s decided to cut ties with Noelle?"


    "He didn''t really mean that. I n to focus on thepany''s operations in Yasnia from now on since Noelle will be moving there. That way, I can stay closer to her."


    "Then, what about Xenia? She still has to repeat the year."


    "She can manage with the servants and drivers around. She doesn''t need us for that."


    Frank''s attitude toward Xenia had turned noticeably cold. "In two weeks, there''ll be an artificial intelligence investment conference. It''s an important opportunity for us, so we have to make sure we''re well-prepared."


    Hearing this, hatred shed in Xenia''s eyes.


    She refused to repeat a year. She didn''t want to fall behind Noelle.


    Right now, her only hope was to ask for Donovan''s help.


    ...


    After ending her livestream, Noelle contacted Firestorm''s employees and returned


    all the gifts she received from Frank.


    She didn''t want a single penny from them.


    Over the next two weeks, she kept herself busy by helping develop the artificial intelligence project at Alfred''spany since it was


    almost time for the conference.


    en


    However, before departing, she realized she still hadn''t received her


    letter of eptance from yet


    University, though it should have arrived by now.


    After contacting the administration''s office, she was given a tracking number for her parcel.


    When she went to trace her letter, she discovered it had just been sent to the Liddell residence this afternoon.


    Noelle groaned in frustration and rubbed her temples. Picking up her phone, she dialed Frank''s number.


    Frank picked up almost immediately,


    his tone cheerful. "I was just about


    to call you, Noelle. Your letter of


    eptance has arrived. When do you want toe and pick iDup?"


    en


    "It''s fine. I''ll just get a courier to grab it."


    She didn''t n on going back there.


    "Noelle, I know you''re very disappointed in all of us. But Donovan is hoping you''ll visit at least once before leaving."


    "There''s nothing worth visiting for."


    But then, a thought struck, so she said, "Fine, I''lle back if you do me a favor."


    "Anything. You''re my sister, of course I''ll help you."


    A cold smile tugged at her lips as she ended the call.


    She went to look for Cedric. "I need to head back home. My eptance letter was delivered there."


    Cedric frowned. "Are you using it to force yourself to go home?"


    "Not quite, but close enough. I just happened to have something to take care of there to prevent future trouble."


    Seeing that she had made up her mind, he offered, "I''ll go with you."


    Nodding, she and Cedric made their way to the Liddell residence.

 Chapter 198

    When Noelle saw the house she had lived in for so many years, a mix of emotions surged through her. It was the first time she had returned since moving out.


    The car pulled up outside the Liddell residence. Cedric nced at her and asked, "Do you want me toe with you?"


    "No, I''ll handle it myself. If anything happens, I''ll call you," Noelle said, feeling calmer with him nearby.


    She got out of the car and walked straight to the door. When she entered the ess password, it came back as incorrect.


    A mocking smile yed on her lips. She rang the doorbell and soon saw Gordon walking out.


    "When did the password get changed?" she asked with a sarcastic smile.


    Standing by the door, Gordon responded indifferently, "Ms. Liddell, Mr. Donovan has instructed that you are not to step foot into the Liddell house without his permission. The password was changed to Ms. Quigley''s birthday."


    Noelle recalled the mishap with the stationary during her exam-it was probably Gordon''s doing.


    In her previous life, he had always sided with Xenia, bad-mouthing her in front of her brothers.


    Noelle stepped forward and kicked the door open. "My parents bought this house. I cane back whenever I want. You''re just a servant-know your ce!" Her tone was cold.


    Without sparing Gordon another nce, she walked straight inside.


    Gordon was taken aback by Noelle''s sudden change in demeanor. He quickly followed, trying to stop her. "Ms. Liddell, I''m just following Mr. Donovan''s orders!"


    As Noelle entered the living room, Frank happened toe downstairs.


    "Noelle, you''re back!" he said, his face lighting up with joy. "Why don''t you stay for dinner? I''ll have the kitchen prepare something special for you. It''s been so long since we ate together."


    "No thanks. Where''s my eptance letter?" Noelle''s expression was cold, devoid of any warmth.


    Frank gave a bitter smile. "It''s in the study. Let''s go upstairs to get it."


    Noelle followed him but was surprised when he led her to her old room instead.


    "Noelle, we''ve restored your room to how it used to be. Xenia has moved back to her own room too. Take a look. If there''s anything you''re not happy with, I''ll have it taken care of."


    en


    Noelle nced at the room, her expression calm and indifferent. "There''s no


    need. I''m not staying here anyway."


    Frank sighed. "When our parents bought this house, they left this princess room


    just for you. It''ll always be yours-no one can ever rece you."


    Noelle turned and headed to the


    study. "Let''s get to the point, shall we?" She was no longer the person who could be swayed by small gestures like these.


    Frank handed her the red eptance letter. "Congrattions, Noelle. You''ve been epted to Yole University. Mom and Dad would be so proud of you."


    Noelle shot back. "Don''t bring up Mom and Dad like that. It only makes me sick." She nced at the letter, only to notice it had already been opened.


    "Who gave you the right to open my mail?" she said, her displeasure evident.


    "Noelle, I didn''t open it. I knew it was your eptance letter, and you should be the one to open it," Frank quickly replied.


    Noelle handed the letter to him, her voice sharp. "Are you blind? It''s clearly been opened!"


    "Gordon,e here!" Frank called out, his tone cold. He was equally surprised to see the tampering and swore he hadn''t touched it.


    When Gordon appeared at the doorway, Frank questioned him sternly, "Who else has entered this room besides me? Why has this letter been opened?"


    Gordon nced at the letter and replied nonchntly, "Mr. Liddell, it''s just an eptance letter. As long as nothing''s missing, does it really matter?"


    Noelle''s icy gaze was fixed on him "Was it you who opened it?"


    "I was just curious what was inside, so I identally opened it to take a look," Gordon exined.


    From his response, Noelle could tell Gordon wasn''t the culprit. This was most likely Xenia''s doing.


    "Check the surveince footage," she ordered Frank.


    If she didn''t get to the bottom of this today, she would curse herself to only spell her name backward!

 Chapter 199

    Frank quickly nodded. "Noelle, I promise I''ll get to the bottom of this and give you an exnation."


    Noelle''s expression remained cold. She didn''t need anyone else to give her an exnation she could uncover the truth of this herself.


    Sensing the rising tension, Gordon quickly interjected, "There''s no need to check the surveince. It was me. If you want to me someone, me me."


    "Oh, Gordon, we haven''t even checked the footage yet. Why are you so eager to confess? Who are you trying to cover for?" Noelle said, her anger simmering as she fixed her gaze on him.


    Since he insisted on throwing himself into her path, she wasn''t going to let him off lightly.


    Frank, too, noticed Gordon''s unusual behavior and pressed him. "Tell me the truth, Gordon. Who else has been in the study?"


    Gordon hesitated, fumbling for words but unable to give a clear answer.


    Frank''s suspicions deepened, and he asked, "Where''s Xenia? Get her here immediately!"


    "Ms. Quigley is studying in her room right now, Mr. Liddell. Can''t we wait until she''s done? It''s really not that serious," Gordon said.


    Frank was stunned by Gordon''s dismissive attitude. He couldn''t believe a butler dared to brush off Noelle''s concerns like this. It was clear now just how much Noelle had endured in this household.


    In a fit of rage, Frank grabbed a cup and hurled it at Gordon. "I said, bring Xenia here now! Did you not hear me?"


    Terrified, Gordon nodded and quickly left the study.


    Frank couldn''t bring himself to meet Noelle''s eyes. "Noelle, I never realized... Has Gordon always treated you this way?"


    Leaning casually against the desk, Noelle smirked faintly, her toneced with mockery as she replied, "It''s nothing new. I''ve gotten used to it."


    Her nonchnt response hit Frank like a punch to the gut, leaving him breathless.


    She had gotten used to it?


    Frank stared at the opened letter, fury boiling within him.


    Before long, Xenia entered the room with Gordon, fully aware of what had happened.


    Tears welled up in Xenia''s eyes as she said pitifully, "Frank, it''s all my fault. I was just curious about what an eptance letter from a prestigious university looked like, so I opened it to take a quick look. I swear I didn''t touch anything inside!"


    Frank slumped into his chair, feeling utterly drained. For the first time, Xenia''s tearful apology felt grating and insincere.


    In the past, he might have dismissed this as a minor issue, thinking Noelle was overreacting if she didn''t let it slide.


    But now, the more he reflected on it, the more disappointed he felt in himself.


    If he hadn''t let these things slide, would Xenia and Gordon have dared to act this way?


    "Xenia, apologize to Noelle now!" Frank demanded, his expression dark.


    Xenia turned to Noelle, her voice dripping with false remorse as she said, "I''m so sorry, Noelle. My grades were canceled, and I can''t continge my studies. I was just so envious of your eptance letter that I couldn''t resist taking a peek. Please don''t be mad. Can''t you forgive me?"


    "No," Noelle replied coldly, her gaze icy.


    Xenia gritted her teeth before continuing to act pitifully. "I''ll do anything to make it


    up to you."


    She couldn''t understand why Noelle


    couldn''t just let it go. Sure, she had


    opened the letter on purpose-out of spite, knowing Noelle had


    seeded where she had


    failed but in her mind, a teary apology should have sufficed.


    "Anything? Okay," Noelle said, raising her hand.


    Without hesitation, she pped Xenia hard across the face, using every ounce of


    strength she had. The impact left her hand numb.


    Stunned, Xenia yelled, "What''s wrong with you?"

 Chapter 200

    "I''m venting my anger on you, just as you requested," Noelle said beforending another p on Xenia.


    She then pulled Xenia''s hair forcefully. "I warned you not to touch my things again, but it seems you''ve forgotten!"


    Noelle knew very well that Xenia had opened the letter to spite her, and she wasn''t about to let it slide this time.


    Xenia''s face was so swollen she looked almost unrecognizable. She cried out, "Frank, help me!"


    Frank''s hands clenched into fists as he watched the scene unfold. "Xenia, you said Noelle could do whatever it took to calm her down, so you need to keep your word."


    Xenia was left dumbfounded. She had only said that out of politeness-she hadn''t meant a single word of it!


    Gordon stepped in to pull Noelle away. "Ms. Liddell, why are you hitting Ms. Quigley? She only opened the eptance letter. Nothing was taken. Why all the fuss?"


    Gordon''s forceful tug nearly knocked Noelle over.


    She raised an eyebrow, her expression sharp and arrogant. "Because I''m a sensitive person. That''s just who I am."


    "Mr. Donovan has ordered that you''re not allowed to set foot in this vi," Gordon reminded her.


    "Gordon, how dare you speak to Noelle like that? She''s the eldest daughter of the Liddell family, your mistress!" Frank shot Gordon a re. "It seems I''ve been too kind to you over the years, letting you forget your ce!"


    Xenia quickly interjected, "Frank, it''s all my fault. Gordon was just standing up for me."


    "Not only did he lie for you, but he evenid hands on Noelle. There''s no ce for someone like him in the Liddell family. Gordon, pack your things and leave."


    Frank''s decision left both Xenia and Gordon stunned.


    Panicked, Gordon pleaded, "Mr. Liddell, I''ve worked for the Liddell family for decades. Please, think of my years of service and forgive me."


    "The Liddell family has treated you generously Gordon. Yet, you''ve forgotten your ce. I don''t think it''s appropriate for you to stay here," Frank said coldly, feeling deeply disappointed by how Gordon had treated Noelle.


    Gordon copsed to the ground in disbelief. Never had he imagined being fired by his employer at his age. He had thought that, given the strong bond he shared with the family, he would serve them for the rest of his life.


    "Quick, Gordon, apologize to Noelle. She''s kind-hearted. Surely, she''ll forgive you," Xenia urged, not wanting to lose her ally.


    Reluctantly, Gordon turned to Noelle and said, "Please forgive my foolishness and rudeness. Since your parents passed away, I''ve cared for you for so many years. Will you forgive me, for old times'' sake?"


    Gordon needed this job desperately. His family depended on the ie, and he couldn''t afford to lose such a respectable position.


    Noelle scoffed. "Oh, right, thanks for


    reminding me Xenia''s birthday is close to mine, so you always suggested celebrate it with hers. Every time she made a mistake, you''d find a way to pin it on me. And don''t even get me started on the stationery for my exams! You''ve really cared for me all these


    years-by turning my life into hell!"


    Gordon''s face turned pale. "That''s not true, mydy!"


    "Don''t ''mydy'' me! Just a moment ago, you treated me like a stranger, and now you''re sweet-talking to save your career? You hypocrite!" Noelle snapped, walking over to Frank and picking up the eptance letter.


    Frank swallowed hard before saying, "Noelle, I''m sorry. I didn''t realize how much you''ve been through."


    "Spare me the righteous act. If you had listened to me even once, we wouldn''t be in this mess, would we?" Noelle responded sharply, leaving Frank speechless.


    Frank couldn''t help but agree he had brought this all upon himself.


    Noelle pulled a document from her bag and handed it to Frank. "Sign this. I''m transferring my household registration."


    She wanted her own separate household record, severing any remaining ties to


    the Liddell family. This was her way of truly gaining freedom.


    Frank stared at the document, his heart heavy. "Noelle..."

 Chapter 201

    Frank never expected Noelle to go this far. He looked up and said with difficulty, "Noelle, isn''t there any way to change your mind?"


    Xenia couldn''t help but feel a flicker of joy at the situation. This was good news for her. She quickly put on a sad look and said, "Noelle, we''re family-blood is thicker than water. Can''t we..."


    "Shut up!" Frank cut her off sharply. Her tear-streaked face, which he once found pitiful, now only irritated him. Perhaps bringing Xenia into their home had been a mistake from the start.


    Noelle calmly said, "Frank, this is thest time I''ll acknowledge you as my brother. Sign it."


    She pushed the pen into his hand. "The Liddell family has been nothing but a nightmare for me. I can''t stay another moment," she said firmly.


    Frank covered his face with one hand. After a long pause, he finally signed the papers.


    Noelle quickly took the documents, worried that something might go wrong. Once she had what she wanted, she let out a sigh of relief.


    She grabbed the pen, threw it in the trash, and said, "I''ve used this pen long enough. Time for a new one."


    She didn''t want anything she had given to remain in the Liddell family''s hands. Noelle left the study without looking back. She walked straight out of the Liddell residence, the ce she had lived in for so many years.


    "Noelle!" Frank called out, stumbling after her while holding out a bank card. "Living alone out there won''t be easy. Yasnia''s cost of living is high. Take this¡ªit''s the least I can do for you," he said.


    "I don''t need it," Noelle replied coldly. Her gaze fell on the electronic lock on the


    front gate. Without hesitation, she picked up a brick from the ground and smashed


    it.


    Frank froze, confused by her actions.


    Noelle dusted off her hands. "This vi was left by my parents. It''s disgusting to use Xenia''s birthday as the password. Change it," she said tly.


    With that, she turned and walked toward Cedric. Frank stared at the broken lock with confusion. Just then, Gordon and Xenia came outside.


    Frank turned to Gordon. "The house password has always been Noelle''s birthday. Who gave you the right to change it?" he asked angrily.


    Gordon looked nervous. "It was Mr. Donovan''s idea. He told me to make sure Ms. Liddell couldn''te back, so I changed the password," he exined.


    "Great! Just great!" Frank said bitterly. "Why don''t we just hand the entire house over to you? How dare you make such a big decision on your own?"


    Frank''s head pounded with frustration. He had thought Noelle was just being dramatic, but now he realized she had been mistreated for years.


    Gordon trembled. "Mr. Frank, I figured that Ms. Quigley was also part of the family and used her birthday. I didn''t mean anything by it," he said quickly.


    Xenia tried to smooth things over. "Frank, don''t me Gordon. He didn''t mean it. I''m just the adopted daughter-I don''t deserve to have my birthday as the password," she said.


    Frank looked at Xenia and noticed the p marks on her face. His anger softened a little. "Xenia, that''s not what meant. This vi was left by my parents, and Noelle''s birthday has always been the password. No one has the right to change it," he replied firmly.


    Xenia forced a pained smile. "I understand. As an adopted daughter, I don''t have the right. It was Gordon who overstepped. I promise it won''t happen again," she assured him.


    Gordon seized the moment to apologize, dropping to his knees. "Mr. Frank, I was wrong. I''ll never make such a decision again!" he pleaded.


    "Gordon has been taking care of the family for so long, Frank. He''s getting old. Don''t send him away," Xenia said.


    Frank rubbed his temples, feeling tired. "Fine, he can stay, but he won''t be in charge anymore. He''ll just be a regr household staff. I''ve decided to move to Yasnia. Gordon can stay here and help you while you study," he said firmly.


    To Frank, the Liddell family had already treated Xenia well enough. If she didn''t


    appreciate it, that was her problem.


    Xenia bit her lip and said, "Thank you, Frank!"


    ???,


    All she cared about was to keep Gordon for now. However, she wasn''t nning to stay here and study. She would follow them to Yasnia. There was no way she


    would let them leave her behind.


    As Noelle''s car disappeared down the road, Xenia''s eyes were filled with hate.


    She vowed that she would crush Noelle beneath her feet one day.

 Chapter 202

    In the car, Noelle hummed a cheerful tune. "When I dealt with Xenia earlier, my hand went numb from hitting her! Her expression was priceless!" she said


    gleefully.


    She thought Xenia should consider joining the entertainment industry. Perhaps she could even find her true calling as a maniptive bitch.


    Cedric noticed how happy she looked and realized that his earlier concerns were unnecessary. Noelle had grown much stronger.


    He asked calmly, "When are you nning to leave?"


    "Once I handle the paperwork tomorrow, I''ll get my ticket to Yasnia," Noelle replied, ncing at him.


    After she left, she wouldn''t be able to see Cedric often. After all, he was the school doctor.


    Cedric nodded and said, "Then, we''ll have dinner together tomorrow night."


    He knew Noelle''s feelings, but he couldn''t afford to soften his stance. It was time to let go.


    The next day, Noellepleted the procedure to move to Yasnia. She was free now, and the Liddell family could no longer control her.


    When she returned to her apartment, she found arge spread of food on the table.


    Alfred stood nearby. "Nelly, this is for you-a farewell meal."


    "Thanks," Noelle said as she sat down. She turned to Alfred and said, "Let''s hope the business meeting tomorrow goes smoothly."


    "I hope so, too," Alfred replied.


    Noelle nced at Cedric. "Are you going with us tomorrow?"


    After all, it was a newpany project.


    Cedric pursed his lips. "I won''t be going tomorrow. You guys can go. Alfred is the one in charge."


    "


    Noelle felt a bit disappointed, even though she knew this day woulde. It was still hard to let go.


    Alfred tried to ease the tension. "All good things muste to an end. We''ll meet again someday."


    Noelle picked up her drink, feeling a little down. After the meal, Alfred went to the balcony to make a call.


    Noelle turned to Cedric. "I''m leaving soon. Don''t you have anything to say?" Cedric met her gaze calmly. "Be happy. Do what you want without overthinking."


    "Is that all?" Noelle asked, feeling a little disappointed.


    Cedric avoided her gaze. "When school starts, focus on your studies. Don''t rush into a rtionship."


    Noelle suddenly smiled. "My rtionships are my choice."


    Cedric was caught off guard. "You''re still young."


    "I''m already an adult. Besides, aren''t you in a rtionship, too? I''ve never seen your girlfriend," Noelle replied. She was genuinely curious about what his girlfriend might be like.


    Cedric


    SV


    wine fored himself a ss of red


    wine to hide his awkwardness. "Why would you need to meet my girlfriend?"


    "We''re friends, aren''t we? If I get a boyfriend, I''ll introduce him to you," Noelle said calmly.


    Cedric felt a bit ufortable at her


    response. He took a sip of wine and


    noticed Noelle reaching for her


    ss. He instinctively reached out and stopped her and said, "Kiddo, you don''t handle alcohol


    drink."


    Don''t


    "Are you going to control me for the rest of my life?" Noelle said, looking at him.

 Chapter 203

    Noelle felt Cedric treated her differently from others. She had once misunderstood that he might like her, too, since he was always so kind. In the end, she realized it was just her overthinking.


    Cedric felt like something was stuck in his throat. After a long pause, he finally said, "It''s not impossible."


    Noelle''s heart skipped a beat. What did he mean by that?


    Cedric continued, "Since you''ve cut ties with your brother, you can think of me as your family from now on."


    "I don''t need another brother," Noelle replied, standing up. "I''m full. I''ll go pack my things."


    She left with a hint of disappointment.


    Cedric watched Noelle''s back with aplicated look in his eyes. Alfred walked in and asked, "Done talking? Are you ready to let go this time?"


    Cedric remained silent. He tipped back his ss of red wine, finishing it in one go. Noelle''s feelings were clear to him, but he felt he wasn''t deserving.


    The next day, Noelle went straight to the airport. She turned to look at Cedric, then walked up and hugged him. "I''m leaving. Thank you for being here for me. I will never forget you."


    Cedric stiffened for a moment before patting her back. "Contact me if you need anything. I''ll always be here."


    Noelle reluctantly let go, feeling a little embarrassed.


    Alfred stepped in. "I want a hug, too."


    Cedric blocked Alfred with a serious expression. "There''s no time. Let''s get her to the gate."


    "Don''t worry. I''ll take care of Nelly," Alfred reassured him.


    Noelle gave Cedric onest nce, then walked away with her suitcase.


    Two hourster, their nended at Yasnia Airport. Noelle stepped out, feeling a little nervous. "I wonder if ourpany''s project will stand out at this event," she said.


    "Have some confidence," Alfred said with a grin.


    He had to admit that Noelle had real talent. At first, he thought Cedric was simply paving the way for her but it turned out her abilities were entirely her own. The two of them arrived at the investment summit.


    Noelle carried her materials and projects to the disy area. Alfred wore a


    baseball cap to cover his face and followed Noelle inside.


    He quickly scanned the area and saw a familiar face. "I''ll head to the restroom. Nelly, you can manage on your own for a bit."


    Noelle nodded. After arranging her


    materials and sitting down, she looked up and saw Frank walking toward her. She immediately


    lowered her head, wondering


    l.ne


    how


    the Liddells could be here. It was


    truly a stroke of bad luck.


    Frank noticed her and walked over. "Noelle, I didn''t expect to see you here!"


    Lucas frowned and scrutinized Noelle. "Noelle, why are you wearing Maple Enterprise''s clothes? Don''t you know theirpany is in directpetition with Frank?"


    Hearing that, Noelle chuckled coldly. She raised her gaze and coldly said, "I know."


    "Why are you working part-time at


    Maple Enterprise? If you need


    money, just tell us. Even though Donovan cut off your card, Frank


    and I would never let you go without pocket money," Lucas added


    He was upset. After all, Noelle was part of the Liddell family. Why would she work for theirpetitor?


    Noelle stood up. "I have no rtionship with the Liddell family anymore. Where I work has nothing to do with you."


    Lucas angrily continued, "Noelle, even if you dislike Donovan, you can''t treat Frank like this."


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


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 204

    "For me, you''re all the same," Noelle said coldly. "I''ve made myself clear: from now on, we''ll pretend we don''t know each other."


    Frank stopped Lucas. "Let''s go back. Noelle''s upset right now. Don''t push her too hard."


    Noelle watched the Liddells leave and thought back to her past life when Frank had also attended this same investment summit. Back then, Frank had shone at the event using the artificial intelligence system she developed.


    Xenia had sweet-talked her way into Frank''s circle, promoting herself as the star. Once again, Noelle had been forgotten, and no one knew that she was the real creator.


    This time, Noelle wanted to see just how far Frank''spany could go without her.


    Soon after, the attendees of the investment summit started moving around to look at everyone''s exhibits. When they reached Noelle''s disy, her artificial intelligence system amazed everyone.


    One of the attendees asked, "Hey there, did you develop this yourself?"


    Noelle nodded. "Yes."


    "You''re so talented at such a young age. Which university did you attend?" Noelle paused briefly, then replied, "I haven''t started university yet."


    Someone from anotherpany exined, "Ms. Liddell is the top scorer in Aldoria''s college entrance exam this year and has been epted into Yole University. She''s truly exceptional."


    "That''s really impressive! You have a bright future ahead."


    So many people gathered around to praise Noelle that the Liddells couldn''t get close. Frank watched as Noelle was surrounded by admirers, feeling a little wistful. "Noelle has really grown up."


    Lucas'' expression was equallyplex. "Frank, how did I never realize Noelle was this amazing?" he asked.


    Noelle had a talent for gaming, topped the city''s exams, and was now excelling at developing artificial intelligence. Inparison, Xenia was terrible at gaming, had


    a fragile ego, and had her exam results canceled due to cheating.


    How had he missed this before?


    Lucas had always thought Xenia was the talented one, but now he saw that Noelle was the true standout.


    Frank sighed. "We''ve really wronged Noelle. We''ll need to find a way to earn her forgiveness," he admitted.


    "You''re right. We''re still family. One day, Noelle will forgive us," Lucas said.


    Frank nodded. He would do whatever it took to make things right with Noelle.


    After the investment summit,


    severalpanies approached


    Noelle about future coboration


    However since she wasn''t


    responsible for those discussions, she could only ept their business cards and wait for Alfred to handle the negotiationster.


    Noelle called Alfred. "Hey, did you get stuck in the restroom? A lot of people came


    by to discuss coborations."


    Alfred exined, "I wasn''t feeling well, so I got dyed. I''ll be out in a bit."


    After hanging up, Alfred left the VIP room and briefly nced at the chairman of the investment summit. "Regarding the Maple Enterprise Al project, could you give that youngdy a little push?" he requested.


    "Mr. Parham, don''t worry. That youngdy is already outstanding on her own," the chairman reassured him.


    Once the pleasantries were done, Alfred made a call to Cedric. "It''s all arranged, but Noelle has so much talent. She''ll shine on her own," he said.


    "I just don''t want her to work too hard," Cedric replied.


    At that moment, Cedric was on a private ne, reviewing photos from the event.


    His phone buzzed, and he saw Noelle''s good news.


    He smiled faintly and replied, "Congrattions."


    His assistant, who had never seen Cedric smile so gently, respectfully reminded him, "Mr. Greene, your business trip is finally over. Mrs. Greene Senior and Mrs. Greene are starting to figure things out. They can''t be kept in the dark much longer."


    No one knew about Cedric''s time in Aldoria nor that he had stayed for a girl. If the


    Greenes found out, there would be chaos. After all, Cedric had an fianc¨¦e.

 Chapter 205

    Cedric''s expression returned to its usual calm as he set his phone down. "I''ll be home for dinner tonight."


    On the other end, Noelle received Cedric''s brief message. She couldn''t help but think how he was still so sparing with his words.


    After the investment summit ended, Noelle packed up and got ready to leave. Frank and Lucas walked over, both wearing cautious and somewhat fawning expressions.


    Frank carefully said, "Noelle, you''re here in Yasnia all alone, and it''s still before school starts. It''s not convenient for you to live by yourself. Why don''t you stay with us?"


    Lucas quickly nodded. "Yeah, we have a house here in Yasnia. We''ll give you the biggest room. Xenia won''t have a share."


    Without Xenia in Yasnia, they could finally be kind to Noelle and make up for their past wrongdoings.


    Noelle smirked slightly. "No need. I''ve just bought a house here in Yasnia myself. Leave that room for Xenia. After all, her father did a lot for the Liddell family.


    "Lucas, you shouldn''t be so petty. How would it look if word got out about how you treat your family?" Noelle wore a look of mockery, deliberately taunting them with her words.


    Her remark left Lucas a little shaken. "Yasnia''s real estate is so expensive. How could you afford it? Did that school doctor buy it for you?"


    Noelle shot back, "Watch your words. I earned that money myself. As a top streamer at Firestorm, my signing bonus was in the millions. What''s wrong with buying a house?"


    How could he forget that Noelle was now a major figure in Firestorm, with her game guides used by professional teams?


    Frank quickly tried to smooth things over. "Noelle, Lucas is just concerned. He didn''t mean anything by it."


    "Enough," Noelle cut him off. "I don''t need your concern, especially not when it''sced with malice. Leaving the Liddell family was the best decision I''ve ever made. I''ll only get better from here."


    Noelle slung her bag over her shoulder and walked off, unwilling to deal with the Liddells. In the past, she had gone out of her way to please them, but they never paid her any attention. Now that she was thriving and had cut ties with them, they wouldn''t stop chasing after her.


    The tables had turned, and she couldn''t help but wonder why she hadn''t seen this clearly in her past life.


    Frank sighed as he watched Noelle walk away. "Kalmost forgot that


    Noelle is a big streamer for


    v


    Firestorm. Over the summer, her fanbase exploded, and her


    livestream stats have been amazing.


    I heard she''s even nning to join


    the national team."


    Lucas looked down regretfully. "It''s my fault. If I had done better, Noelle wouldn''t


    have been hurt and joined Firestorm Entertainment."


    He regretted it now. After their


    defeat in the finals, Noelle had been absent and his team had crumbled.


    Without her, the team couldn''t even


    stay afloat. His so-called pride seemedughable now.


    He sighed in defeat. "Frank, I finally understand what you meant. I always thought we were the


    important ones, but now, I see it-we needed her more than she ever needed us."


    Frank shook his head, also regretting his past actions.


    After the event, Noelle met Alfred outside. She noticed he was wearing a cap and a mask.


    "Alfred, are you trying to hide from the paparazzi?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.


    "No, I just have a cold and didn''t want to pass it to you," Alfred lied. In fact, he was worried about being recognized.


    Noelle gave him a sideways nce. "You say you have a stomach issue. Do you need to go to the hospital?"


    "No, I''ll be fine with some medicine. You''re heading back to the house you bought, right?"


    "Yes," she replied.


    "I need to handle somepany matters. You can head back first, and I''ll reach out if anythinges up," Alfred said.


    Noelle nodded, then suddenly asked, "By the way, when is Cedricing to Yasnia?"

 Chapter 206

    "That''s not necessarily true, Nelly. After spending some time together, our rtionship has improved. Let me be honest with you," Alfred said.


    Noelle pursed her lips. She could already guess what Alfred was about to say.


    "Nelly, you''re still young. When you get to university, you''ll enjoy the freedom of romance and meet someone you like. When that happens, you''ll realize that your current thoughts are a little immature," Alfred continued.


    Noelle couldn''t help butugh a little. "I get it. See you next time."


    As she sat in the car, Cedric''s image popped into her mind. Even Alfred had noticed her feelings for Cedric. It felt so embarrassing.


    Noelle sighed. It was clear she needed to shift her focus and start a new chapter in her life.


    When she arrived at the new apartment she''d purchased, she admired its sleek decor and well-furnished setup. It was move-in ready, and the neighborhood offered excellent security.


    Later that evening, Noelle started her usual live stream. After finishing a yer Kill match, she addressed her fans. "Hey, everyone. As you know, I''m going to school soon, so I''ll be busier. From now on, my live streams will be scheduled for weekends, and I''ll go live randomly during the week."


    She had a lot on her te. When she first started streaming, it was just to make money. Now, she didn''t need to worry about money, and her studies came first.


    Besides, the artificial intelligence project she was involved in with Alfred also required her full attention. Her time for livestreaming would be limited.


    Before she ended the live stream, she noticed Cedric''s avatar was greyed out. A small pang of disappointment hit her. It felt strange not having him around. Indeed, habits were powerful things.


    The next day, Noelle received a call from Alfred. "Thepany''s artificial intelligence project has established a branch. I''ll send you the address.


    "You can head over tomorrow to get familiar with it. Once the projectunches, we''ll all get a share of the profits!"


    "Got it," Noelle replied.


    After getting ready, she grabbed her project materials and headed to the address Alfred had sent. When she arrived, she was greeted by a towering office building.


    After entering thepany, the manager enthusiastically introduced her to the team, "This is Noelle, the developer of the artificial intelligence project Though she''s young, she''s very talented. We''ll be working together from now on."


    Noelle felt a little nervous.


    After the introductions, the manager turned to her "Noelle, don''t leave immediately after work today. We have a dinner meeting with representatives from Greene


    vel


    Corporation''s investment team. You''ll need to attend as the project developer."


    "Alright," Noelle said, eager to make the most of every opportunity. That evening, she joined her colleagues at the restaurant.


    The manager pulled her aside. "We''re meeting Greene Corporation''s investment department tonight. If they bring up technical questions, Ms. Liddell, I''ll leave it to you to answer."


    Noelle nodded. It wasn''t anything difficult for her. As they entered the restaurant, Noelle unexpectedly ran into Donovan and Xenia by the elevator. The world really was small.


    Noelle pretended not to see them, but Xenia spoke first. "Noelle, I heard you joined Maple Enterprise and arepeting in the artificial


    intelligence market with Franka n¨¦e


    Donovan sneered. "Xenia, don''t waste your breath on someone irrelevant. She has no ties to the Liddell family anymore. Besides, Maple Enterprise is a smallpany and is no threat to us."


    Noelle replied coldly, "Wasn''t Liddell Corporation also a smallpany once?"


    Donovan''s face darkened instantly.


    Xenia smirked triumphantly. "Noelle, let me tell you something: Donovan has arranged a meeting with the heir of Greene Corporation today to discuss a partnership."


    Noelle smirked. "Until we reach the end, who knows whichpany Greene Corporation will invest in?"


    She was determined to fight for that opportunity with the heir of the Greene family.

 Chapter 207

    As Noelle finished speaking, Xenia covered her mouth andughed mockingly.


    "Noelle, don''t be so naive. Donovan has always had a good rtionship with Greene Corporation. They''ve already built strong ties. This meeting is just a formality," Xenia said with a smug smile.


    Since arriving in Yasnia, Xenia had witnessed the splendor of the big city and realized just how backward her hometown was. She had no intention of returning to repeat a year in her small town and was determined to stay in the big city and marry a wealthy heir.


    As the elevator door opened, Xenia linked arms with Donovan as they stepped inside. She nced back at Noelle with a look of superiority. "You might want to wait for the next elevator. After all, ourpanies are not on the same level!"


    Donovan maintained a cold expression and didn''t even nce at Noelle. He was still fuming over the incident where Noelle deliberately tampered with thepany''s firewall, causing him significant losses and nearly turning him into aughingstock in the industry.


    Now that things had finally stabilized, Donovan vowed to make Noelle suffer. He envisioned her crawling back to the Liddell family, begging for forgiveness. When that day came, he would make sure she paid dearly.


    Outside the elevator, Noelle turned to thepany manager. "Don''t worry. Investments are based on fairpetition. Greene Corporation''s business decisions aren''t about personal connections. As long as our product is excellent, they''ll choose us."


    The manager nodded. "You''re right. Let''s head to the private room and not keep our guests waiting."


    Noelle followed her colleagues into the reserved room. It wasn''t long before representatives from Greene Corporation''s investment department arrived.


    Their lead was a middle-aged man in a sharp suit, looking every bit like a business elite.


    After sitting down, he said, "Sorry, everyone. I won''t be able to stay long. Mr. Greene ising upstairs, and I need to go up and offer my respects."


    After all, the legendary Mr. Greene held such a lofty status that ordinary people rarely had the privilege of meeting him. Today presented a truly rare opportunity.


    The manager quickly introduced Noelle. "Mr. Cooper, this is ourpany''s lead researcher. She''s young but very capable."


    The man looked Noelle up and down. "You''re quite young. I heard you were the top scorer in the college entrance exams and had just started university, right? Let me raise a toast to you!"


    Noelle took the ss, but her mind immediately shed to Cedric''s stern face when he had lectured her. She paused for a moment, then said, "I don''t drink. My family is very strict about it."


    The man''s face immediately soured. "Forget it. We''ll catch up next time," he said, setting his ss down and walking away.


    An awkward silence filled the room. Noelle hadn''t expected such a reaction. She turned to the manager and exined, "I really don''t know how to drink."


    "I understand. You''re still young. However, you can''t use that as an excuse when ites to business You''ll need to practice holding your liquor so you can handle situations like this better in the future," the manager said.


    Noelle felt a little ufortable. She genuinely didn''t want to drink. Unable to bear the awkwardness any longer, Noelle made up an excuse to go to the restroom and left the private room.


    Once outside, she nced up at the upper floors. She had heard that the heir of Greene Corporation was upstairs. If she could find a chance to talk to him, maybe she could


    seize the investment og


    Noelle noticed a staff member standing guard by the elevator, so she decided to quietly take the stairs instead.


    Before she could make it far, a pair of security guards in ck suits intercepted her.


    "Miss, the upper floor is closed to unauthorized personnel," one of them said, gripping her arms.


    "Let go of me! I''m here for the meeting with the heir of Greene Corporation," Noelle protested.


    In the end, she was stopped in a corner by the bodyguard. She looked up and saw the elevator doors open, revealing a row of bodyguards standing in two lines. The disy was truly impressive. It was fitting


    for the heir of the prestigious Greene family.


    Noelle stood on tiptoes and craned her neck, eager to catch a glimpse of what the


    Greene family heir looked like.

 Chapter 208

    The bodyguards were too tall for Noelle to get a clear look at the man emerging from the elevator, but she could make out his tall figure. He wore a dark suit with the sleeves rolled up slightly, revealing his long, clean fingers. However, his facial features remained unclear under the dim light.


    Noelle jumped up, waving her hand and calling out loudly, "Mr. Greene, I''m from Maple Enterprise, I-"


    Before she could finish, a bodyguard mped a hand over her mouth and pushed her back toward the stairwell.


    "If you cause any more trouble, don''t me us for being rude," he warned before walking away.


    Noelle sighed as she sat on the stairs. It seemed that meeting the heir of the Greene family wasn''t going to be easy.


    After thinking it over, she called Alfred. "I need to tell you something. Maple Enterprise''s investment is likely going to fall through."


    "Fall through? Why do you think so?" Alfred asked with a chuckle.


    There was no way Cedric wouldn''t invest in Maple Enterprise-he was practically handing Noelle the results on a silver tter.


    Noelle exined what had happened with Donovan. "I even saw Mr. Greene just now."


    "What? You saw him?" Alfred responded, clearly surprised.


    "Yes, but it''s hard to meet him. I only saw his back before his bodyguards stopped me at the stairs," Noelle added with a sigh. "Alfred, do you have any way of getting in touch with him? I''d really like to talk to him about the investment."


    Alfred, whose family was quite wealthy, should have some connections. She didn''t want to lose to Donovan.


    "That''s easy. I''ll reach out to him," Alfred reassured.


    "Okay," she said.


    After hanging up, Noelle got to her feet and dusted off her skirt. She figured she would head home for now and try againter.


    "Hey, Noelle, why are you hiding on the stairs? Did Mr. Greene''s bodyguards stop you?" Xenia said.


    She thought she must have misheard Noelle''s voice as she passed by on her way to the bathroom.


    Noelle turned around and rolled her eyes. "It''s none of your business!"


    Xenia smirked. "Noelle, why do you keep trying topete with me? You ran away from home out of spite.


    "You might have more fans from your live streams and done well on your exams, but that''s nothing in Yasnia. Without the Liddell family, you''re nothing."


    Noelle snorted and gave her a cold smile. "Oh, maybe I should tell Donovan I''lle back then."


    Xenia instantly froze. She didn''t want Noelle to return. She preferred being the only daughter of the Liddell family, doted on by her six brothers.


    She had to bite back her frustration. "You''ve already been kicked out by Donovan. You can''t go back."


    Noelle smirked. "I''m still his real


    sister,


    adoptike you. You''re just an


    daughter who cheated on


    her exams and can''t even y games properly.


    "What do you think you canpete with me for? No one in Yasnia will care about you."


    Xenia''s anger boiled over, and she stormed towards Noelle to strike her. "You little bitch!"


    Noelle easily sidestepped, letting


    Xenia swing at thin air. The impact


    caused Xenia to lose her bnce,


    and she tumbled down the stairs with


    a scream.


    Noelle looked down at her from above, cold amusement in her gaze. "Goodbye. See you never again."


    Just then, Donovan appeared at the top of the stairs. "Noelle, how dare you hurt Xenia?" he demanded, his eyes burning with anger.


    Noelle coldly replied, "I didn''ty a hand on her."


    Donovan shot a re at James. "Why are you standing there? Call the police! Arrest her!"


    Suddenly, a voice rang out. "I''d like to see anyone try."

 Chapter 209

    Noelle heard the familiar voice and turned to see Cedric walking toward her.


    She was taken aback. "When did youe to Yasnia?"


    She never imagined she would run into Cedric here.


    Cedric''s expression softened when he reached her. "Are you alright?"


    "I''m fine; nothing happened," Noelle said, beaming as she linked her arm with Cedric''s. "Let''s go."


    "Stop right there!" Donovan interrupted, ring at Noelle. "If you dare leave, you''ll be considered a fugitive when the police arrive."


    Xenia slowly got up from the floor, crying out, "Donovan, you saw it! I just wanted to convince Noelle to apologize ande back to the family. I didn''t expect her to get angry and push me down the stairs!"


    It was only then that Donovan noticed Xenia. He quickly walked over and helped


    her up.


    With a cold expression, he said, "Xenia, don''t worry. I''ll make sure you get justice."


    Then, he turned to James and barked, "Call the police now!"


    Despite the pain, Xenia continued to feign distress, adding, "Donovan, if the policee, Noelle will have a criminal record. Let''s not go that far. She just needs to apologize."


    Donovan''s heart softened as he saw how gracious and understanding Xenia appeared. He turned to Noelle and snapped, "Did you hear that? Despite everything, Xenia is worried about you having a criminal record.


    "Look at what you''ve done! Is this how I raised you?"


    Just then, someone covered her ears. Startled, she looked up to meet Cedric''s gentle and deep gaze.


    Cedric softly whispered, "Don''t listen to them; it''s all trash."


    Noelle''s heart skipped a beat. The emotions she had kept hidden suddenly flooded out, nearly overwhelming her.


    A sweet feeling spread through her chest as though her heart had been filled with honey. She had tried to control her feelings for Cedric, but it was getting harder with him around.


    "Noelle, are you ignoring me? Are you deaf?" Donovan asked.


    Noelle snapped out of her reverie with a soft click of her tongue. She coldly stared at Donovan and Xenia. "My hearing is perfectly fine, but maybe some people need to get their eyes checked."


    "If you kneel and apologize to Xenia before the police get here, we won''t press charges," Donovan said, offering her a way out.


    After all, he was her brother. Even though she had disappointed him, he didn''t want her to have a criminal record.


    Noelle found his words utterlyughable. It was the same condescending attitude she had always faced from the Liddells. They had never changed.


    With a mocking smile, she replied, "Are you asking me to apologize to Xenia again? Was I born to apologize to her?"


    "I''m doing this for you!" Donovan said, trying to justify his actions.


    Noelle sneered, "Oh, really? For me? How noble. Honestly, it just disgusts me."


    Donovan''s face twitched in frustration. "Noelle, I''m giving you a chance!"


    Cedric interrupted firmly, "She doesn''t need anyone''s chances."


    "Noelle, do you think you can act like this just because you have him backing you up? This is Yasnia not thatsmall town of yours," Donovan snapped.


    Noelle raised an eyebrow. "You keep calling it a small town, but remember that, Donovan: you''re from there, too. Don''t forget where you came from."


    At that moment, Noelle realized how much Donovan had changed. Yasnia really had a way of clouding people''s judgment.


    Cedric looked down at her. "If you''re ufortable, we can leave. I''ll handle this."


    Noelle shook her head. She turned to Donovan and said coldly, "No need for that. If you want to wait for the police, go ahead.


    "I''m not running away. By the way, you said intentionally injuring someone would leave a criminal record, right?"

 Chapter 210

    Donovan sneered, "That''s right. Are you scared now? Hurry up and leave that brat. Come over and apologize to Xenia!"


    "Apologize? Dream on!" Noelle replied.


    Soon, the police arrived. Xenia quickly started to feign pain and said, "It hurts so much."


    Donovan pointed at Noelle and said, "She hurt my sister."


    Since Noelle refused to admit her mistake, he would let the police teach her a lesson today so she wouldn''t cause any more trouble in the future.


    Xenia''s eyes glinted with satisfaction. She was determined to make sure Noelle got arrested today. Xenia was certain that once Noelle had a criminal record, she wouldn''t stand a chance against her anymore.


    Xenia feigned innocence. "Noelle, I would have forgiven you if you just apologized. I can''t help you anymore now."


    "Xenia, you''re too kind. Noelle doesn''t deserve your forgiveness," Donovan said.


    "Donovan, we''re family. We can''t just let Noelle go down the wrong path!" Xenia said, putting on a sad expression.


    The police turned to Noelle after hearing everything and said coldly, "Miss, you''re suspected of intentional harm. Pleasee with us for questioning."


    Cedric''s expression turned icy. "I dare anyone to touch her!" he said firmly.


    Donovan smirked. "Kid, this is Yasnia. Get a grip."


    Cedric wasn''t fazed. "So what?" he replied calmly.


    Noelle ced her hand on Cedric''s and addressed the police. "There was intentional injury here, but I didn''t do it. She did," she said, pointing at Xenia.


    Xenia''s face went pale. "What are you talking about? You can''t just me me," she stammered. Since no one had seen what happened, Xenia assumed no one would believe Noelle''s words.


    Donovanughed bitterly. "Noelle, is using Xenia your defense?"


    Xenia started fake-crying. "Noelle, I didn''t want to make this worse, but now you''ve gone too far."


    "No, you''re the one who went too far. You attacked me first, then fell down the stairs and yed the victim," Noelle retorted calmly.


    Xenia lowered her head in guilt.


    Donovan snapped, "Noelle, you''ve disappointed me. Even now, you won''t admit


    it!"


    "I didn''t do anything. Why should I admit to it? Do you have proof?" Noelle asked.


    Donovan demanded, "Do you have proof that Xenia attacked you first?"


    "I do," Noelle said confidently. She stepped aside and pointed at the wall. "Look, there''s a security camera in the hallway. It recorded everything at the top of the stairs."


    Xenia''s face turned pale in fear. There hadn''t always been a camera by the stairs,


    and she couldn''t understand what was happening.


    Panic gripped Xenia. If Donovan stopped trusting her, it was all over for her.


    Noelle''s expression hardened. "Once the footage is reviewed, the truth wille out," she said coldly.


    Cedric stood by, casting a knowing


    nce at Noelle. It was clear she


    had anticipated this all along, which exined her unshakable


    confidence.


    Xenia realized the situation was slipping from her grasp. She turned to Donovan


    and said, "Donovan, just forget it. This is all my fault.


    "Even though I''m hurt, we''re family. There''s no need to make scene or waste the police''s time." She grabbed Donovan''s hand and added, "I suddenly feel dizzy and nauseous. Donovan, can you take me to the hospital?"


    Noelle smiled slyly. "Not so fast. Are you trying to run away?"


    She wouldn''t let Xenia off the hook so easily this time.


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


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 211

    "Didn''t you just demand evidence and ountability?" she said, crossing her arms. "Now we have the footage-why are you running? Xenia, are you feeling guilty?"


    Donovan snorted. "Guilty? Xenia''s just injured and needs to go to the hospital," he replied.


    "Well, let''s wait for the footage, then. It won''t take long, and she won''t die from it," Noelle added.


    Noelle nced at Xenia, who was nervously shifting her eyes. Xenia suddenly pretended to faint in Donovan''s arms. "Donovan, I feel terrible. I can''t take it anymore," she said weakly.


    "Hang in there, Xenia," Donovan said. "Once the footage is out, I''ll make sure Noelle pays."


    Panic engulfed her. Xenia couldn''t afford to let the footage be reviewed. If it came to light, it would all be over for her. She rolled her eyes dramatically, then pretended to faint.


    "Xenia, are you okay?" Donovan asked. He looked at Noelle, then added, "I''m taking her to the hospital. Once we get the footage, I''ll make sure Xenia gets justice."


    Xenia was so frightened that she couldn''t control her trembling eyelids, but she dared not wake up.


    Noelle saw right through Xenia''s act and called out, "Xenia, you can dodge the first strike, but you can''t avoid the second. The footage is right here!"


    "Xenia''s right. She shouldn''t have to avoid it," Donovan growled. "Just wait, Noelle."


    Donovan stormed off, carrying Xenia in his arms.


    Noelle couldn''t help butugh at Xenia''s fearful expression. "I thought she was tough, but now she''s the one running scared," she said.


    Cedric whispered, "I can stop them."


    Without his permission, the police couldn''t evene upstairs.


    "There''s no need," Noelle said, waving him off. "Let them go."


    Cedric raised an eyebrow and asked, "Aren''t you going to take this golden opportunity to put them in their ce?"


    "It''s not that," she replied. "The security camera is broken."


    Noelle had already noticed that the camera wasn''t working. It had no infrared, so it was useless. She had wanted to use it to expose Xenia''s lie and humiliate Donovan, but Xenia''s luck had held out this time.


    Even so, Noelle wasn''t letting her off the hook. She pretended not to know about the camera''s failure so she could toy with Xenia. The sight of Xenia panicking at the mention of it was too amusing.


    Cedric took a careful look at the camera, too, and could confirm it was broken. He hadn''t expected her to be so observant.


    He turned to the police officers and added, "Although the camera is broken, it doesn''t stop you from defending your rights."


    Noelle sighed and replied, "How can I defend myself without evidence? Forget it.


    I''m already more than happy to see Xenia panicking."


    In the end, Xenia didn''t manage to hurt her, and Noelle wasn''t at a loss either.


    Cedric put his arm around her shoulders. "Let''s go."


    "By the way, how did you end up in Yasnia?" Noelle asked. She''d wanted to ask earlier but hadn''t had the


    chance, especially with Xenia still around.


    Cedric''s expression shifted slightly at the question. "I came to check things out."


    Noelle nodded. "Oh, right. It''s still before the semester starts, so you have some freedom. But what made youe all the way here?"


    He smirked. "Alfred called me." Otherwise, he wouldn''t have known she was there


    and would''ve been stopped by his bodyguards. It was a close call.


    Realization dawned upon Noelle. "That makes sense. By the way, I still have something important to take care of."

 Chapter 212

    Since Donovan had taken Xenia to the hospital, there was no one left with Mr. Greene. This presented the perfect opportunity for her.


    As Noelle quietly peeked outside, Cedric interrupted, "What are you looking at?"


    "Shh, keep your voice down," she whispered. She pulled Cedric''s hand and stepped carefully behind a vase.


    Cedric stood beside her, ncing at the bodyguards hidden in the shadows and shaking his head.


    Noelle lowered her voice and asked, "Don''t you know Mr. Greene is dining in that private room?"


    Cedric''s expression remained calm. "And?"


    Noelle turned to him, feeling slightly frustrated. "Alfred called you, didn''t he? Didn''t he mention why you''re here? This is a rare opportunity."


    "A rare opportunity for what?" Cedric asked.


    Noelle said matter-of-factly, "To discuss investments with Mr. Greene. I can''t let the Liddell family get ahead of us."


    Cedric smiled. "Don''t worry. Greene Corporation will invest in yourpany."


    "You''re confident? Have you already met with Mr. Greene?" Noelle asked, raising an eyebrow.


    Cedric cleared his throat, feeling a little uneasy. "Yes, I''ve already met him."


    "How did it go?" she asked.


    "It went well," Cedric replied casually.


    "I heard Mr. Greene is tough to deal with. I didn''t expect you to secure an agreement so quickly," Noelle remarked.


    Cedric frowned slightly. "Who told you that?"


    "Everyone says he''s difficult. I saw him earlier," she said.


    Cedric''s heart skipped a beat. He watched her closely, sensing something wasn''t quite right. "Did you get a good look at him?"


    It didn''t add up. If Noelle had recognized him, her behavior would be different.


    "No, I couldn''t see clearly. His bodyguards were in the way. I only caught a glimpse of his profile," she exined.


    "So, you didn''t actually see his face?" Cedric rified.


    Noelle shook her head and then nced at him again. "Your suit is almost the same color as Mr. Greene''s."


    Cedric smirked. "It''s amon color for suits. There''s nothing unusual about that."


    "True, but he doesn''t wear it as well as you," Noelle replied, teasing him. Cedric smiled softly. "Is that apliment? Yet, you''ve never seen him."


    "I don''t need to. Someone with his status probably has a messy personal life. He might even have some illegitimate children," she replied with a smirk.


    Cedric yfully flicked her forehead. "You seem to know a lot about him and his personal life."


    "I''m just guessing. The more money people have, the wilder their lives tend to be," she said matter-of-factly. Having grown up in a wealthy family herself, Noelle had seen plenty of indulgent lifestyles.


    Cedric paused, unsure of how to respond.


    Noelle nced around, noticing the eerily quiet atmosphere. "Have you noticed


    how quiet it is here? There''s no one around."


    Cedric remained calm. "Are you hungry?"


    "A little. Let''s go. It seems Mr. Greene has cleared the ce out. We''d be better off not lingering here."


    She seemed to realize her predicament and preferred to head somewhere more private with Cedric.


    Cedric gave her a quick nce. "How''s your new ce?"


    "It''s good. Why don''t we go there for dinner? You can help me celebrate the housewarming," she offered.


    "Sounds good," Cedric agreed.


    He was still thinking about how to avoid being recognized. Going to her new house was the safest bet for now He wasn''t ready to reveal who he truly was.


    They took the elevator down together, and as they reached the restaurant, a middle-aged man suddenly approached. "Mr. Greene, long time no see!"


    Noelle paused in surprise, noticing that he had just called Cedric "Mr. Greene."

 Chapter 213

    At times, what one feared most was what came to pass. When Cedric saw the middle-aged man suddenly appear, he felt a surge of anger. Instead, he kept hisposure, nodded briefly, and quickly led Noelle out of the restaurant.


    After walking a few steps, Noelle nced back and noticed the middle-aged man was already gone.


    She turned to Cedric in confusion. "Who''s that man?"


    "I don''t know him," Cedric replied.


    "He called you Mr. Greene," Noelle said, eyeing him suspiciously.


    Cedric''s heart skipped a beat. How should he exin this?


    After a moment, Noelle seemed to have an epiphany. "Perhaps he''s someone Maple Enterprise used to work with. Since the investment summit, a lot ofpanies have been reaching out to us for coboration."


    Noelle assumed the man hade to discuss a partnership with Cedric.


    Cedric realized she misunderstood it, but he didn''t correct her. Instead, he yed along. "The project does have a good future."


    "It''s more than good-it''s incredibly promising! Once it''s applied to autonomous vehicles and bes widespread..."


    Noelle trailed off mid-sentence, suddenly realizing she had let something slip. Had she just exposed herself?


    Cedric nced at her. "You seem to know quite a bit about this industry."


    His team had conducted thorough research and concluded that this field held great potential. However, most people remained skeptical, dismissing it as an unreliable and emerging sector. He hadn''t expected Noelle to possess such sharp and unique insights.


    The two of them eventually arrived at Noelle''s new house.


    She opened the shoe cab and chuckled. "I just realized I don''t have any shoes for you. Would you mind wearing mine for now?"


    She had only just moved in, and there was still a lot to be done.


    Cedric looked around at the empty room. It was sparsely decorated, but everything necessary was in ce.


    Noelle noticed the pink slippers he was wearing and couldn''t help butugh.


    "Sorry, but at least no one will see you like this."


    Cedric nced at her. He wasn''t bothered by it.


    As Noelle began pulling ingredients from the fridge, he instinctively said, "Let''s just order takeout. You don''t need to cook."


    "It''s fine. I''m actually a pretty good cook. Since we''re settling in, I don''t mind making dinner. I''m not trying to please you, but let me host you," Noelle said with a smile.


    When she had moved into his


    apartment before, Cedric had told her not to worry about trying to impress anyone. Since then, they''d always had meals prepared by a housekeeper. However, this time was different-this was her new home.


    Cedric walked over and started helping with the vegetables.


    Cooking for two wasn''t difficult, and Noelle quickly prepared three different dishes and a soup. She


    even took a photo of the meal, which


    she nned to share on social


    mediater.


    en


    When she checked her phone, she noticed several missed calls. The numbers weren''t saved, but she recognized it as Frank''s. Just then, another call came through, but she simply hung up.


    He sent a message. "Noelle, I''ll make sure to rify the situation with the police about Xenia''s injury, so don''t worry. Even if the footage is broken, I''ll testify for


    you."


    Noelle nced at the message, then ced her phone face down on the table. She didn''t need Frank to help exin anything in her stead.


    Besides, Xenia was too guilty to pin the me on her. Noelle figured Xenia must be smart enough to realize she would be in trouble if the footage was restored.


    Cedric nced at her phone. "The Liddells?"


    "Yeah," she said, "In Donovan''s eyes, I''m the one who pushed innocent Xenia down, so he''ll probably try to settle things with me."


    Cedric''s gaze darkened. "What did he say?"

 Chapter 214

    "It''s a message from Frank," Noelle said. "He knows the security footage is damaged and says he''ll clear things up with the police. Anyways, I don''t care."


    The Liddells were experts at winning people over with small favors, but she wasn''t about to be swayed, let alone turn back. Cedric saw the determination in her expression and knew she wouldn''t be easily bullied, even if she had to live alone in Yasnia.


    After sending the message, Frank tried calling Noelle again. However, no one picked up.


    He thought that Noelle would at least pick up the phone and listen to him after receiving his message. However, she didn''t even answer his call.


    Donovan scoffed. "What''s the matter? Is Noelle too guilty to pick up?"


    "Donovan, Noelle''s not like that. Besides, given the circumstances, you can''t just take Xenia''s word for it and me Noelle," Frank replied firmly.


    "Frank, I think you''ve been brainwashed by Noelle. Xenia is injured like this, and you''re still saying Noelle''s not at fault? I''m starting to suspect Noelle had something to do with the surveince camera being broken," Donovan retorted.


    He had expected the surveince footage to clear everything up, yet the cameras malfunctioned at such a crucial moment.


    Xenia coughed dramatically. "Donovan, let''s just drop it. I don''t want to press the issue any further."


    She couldn''t help but feel relieved. The broken camera was a blessing in disguise. She had already thought of how to justify herself, but now she didn''t need to.


    If the footage had been restored, she could have been in trouble.


    Donovan was pleased with how magnanimous Xenia was. "You''re just too kind."


    Yet, Frank wasn''t convinced. "Xenia, are you sure it was Noelle who pushed you down the stairs?"


    Xenia stammered, "Y-yes, that''s right."


    "ording to your description, Noelle was at the bottom of the stairs, and you were at the top. How could she have pushed you down?" Frank questioned. Xenia''s exnation didn''t make sense.


    She lowered her head nervously. "I just wanted to talk to Noelle, but she suddenly got emotional and yanked me, causing me to lose bnce."


    "Didn''t you say Noelle pushed you down the stairs?" Frank pressed, noticing the inconsistency in her story.


    If Noelle had really yanked her, why hadn''t she mentioned that word instead of "push"? It didn''t add up.


    Xenia panicked. She was afraid Frank would catch onto the discrepancy. She faked a cough, hoping to cover her tracks.


    Donovan interrupted, "Frank, what''s with all the questioning? This feels like an interrogation."


    "I just want to get to the truth," Frank insisted.


    "Can''t you see? The two of them had a conflict, and one thing led to another. It''s not thatplicated," Donovan said dismissively.


    Frank was exhausted. "Donovan, you can''t just me Noelle. This isn''t right."


    "Enough. You''ve been brainwashed by Noelle and are just enabling her," Donovan shot back.


    Frank stormed out of the room, feeling frustrated and upset. Why couldn''t Donovan just believe what he was saying?


    He was starting to realize that Xenia wasn''t as innocent as she appeared. Seeing how biased Donovan was against Noelle reminded him of how he used to act, and he now understood why Noelle had left the Liddell family so decisively.


    After thinking for a while, Frank pulled out his phone and sent another message. "Noelle, if you ever need anything while you''re on your own in Yasnia, don''t hesitate to reach out to me."


    Noelle''s phone rang again, but she didn''t even nce at it. She felt conflicted.


    She could still feel her heart flutter


    from the moment Cedric had covered her ears, protecting her from Donovan''s harsh words back in the restaurant. Now that she was in university, she felt it might


    start considering her own


    nome to


    rtionships.


    Noticing Noelle''s distracted expression, Cedric raised an eyebrow. "What are you thinking about?"


    Noelle''s gaze flickered. "Did youe to Yasnia to see your girlfriend?"

 Chapter 215

    The moment Noelle asked the question, she regretted it. Even though she liked Cedric, he already had a girlfriend. She couldn''t bring herself to be the third party in someone else''s rtionship.


    Cedric paused for a moment. "Why are you asking that?"


    "Can''t I ask? Dating isn''t some kind of secret; there''s no need to keep it hidden, right?"


    He felt uneasy under her gaze. "I don''t have a girlfriend."


    "Really? But Alfred mentioned before that you had one."


    Noelle''s heart skipped a beat.


    Cedric''s throat moved slightly. "It didn''t work out; we''re not together."


    The n was to pretend he had a girlfriend, but Noelle kept asking, and he couldn''t keep lying in front of her. He didn''t want just to find any woman to make things easier. He didn''t want to see her disappointed and upset.


    His expression remained unchanged, but inside, his feelings had already started to shift.


    "So you''re not together? Does that mean you''re single now?"


    When Noelle heard this, her heart raced.


    She had been hesitating¡ªif Cedric already had a girlfriend, she had no right to confess. But if he was single, that changed everything. Cedric saw the light in her eyes, and it felt like something pierced his heart.


    He lowered his gaze. "I''m still pursuing her."


    Noelle''s expression froze for a moment. "Still pursuing? Does she have such high standards that she can''t see how great you are?"


    The little spark in her heart that had just red up was instantly extinguished. She thought she might have had a chance, but Cedric liked that woman so much that he still chased her even after being rejected.


    She quickly adjusted her mood. "Actually, I could advise you and analyze why you haven''t won her over yet."


    Noelle spoke the words absentmindedly. After all, it wasn''t what she really meant. She didn''t want him to win that woman over.


    Sensing the dark emotions within herself, she quickly stood up. "I''m going to the restroom."


    She hurried to the restroom, looking at her reflection in the mirror with slightly reddened eyes. Sshing cold water on her face, she tried to calm herself.


    Outside, Cedric watched her


    retreating figure, feeling a little regretful about his words. This was a delicate bnce to maintain. He could see through her feelings immediately, but he could only step


    back


    and avoid it.


    At that moment, Noelle came out of the restroom, lowered her head, and sat back at the table.


    Cedric noticed she hadn''t touched her food. "Aren''t you eating?"


    "Of course I am. After all, today is the perfect day to celebrate my housewarming."


    She seemed lost in thought, staring nkly at the man across from her. "Cedric, what if you never win over that woman?"


    "I don''t know. Let''s see what happens in the future," he casually replied.


    Noelle saw his expression and figured he couldn''t let go of that woman. She suddenly felt a little envious.


    After finishing the meal, she nced at the time. "How about youe with me this afternoon to pick out some home supplies? We can also buy a few pairs of shoes for you. That way, you''ll have something to wear when you visit."


    "For me?" Cedric''s voice was deep,ced with a hint of teasing.


    Noelle''s face reddened, and she turned her head away. "Well, they might not be for you. If I start dating someone in the future, maybe I''ll bring my boyfriend here."


    His expression darkened. "Don''t casually bring men back to where you live."


    "And what about you?"

 Chapter 216

    Noelle countered with a question, her eyes filled with a hint of expectation. She was eager to know how Cedric truly saw her.


    Cedric thought momentarily before replying, "I see you as a little sister, so I cane. But no other men are allowed."


    A little sister? Her heart sank, and she said, "I don''t need a brother."


    At that moment, Cedric''s phone rang. He nced at the screen before answering, "Hello?"


    "Mr. Greene, there''s an urgent matter at thepany. When will you be able toe?"


    "I''ll be there shortly."


    Cedric hung up and turned to Noelle. "The home supplies will be deliveredter. You don''t need to go out to pick them up."


    "You''re not going? Who called you just now? Is it something urgent?" Noelle wondered if it was that woman calling.


    He hesitated for a moment. "It''s a bit urgent. I''ll head out now."


    "Okay."


    Noelle watched him leave, her emotions a rollercoaster. He had received a call and rushed off-surely it was that woman''s call.


    Since she was alone at home, Noelle prepared some materials for an artificial intelligence project she might needter. Soon after, someone knocked at the door.


    "Ms. Liddell, we''re from the home suppliespany. We''re here to deliver your order. Is it convenient?"


    Noelle was puzzled. "I didn''t order anything."


    "Mr. Greene ordered it." She hadn''t expected Cedric to actually send the household supplies; she had thought he was just casually saying that.


    She immediately called him, but there was no answer. She nced at the workers outside. "Go ahead and bring them in."


    She would have to settle the


    payment with Cedricter. Soon, the workers had ced all the furniture and supplies. Noelle thought they looked pretty nice-they were of light colors that were easy on the eyes.


    Once the workers left, Noelle sent Cedric a picture of the living room. "You have


    nice taste. How much did all this cost? I''ll pay you back."


    She didn''t want to ept these things from him. It just felt off. However, Cedric never replied.


    Noelle felt conflicted and frustrated. Eventually, out of spite, she stopped asking. Since he wasn''t in a hurry, why should she be?


    On the first day of school, Noelle took a taxi to Yole University with her suitcase. A


    ck luxury car followed closely behind as she got into the taxi.


    Inside the car, Alfred spokezily. "If you''re that worried, why not send her to school yourself instead of sneaking around and following her?"


    "There''s no need."


    Cedric''s gaze was fixed on the taxi ahead. He had nearly been recognized thest time they were at the restaurant. Since Noelle was starting a new chapter in her life, he decided he shouldn''t appear in it anymore.


    His gaze was filled with reluctance, which was something he didn''t even realize.


    Noelle exited the taxi and entered Yole University, where her new life began. She walked to the registration area and pulled out her admission letter and the required documents.


    "Noelle, looks like you really treasure that admission letter. It''s no wonder you were so angry when it was opened earlier.


    "It''s just an admission letter. What''s the big deal?" Dressed in designer clothes


    and carrying a branded handbag, Xenia walked over.


    Upon seeing Xenia, Noelle sneered. "You had your exam results canceled for cheating. What are you doing at Yole University? The entry


    score here is so high, you couldn''t even reach it if you jumped


    Noelle had brought up Xenia''s cheating scandal, which made Xenia grind her teeth in anger. Why did this bitch have to bring up the one thing Xenia hated?


    Fortunately, this was Yasnia, and no one around knew them.


    Xenia deliberately shed a smug smile. "I have good news for you¡ª I''m a student at Yole University, too."

 Chapter 217

    What? Did Xenia actually im to be a student at Yole University?


    Noelle scoffed. "Xenia, did you damage your brain when you fellst time? You got zero on the exam, but you think you''re worthy of a top-tier university?"


    "Tsk tsk... I knew you wouldn''t believe me. Yole University has a business school, and the entry requirements aren''t just based on test scores.


    "Donovan personally pulled some strings for me. How does it feel? You''re jealous, right?"


    Xenia was very frustrated by the surveince incident, but fortunately, her act of appearing pitiful made Donovan soft-hearted. He personally secured her a spot at Yole University''s business school.


    Noelle roughly understood what was going on. She mocked. "Oh, I see. So your so-called business school is just a second-rate school that happens to be associated with Yole University."


    Otherwise, how could Xenia, who failed the exam, ever make it into Yole University? This kind of thing wouldn''t be possible even with Donovan''s connections.


    Xenia''s face turned red with anger, but she didn''t know how to retort since she had no absolute confidence.


    "How dare a country bumpkin like you talk about Yole University''s business school like that!"


    Noelle detected a strong perfume scent and saw a woman dressed head to toe in luxury brands, with obvious traces of cosmetic surgery all over her, walking over.


    Looking down at Noelle, Samantha Merlock sneered.


    "Don''t embarrass yourself by speaking out of turn, you country bumpkin. People like you, who only got into Yasnia because of your exam scores, will always be working ss. Meanwhile, the business school trains heirs, the people who''ll control your livelihood in the future!"


    Noelle had never heard such outrageous words. Was this how the people of Yasnia unted their wealth?


    She noticed everyone around them had lowered their heads and were too scared to speak. Clearly, students from the business school weren''t to be trifled with.


    Xenia instantly recognized the woman-Samantha, the heiress of the Merlock family, one of Yasnia''s wealthiest families. After all, there were only a few dozen new students, and she had already looked into everyone''s background.


    Xenia quickly turned to Noelle. "You should apologize quickly, or you''ll just make a fool of yourself."


    Noelle''s expression remained cold. "I didn''t say anything wrong."


    "Well, you didn''t, huh? If you don''t kneel and apologize right now, I guarantee your next four years here will be a living hell!"


    Having already experienced death


    once, Noelle wasn''t intimidated by such threats. She grabbed the


    paperwork she had justpleted, dragged her suitcase, and left


    without ncing at Samantha.


    She didn''t even acknowledge Samantha.


    Samantha, who was used to throwing her weight around and had never been humiliated like this, red at Xenia. "What''s her name?"


    "Her name''s Noelle Liddell. We were in the same ss before. But she was a troublemaker in high school-she ran away from home and lived with a school doctor because of a love affair."


    "Tsk tsk... How dare a little bitch challenge me! Noelle, you''re done for!"


    Samantha felt deeply insulted.


    Her sister, Laura, was the fianc¨¦e of the heir to Yasnia''s top family, the Greene family. In Yasnia, everyone looked up to her. How dare a country bumpkin from a small town look down on the business school?


    swnov


    Xenia watched Noelle''s retreating figure, a smug smile spreading across her face.


    Noelle had offended Samantha on her first day of school-her college life was bound to be tough from here on out.


    Noelle dragged her suitcase and found the dormitory building. She opened the door and entered the dorm, choosing a bed with a desk below it.


    She began setting up her bed. Soon, two other roommates arrived, but


    they were apanied their


    who helped them to carry their items Meanwhile, Noelle was alone with very few belongings, which left her looking out of ce.


    One of the parents asked, "Are you here alone? It''s such an important day, and your parents didn''te?"


    She replied calmly, "My parents passed away in a car ident a long time ago."


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


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 218

    After Noelle responded, the parent looked awkward and quickly apologized, "Sorry, miss. Um... Do you need any help? I noticed you don''t have much with you."


    "No, thank you."


    A short-haired woman tugged at her mother''s hand. "Mom, I told you not to ask too many questions."


    Looking a little embarrassed, she turned to Noelle and said, "Hi, I''m Grace Campbell. Don''t mind what my mom said."


    "It''s fine."


    Noelle had already decided not to mention her family background and would tell others that her parents had passed away.


    Another woman came over and introduced herself. "I''m Jessica Wade, the only child in my family. I''m used to living alone, so I hope you won''t disturb me too much."


    Noelle exchanged a nce with Grace. They both silently agreed that Jessica would likely be hard to get along with.


    Four people were supposed to be in the dorm, but thest roommate hadn''t shown up yet. No one knew what their situation was.


    That evening, Morgan asked everyone to meet in the ssroom. Noelle and her new roommates headed to therge ssroom. The campus was crowded with students.


    Suddenly, there was a stir as a group of students in blue uniforms appeared, walking with the air of heirs and heiresses.


    Grace asked in surprise, "Who are they?"


    Jessica, who was looking proud, replied, "Don''t you know? They''re all students from the Yole University business school.


    "They''re all heirs and heiresses! And they all have impressive backgrounds¡ª they''re not people we can mess with!"


    Noelle spotted Xenia among them and said coolly, "They''re just here to get a degree from Yole University."


    "If you don''t understand, don''t speak recklessly, Noelle. Yole University''s business school isn''t something just anyone can get into. You need to


    have both status and infu direct?


    recognized by the board of directors, and only after making contributions to the school will admission to the business school be approved."


    Jessica, upon sensing the attention, continued to show off. "And these heirs and heiresses don''t even need a degree. They''ll inherit their family businesses anyway. They''re here just towork, and they have nothing to do with us!"


    Noelle hadn''t realized there were so many behind-the-scenes details about the business school.


    It was no wonder Xenia could attend Yole University-Donovan helped her pull some strings. After all, he had a girlfriend from a prominent family in Yasnia, so she probably helped behind the scenes as well


    After the group of well-dressed students walked into the building, the rest of the crowd slowly dispersed.


    Noelle didn''t pay much attention to Xenia. She had more important things to focus on, especially since she was no longer connected to the Liddell family. She entered therge ssroom and found a seat.


    Morgan reviewed various things to take note of for the new semester and added everyone to the ss group chat. After joining the group, Noelle noticed that many people were chatting.


    Suddenly, someone sent a photo, "Who is this beautiful woman? I''m looking for her contact info."


    "Wow! She''s really pretty! She should be the ss beauty!"


    Grace quickly turned to Noelle. "Someone''s asking for your contact info in the group."


    Jessica, who was a little bitter, added, "Noelle, don''t pay attention to these people. Don''t give them your contact info."


    Noelle nced at the chat and smiled faintly, not taking it to heart.


    Her thoughts then drifted to Cedric. Since he already had someone he was pursuing, maybe it was time for her to start a new chapter in her life. The thought made her feel a bit down.


    After the meeting ended, everyone started heading out, but the crowd suddenly parted at the staircase as the group of heirs and heiresses descended from the upper floors.


    Noelle and the others stopped to make way. The group walked down with an arrogant air as if they didn''t care about anyone else.


    When Xenia saw Noelle, a gleam of excitement shed in her eyes. She whispered to Samantha, "Samantha, look over there!"

 Chapter 219

    Noelle sensed the subtle shift in the atmosphere and looked up, only to meet Xenia''s gaze. Oh, and the haughty heiress was there, too! Sometimes, fate really had a way of bringing people together in the most annoying ways.


    Samantha sneered at Noelle. "Oh, it''s you. This afternoon, you were so dismissive of the business school, and you just walked away without even apologizing!"


    After she spoke, the other heirs and heiresses turned their attention to Noelle. "So, this woman looked down on our business school? Bold move, baby girl." "Tsk... Typical country bumpkin. She reeks of poverty from head to toe!"


    Samantha approached Noelle and said, "If you kneel and apologize right now, maybe we''ll consider letting you off the hook."


    Xenia felt a surge of excitement upon seeing this. She pretended to be concerned. "Just apologize, or your life here will be unbearable. I''m doing this for your own good."


    Noelle had offended the heirs and heiresses of the business school, and her days ahead would be miserable. Noelle raised an eyebrow and said dismissively, "I didn''t say anything wrong, so why should I apologize?"


    She was as arrogant as ever.


    Samantha gritted her teeth in anger. "Everyone saw it! Noelle offended all of us from the business school! If anyone sides with her, they''ll be opposing us, too!"


    How dare this country bumpkin be so bold? She wouldn''t let this slide. She would have to teach Noelle a good lesson, or else the business school would be aughingstock for everyone!


    The other students started distancing themselves from Noelle.


    Her roommate, Jessica, instinctively stepped away and pulled the other roommate along, whispering, "Are you trying to get yourself killed? These heirs and heiresses are not people we can afford to offend."


    Grace hesitated but ultimately kept silent.


    Who would have thought that someone would dare to challenge the business school among the freshmen?


    Now, Noelle had be the enemy of the entire ss. She stood alone at the staircase, her figure thin and seemingly fragile.


    Xenia smirked. "Noelle, you don''t


    want to be isted on your first day, do you? You can still apologize now. For the sake of our rtionship, I can speak up for you in front of Samantha."  en


    Noelle''s expression was cold as she replied, "I don''t care."


    She turned and walked away without a second nce, ignoring the others. Her boldness stunned everyone. No one had expected her to be so fearless.


    Even the heirs and heiresses from the business school couldn''t intimidate her.


    Samantha red at Jessica and Grace, seething with anger. "You two are roommates with Noelle, right? Don''t get too close to her from now on, or I won''t spare you."


    Jessica nodded quickly, terrified.


    Grace couldn''t help but exin, "Noelle''s parents passed away early. She''s an orphan; that''s why her personality is like this."


    "So what if she''s an orphan? I gave her a chance, but she didn''t appreciate it. Who''s to me for that?"


    Samantha had never been humiliated like this in her life.


    Xenia looked at Grace with surprise. "Did Noelle say she''s an orphan?"


    It seemed that Noelle really wanted to sever her ties with the Liddell family; she hadn''t even mentioned them. This was actually a good thing for Xenia.


    Xenia sighed dramatically. "Noelle''s personality has been like this since high school: Her ssmates always isted her. But since she had good grades and the teachers protected her, no one could do anything to her."


    Samantha sneered. "Well, this isn''t your high school; this is Yole University!" Xenia lowered her gaze, secretly delighted. Noelle was definitely in trouble now.


    After leaving the ssroom building, Noelle walked alone on the campus. She hadn''t expected to make any enemies on her very first day. She had hoped to experience everyday college life, but that was out of the question.


    She thought she could live a mundane life once she left the Liddell family. But Xenia¡ªthat bitch¡ªjust wouldn''t leave her alone.

 Chapter 220

    Every time Xenia appeared, Noelle''s life was inevitably affected. Her mood became increasingly agitated.


    At that moment, her phone rang. It was a message from Frank. "Noelle, I''m outside Yole University and bought some daily necessities for you. Are you free toe out and pick them up?"


    Noelle''s frustration surged, and she really didn''t want to see anyone from the Liddell family. She replied directly, "No need. Give them to Xenia."


    Frank stood by his car, initially pleased to see Noelle''s message, but a bitter smile appeared when he read her reply. It seemed that she wasn''t ready to forgive him.


    Xenia was nning to return to Aldoria to retake her exams and would not be staying in Yasnia, so there was no need to give her these things.


    He stood outside Yole University for a while, feeling conflicted. He knew Noelle was inside, but he didn''t dare approach her, afraid it would make her resent him even more. He hadn''t expected her to be so outstanding or make it into Yole University!


    She was so exceptional, but he had neglected her, focusing instead on Xenia. Just as Frank was about to leave, he saw a group of students in blue uniforms walking out of Yole University. One of them looked very familiar.


    His facial expression changed slightly. "Xenia, what are you doing here?"


    Xenia''s face turned awkward for a moment. Nervous, she quickly ran up to Frank and asked, "Frank, what are you doing here?"


    "I should be asking you that. Why didn''t you go back to retake your exam? What are you doing at Yole University, wearing a business school uniform?"


    Xenia replied softly, "It was Donovan''s arrangement. He said I didn''t need to retake the exam since I wouldn''t get into a good university anyway.


    "Instead, I should make some connections at the business school. It''ll be good for my future."


    Frank was upset. "The business school is where the heirs and heiresses of Yasnia''s elite families gather. What are you doing there? How will that help your future?"


    Her eyes reddened, but in her heart, she had already decided. She would never return to that poor ce.


    She would stay in Yasnia, and with Donovan''s help, she could marry into a wealthy family. She had no interest in living a poor life.


    He frowned. "Come with me. I''ll talk to Donovan about this."


    "Frank, I know my position, but I have my own ns. I don''t want to go back to retake the exam. My ssmates are still waiting for me. I''m leaving now."


    With that, Xenia ran off. She still had to build rtionships with the heirs and heiresses from the business


    school. She wasn''t going to give up this hard-earned opportunity


    Frank watched Xenia''s back as he dialed Donovan''s number. "Donovan, why is Xenia in the business school? She was supposed to retake the exam."


    "It''s my arrangement. Going to business school will be beneficial for her."


    "But didn''t you say the business school slot was reserved for Noelle?"


    At the time, Noelle''s grades weren''t excellent, and Donovan mentioned the business school. But now, Noelle had made it into Yole University on her own.


    "Yes, the business school slot was indeed for Noelle."


    Donovan snorted coldly. "But look at her: she''s severed ties with the


    family and even caused the entire group''s system to copse. What makes her worthy of the good treatment the Liddell family has given her?"


    Frank felt a lump in his throat. It was a feeling he couldn''t quite


    express a deep sadness. He


    nced at the message Noelle had


    sent earlier and figured she must have already learned about Xenia''s involvement in the business school.


    Back in the dorm, Noelle opened her phone and saw that her ssmates had discussed the earlier situation where the business school had isted her.


    Jessica and Grace also walked in. The atmosphere in the dorm became awkward.


    Jessica was a little dissatisfied. "What a disaster, being stuck in the same dorm as some people! Can''t she just apologize?"


    Noelle suddenly pulled out her chair, making a harsh screeching sound. She lifted her gaze, her eyes zing with frustration.

 Chapter 221

    When Noelle stood up, the atmosphere in the dorm became tense.


    Jessica was startled. "What... what do you want to do? I didn''t say anything wrong. How could someone like you, from a poor background, afford to offend those heirs and heiresses?"


    Grace quickly intervened, "We''re all ssmates and roommates; let''s not make things awkward."


    "Hmph! Ms. Merlock said if we get too close to Noelle, she won''t let us off," Jessica muttered in defeat as she grabbed her toiletries and went to the balcony.


    It was only then that Noelle sat down and organized her textbooks. In her past life, she had also studiedputer science, so these foundational courses were actually quite easy for her.


    The next day, she walked to ss alone, her textbooks in hand. As she walked, she felt people staring at her and whispering. She didn''t mind too much¡ªafter all, in her past life, she had been isted because of Xenia. But when Noelle reached the ssroom door, she suddenly sensed something.


    She nced up at the slightly ajar door and kicked it open. The next moment, a water bucket fell from the door.


    Quickly, she dodged it, but the students inside, who had been watching, weren''t so lucky. Water sshed everywhere.


    Screams filled the room.


    "Oh my god! The dirty water got on my clothes!"


    "Ugh! This is a limited edition skirt; I just bought it!"


    Noelle walked into the ssroom leisurely, seeing Samantha and Xenia in a messy state. A smug, mocking expression appeared on her face.


    Their tricks were so childish. She guessed it was probably Xenia''s idea.


    Furious, Samantha snapped, "Hey, country bumpkin! You ruined our clothes; prepare to pay up!"


    "Yeah, if you don''t have money, you can work for us to pay off your debt!"


    Noelle''s gaze darkened. "I have no money, and there will be nopensation. If you''re not happy, go ahead and sue me."


    Did they really think she could be


    intimidated by such childish schemes? She used to be a pampered heiress, and these petty tricks were nothing to her. She wasn''t going to be scared off by


    their words.


    Stomping her foot in anger, Samantha said, "Fine! Just you wait!"


    She had initiallye to watch the drama unfold, but now she had failed and


    gotten soaked in dirty water. It was disgusting!


    Xenia didn''t care about anything else and followed her out of the ssroom. "Samantha, I didn''t expect Noelle to notice."


    She pped Xenia across the face. "It''s your terrible idea that messed everything up. Look at what''s happened to us!"


    "It''s no wonder you''re from the same ce as that country bumpkin; you''re both equally stupid!"


    Xenia immediately covered her face, her eyes brimming with tears. But Samantha, who was still fuming, walked off, and the others ignored Xenia, following her out.


    Xenia stood there, feeling humiliated and angry. Once she had firmly established herself in this circle, she would repay the humiliation she endured today a hundredfold.


    "Seems like ying theckey didn''t work out well for you, either." Noelle''s voice came from the door She stood with her arms crossed, a look of disdain in her eyes, watching Xenia get pped but not daring to do anything.


    Xenia noticed Noelle watching and angrily lowered her hand. "You''re lucky this time!"


    "Tsk tsk... I''ll always be this lucky from now on. As for you, I''m not sure if you''ll always be so lucky," Noelle responded coolly.


    "Hmph! Donovan will pave the way


    for me. I''live better than you and marry better than you. As for you, you''ll be stuck with that poor school doctor forever, living an ordinary, lowly life!"


    Xenia''s mood soured even more. She could only find a sense of existence by insulting Noelle.


    Noelle watched the bitch in a mess, and for the first time in a while, she felt much better. Even Xenia seemed to have a tough time pleasing those heirs and heiresses.


    After Noelle returned to the ssroom, a cleaningdy mopped up the spilled water. Everything returned to normal, as though nothing had happened.


    When Noelle went to find a seat, several empty spots were avable, but they were all taken.


    "Sorry. Someone''s sitting here." She could sense it clearly-she had been isted.

 Chapter 222

    Noelle decided to sit in the center of the first row, where no one else was seated. The first row was usually avoided because people couldn''t use their phones and could be called on to answer questions.


    The ss ended quickly. She left the ssroom alone and noticed many clubs recruiting new members on her way back to the dorm.


    "Hey, join our cosy club. We have beautiful women and handsome guys!"


    "Join the Yole University gaming team. You can watch games for free!"


    Noelle noticed the Yole University gaming team recruitment and was momentarily interested. She knew the gaming team was famous and produced many skilled yers. Even the national team often came to recruit from the Yole University gaming team.


    This could be her chance if she wanted to join the national team.


    After all, she didn''t want to sign with other teams, asmercial contracts would limit her freedom. But the Yole University gaming team was different.


    Noelle took the recruitment flyer from Team Yole. "I''d like to know more."


    "Sure! You''re a freshman, right? You look a bit familiar. Have you yed this game before?"


    "A little."


    "It''s a good thing that you have a good foundation. Come with me to fill out your information. We have a meeting at the base if you''re free this afternoon."


    Noelle followed him to fill out her details. Although her mood had been affected by Xenia, she still couldn''t give up on her own goals.


    After lunch, when Noelle returned to the dorm, she suddenly noticed that her things had been moved. She checked and found nothing missing. She saw Jessica walking past the balcony. Her eyes were darting around, clearly guilty.


    Noelle asked coldly, "Did you go through my things?"


    "Noelle, stop talking nonsense. Look at how poor you are. Why would I want to go through? My purse alone costs tens of thousands. It''s enough for your living expenses for a year."


    Jessica felt guilty but wouldn''t admit it.


    Noelle nced at her purse. "It''s a fake. You paid too much for it."


    "This is authentic! After I got into university, my dad bought me this purse personally. You, a country bumpkin from a small town, probably don''t even recognize it," Jessica retorted angrily.


    Noelle replied, "This model is from two years ago and has a chip inside. You can check for yourself."


    Jessica immediately checked, and when she didn''t find the chip, herz face turned red with


    embarrassment. She cried and ran


    to the balcony to make a phone call.


    Noelle sat down and casually put the gaming team flyer on the table.


    Grace whispered, "Noelle, you should be careful. You''ve offended the people from the business school, and they''ve been nning how to deal with you."


    "Got it. Thanks."


    Grace nced at the gaming team flyer on the table. "You like ying that game, too?"


    "Yes, they''re recruiting new members."


    "But their recruitment requirements are probably very high. I''m not that good at it."


    "The requirements aren''t too high. You can try it; there''s no harm in trying." Noelle opened the gaming forum and replied to some questions about game details. Several people asked if she had decided to join Team Celestial.


    What was going on? She noticed that Michael had followed her ount. What was that about?


    Noelle quickly messaged Michael, "When did I ever say I was joining Team Celestial?" But she didn''t receive a reply.


    In the afternoon, she went to Team


    Yole''s base. The base was quite


    impressive. When she entered, there


    were already several new recruits.


    "Noelle, you, a country bumpkin, like to y games, too?"

 Chapter 223

    Noelle looked up and saw Samantha, but Xenia was nowhere near. She sat down and calmly said, "I didn''t expect you to like being my shadow so much. Wherever I go, you follow."


    She arrived first, and Samantha arrived right after. It seemed Jessica had done a good job spreading the word.


    "Noelle, stop ttering yourself. My father funds Team Yole. I''m just here to see what''s going on." Samantha sneered.


    "As for you, you want to join Team Yole, right? But this isn''t a ce where anyone can just walk in. With your skills, don''t even dream about it."


    "Isn''t Team Yole all about skill? Or are you saying it''s about connections now?" Noelle wasn''t backing down and looked straight at Samantha.


    Samantha was enraged. "Do you even have the skill?"


    "Whether I have the skill or not is none of your business."


    Noelle ignored Samantha, leaving her fuming.


    Soon, the captain of Team Yole arrived. "Wee everyone to our club, but not everyone can join the team and be a formal member.


    "You''ll need to go through a selection process. Those who pass will be reserve yers, andter, they''ll be tested to be official members."


    The base hadputers, and each person had to go through a human vs. Al match. Samantha sneered from the side. "I bet some people won''t even make it past the reserve yer stage."


    Some neers were immediately eliminated in the human vs. Al matches, but a few won. When it was Noelle''s turn, it was already thest batch. She sat down at theputer, preparing for the match with ease.


    Samantha nced at the nearby team member and secretly increased the difficulty of Noelle''s Al opponent. As soon as the game started, Noelle noticed the difficulty had increased, but it made no difference to her. She defeated the Al in three moves.


    The spectators around her were stunned. "She''s amazing! She took down the Al that fast!"


    "Wow! Impressive! She can''t be a new yer, right?"


    Seeing this, Samantha was incredulous as she turned to the team member. "I told you to increase the difficulty, didn''t I? Did you mess it up?"


    "Ms. Merlock, I did increase the difficulty. She''s really that good."


    Clearly, Noelle was an experienced yer! Noelle gave Samantha a half-smile.


    At this moment, Samuel Crosby walked over and stepped in. "Looks like we have another talented recruit! Noelle, congrattions on bing a reserve yer. You''ll need toe to the base for training when you don''t have sses!"


    "Alright. I understand," Noelle replied calmly.


    Samantha, however, was not happy at all.


    5


    She pulled Samuel aside and whispered, "I don''t care. We can''t let that bitch Noelle join Team Yole!"


    "Ms. Merlock, Noelle passed the test, fair and square. We can''t break the rules in front of so many people. If you want to deal with herter, there will always be chances."


    "You''re right," she said, grudgingly epting the situation. She wouldn''t let Noelle have it easy.


    Noelle walked around the base and noticed the wall of honor. She found that the silhouette at the front wasn''t a real photo but a shadow of


    someone wearing a hoodie. As she got closer, she realized it was King.


    She didn''t expect King toe from Team Yole. Did that mean King was also a former student here? There was very little information about


    King, and Noelle only learned about this now.


    Her phone rang. It was Michael.


    "Noelle, I assume you''ve arrived at Yole University. Have you thought about


    joining our team? We can discuss favorable terms."


    "No thanks. I''m not nning to sign with any team."


    Noelle rejected the offer. Then, she looked at the silhouette on the wall. "By the


    way, was King also from Yole University?"

 Chapter 224

    "You joined Team Yole, right? Yes. He used to be a student here, but he


    graduated a long time ago."


    "Is he still in the industry?"


    "As far as I know, no. With his family background, he couldn''t possibly stay with Team Hone."


    Noelle realized that King probably came from a wealthy family. After hanging up the phone, she turned around and saw Samuel.


    "Noelle, you have quite a talent for gaming. If you want to join the team in the future officially, I believe you can make it."


    "Thank you."


    "Is your reason for joining the team just for fun, or do you have other ns?"


    "I want to join the national team!" That was one of Noelle''s goals.


    Samuel''s eyes shed with a hint of disdain. Did she say she wanted to join the national team? How naive she was getting into the national team wasn''t so easy. However, he didn''t show it on the surface.


    "That''s a great dream, but you''ll need to work hard for it. Make sure toe for training regrly."


    She nodded obediently. "I understand."


    "Noelle, would you like to go out tonight? I can show you around."


    "No thanks. I have something to do tonight."


    "Don''t misunderstand. It''s a wee dinner for the recruits. You just became a reserve yer; it wouldn''t be right for you not to go."


    Noelle reluctantly agreed. That evening, she went with the gaming club members to the dinner location. When she arrived, she was surprised to find they were at a bar.


    Samuel looked at her. "It''s your first time here, right? Don''t be scared. I''ll look out for you."


    "Wow. Samuel is ying the hero now."


    "Samuel, you''re so protective of Noelle. We might get jealous!"


    He quickly waved his hand. "Don''t say that. You''ll scare her."


    This made Noelle feel a little uneasy inside. She deliberately avoided Samuel''s hand, creating some distance between them. The group headed upstairs to the private room.


    Just then, Alfred stepped out for a phone call and saw Noelle with


    group of young men and wome


    His eyes widened in surprise he couldn''t be mistaken, right?


    He turned and entered the VIP room, where several young men in suits were


    seated, exuding an air of wealth. They were ying poker.


    He walked over to Cedric''s side and whispered, "I just saw Nelly."


    Cedric frowned. "What''s she doing here?"


    "I''m not sure either, but it looked like she came with her ssmates. They wereughing and talking, and a guy was acting attentive by her side."


    Cedric''s eyes immediately darkened. "Are you sure?"


    "Definitely. Their private room is on the second floor. But now that she''s in college,


    it''s normal for her to meet new people and have admirers."


    Upon realizing Cedric''s face turned darker, Alfred wisely decided not to say anything else. But soon, Cedric grew visibly upset, dominating the poker table while others struggled with their losses.


    "Cedric, what''s with you today?"


    Alfred awkwardly scratched his nose; he had guessed the reason. Cedric said he would let go, but he just couldn''t.


    In the private room downstairs, Noelle sat in the corner, not at all interested in toasting or building connections.


    Samantha walked in with Xenia and, with a wave of her hand, dered, "I''ll cover the bill for today!"


    "Thank you, Ms. Merlock!"


    She turned to look at Noelle. "But not for her. I won''t pay for her."

 Chapter 225

    After Samantha''s remark, the bar''s private room fell silent. Many people turned to look at Noelle, some with looks of amusement.


    "I heard Noelle offended people from the business school on the first day of the semester."


    "Yeah, I was there. She was so arrogant."


    "People really ought to know their ce. Otherwise, they''ll end up overestimating themselves."


    Samantha looked at Noelle smugly, determined to embarrass and teach her a lesson. She wanted Noelle to fail in school and ultimately be forced to kneel and apologize to her.


    Samuel said, "Ms. Merlock, I think there''s a misunderstanding between you and Noelle. Since we''re all part of the same club now, why don''t we just have a drink and move past it?"


    Xenia quickly added, "Yes, Noelle. You should take the initiative to propose a toast to Ms. Merlock as an apology."


    "Hmph! I''ll never forgive her unless she kneels and apologizes!"


    Samantha grabbed a ss of alcohol from the table and sshed it on Noelle. "This is a little lesson for you! I want you to understand the difference between us!"


    Noelle calmly wiped the alcohol from her face, her expression indifferent.


    "Noelle, you should really listen to Samuel and apologize," Xenia said, feeling satisfied. She thought Noelle deserved it.


    Samuel handed a drink to Noelle. "Take this drink and show a better attitude."


    She nced at the drink, then took it. He smiled wider. "That''s the spirit. Now apologize to Ms. Merlock."


    "When did I say I would apologize?" Noelle, who was holding the ss, poured its content over Samantha''s head.


    Everyone in the room gasped in disbelief, holding their breath. They knew Samantha was not someone to be messed with, yet Noelle dared to act this way!


    Samantha screamed, "You bitch! You''re dead!"


    Xenia snapped back to her senses and quickly grabbed some tissues for Samantha. She was shocked-she hadn''t expected Noelle to be so bold.


    Noelle brushed her hands off and casually said, "You dumped a drink on me first, so I''m just returning the favor."


    Not wanting to stay any longer, she


    turned to leave. She had no interest


    in eating with these people. She


    went to the restroom first, thinking she should have nevere. What a bad day. As she came out of the restroom, she saw Xenia standing there.


    Xenia looked down at her with arrogance. "Noelle, you offended Ms. Merlock; you''re as good as finished. Even if Donovan steps in, you might not be able to escape."


    "You must feel so proud, stirring things up by getting Samantha to go after me. What a clever move, using someone else as a pawn."


    "I don''t know what you''re talking about, but all I know is you''re doomed. The


    Merlock family will definitely hold you ountable for this!"


    "I''ll wait then." Just as Noelle was about to leave, Xenia sprayed something at her.


    Noelle smelled something fragrant, but the scent was strange. She quickly


    covered her nose and mouth, stepping back warily.


    At that moment, Samantha walked in, apanied by several bodyguards. "Noelle, how dare you~~ ssh me with alcohol? I''ll arrange for ten thugs to show you what it means to be humiliated. Let''s see how you''ll survive at Yole University after this!"


    Noelle felt a hot sensation on her face, and her body began to feel weak. She


    didn''t expect Samantha to be this vicious. She had let her guard down.


    Noticing a mop bucket nearby,


    ,el


    Noelle grabbed it and threw it at Samantha Samantha screamed and stumbled back while the bodyguards rushed forward. Seizing the opportunity, Noelle bolted out of the restroom.


    "She''s escaping!"


    ve


    Xenia was the first to notice and grabbed Noelle''s wrist.

 Chapter 226

    Noelle struggled free and ran desperately down the hallway. She saw the elevator doors open and rushed inside.


    Leaning against the elevator, she gritted her teeth and took out her phone, unsure who to call. While running, she decided to call the police.


    "She''s over there! Don''t let her escape!"


    Noelle had been cornered at the end of the hallway. She turned to face the two bodyguards closing in on her. "I''ve already called the police. They''ll be here soon."


    "It won''t matter. No one can save you."


    "Youngdy, this is not a ce for you. Come here now!"


    Noelle stood near the wall, barely able to keep her bnce as the bodyguards drew closer. At that moment, the door to a nearby private room opened. Without thinking, she rushed inside and smashed a decorative vase.


    "I''ll pay for the damage, but I must go to the hospital first!"


    She figured that if these bodyguards were so wary of this room, the people inside must be influential. If she broke something, they would demandpensation, buying her some time. She would be safe if she could get out of here.


    She had little strength left and was almost copsing on the floor. She barely had the energy to look up, but she noticed a few men in the room.


    "Nelly, is that really you?" Alfred had thought he was hearing things, but when he opened the door, a woman rushed in and smashed the antique vase!


    Noelle heard the familiar voice and struggled to look up, meeting Alfred''s eyes. Before she could react, someone was in front of her, lifting her from the broken shards of the vase.


    Cedric was both angry and concerned. "What happened?"


    Upon hearing his voice, Noelle finally smiled. "So it''s you guys." She felt relieved, thinking she would be fine now.


    The next second, she looked at Cedric with a pitiful expression andined, "Someone bullied me!"


    He noticed the strong smell of alcohol on her and the unnatural redness on her face. He could immediately tell what had happened. His face darkened, and he looked toward the hallway.


    Alfred understood instantly. "Don''t worry. I''ll handle this. Everyone,e with me!"


    He led the others out of the room. Curious, the two men asked, "Who''s that woman?"


    "I must be dreaming. Is Ced really this gentle? He even hugged a woman!"


    Alfred cleared his throat. "Don''t ask about things you don''t need to know. We have more important matters to deal with."


    How did Noelle''s simple dinner end up like this?


    Meanwhile, the two bodyguards cautiously spoke, "We work at the hotel. The woman owes us money. She was supposed to repay it by apanying us for drinks, but she ran away."


    Alfred''s expression turned cold when he heard this. "Watch your words. Who do


    you think you are to spread rumors about her?"


    Their dishonesty made him want to deal with them physically. Inside the


    Pom, Noelle clung to Cedric,


    rubbing her face against his neck.


    Cedric held her hand down. "What happened? Didn''t I warn you about drinking outside?"


    "Are you scolding me?"


    Noelle looked at him with red eyes, looking downright pitiful.


    His anger evaporated, and he spoke gently. "I''m just concerned about you."


    "Xenia set me up. She sprayed something on me that made me feel hot and weak."


    Cedric''s suspicions were confirmed after he heard her exnation. He removed his jacket and wrapped it around her, picking her up in his arms as he left the private room.


    Alfred stepped on the two bodyguards and spoke coldly. "These two are lying and


    refusing to say who they''re working for."


    Cedric felt like a dangerous predator.

 Chapter 227

    Noelle could hear soundsing from outside, but her vision waspletely dark.


    Cedric''s coat was draped over her, shielding her from everything outside. She felt much calmer now. At least she was certain she was safe.


    His lips curled when he saw the two bodyguards lying on the floor. "Since they won''t speak, let''s ensure they never do."


    The bodyguards, seeing Cedric holding Noelle, turned pale with fear. Who would''ve expected this woman to be saved by the rich bachelor of Yasnia? Wasn''t she an orphan with no parents?


    Cedric held Noelle as they left in the private elevator. She leaned against his chest, her head covered with his suit jacket, unable to see what was happening outside.


    Her mind felt like a mess. Her hand tightly gripped his cor, her knuckles turning pale.


    As they rode the elevator down, Samantha was running up the stairs. She saw Cedric entering the elevator, holding a woman in his arms. Although the coat almost covered the whole body, it was clear that it was a woman!


    She was startled and hid by the side. She had been waiting for the bodyguards but couldn''t wait any longer and wanted to check on the situation.


    To her surprise, she saw Cedric. What was going on? Was he with another woman?


    Where did that bitch, Noelle, go? Just as Samantha was about to step out, she was blocked by the bodyguards.


    She red at them. "Do you know who I am? How dare you stop me!"


    She had clearly seen Cedric with another woman. This matter had to be investigated and reported to Laura. She couldn''t let some lowly woman take advantage of this situation.


    However, the bodyguards firmly blocked her, not letting her get any closer. She stomped her foot in frustration. "Get out of my way!"


    Xenia walked over and asked, "Ms. Merlock, what''s going on?"


    "These people are blocking me. My sister is Mr. Greene''s fiancee. If he finds out you''re stopping me, you''ll regret it!"


    When Xenia heard the name "Mr. Greene," her eyes immediately lit up. "You mean Mr. Greene is in that private room?"


    He was from the wealthiest family in Yasnia, with wealth and status beyond measure. She would be thrilled if she had the chance.


    Samantha sighed in frustration.


    "Yes, he doesn''t like being disturbed. He clears the ce wherever he goes and doesn''t let irrelevant people get near. I don''t know where


    that bitch, Noelle, ran off to


    "Ms. Merlock, Noelle must be hiding somewhere. Once Mr. Greene leaves, we''ll definitely find her!"


    "Hmph! This time, I''ll ruin Noelle''s reputation. She''ll never dare go against me again."


    Xenia felt pleased after hearing Samantha''s words. Once they had those videos of Noelle, they could control herpletely.


    From now on, Noelle would never escape from her grasp, and Noelle would never dare topete with her for anything.


    Xenia eagerly anticipated that day.


    In the private room at the end of the hallway, Alfred wiped the blood from his


    hands and spoke slowly. "You guys really have guts."


    They had offended someone close to his heart.


    "Mr. Parham, we are from the Merlock family. We were just following Ms. Merlock''s orders to catch that woman."


    "Tsk! The Merlock family is nothing!"


    Alfred had long heard of Samantha''s group, known for ying these tricks at school. They had caused trouble before, but the Merlock family


    always cleaned it up. This tim no


    however, they had run into a wall.


    He quickly called Cedric. "We''ve figured it out. These two bodyguards work for Samantha. They had some conflict with Nelly, so they deliberately set her up."


    "Got it. Take care of those two bodyguards."


    Since the bodyguards had seen who he was, there was no reason for


    them to stay. After hanging up,


    Cedrie turned to look at Noelle lying on the hotel bed, his gaze as dark as


    ink


    en


    §Ú§Þ


    Her hand gripped the nket tightly, her forehead covered in sweat.

 Chapter 228

    Cedric looked coldly at the family doctor beside him. "What''s going on? Can''t you see how ufortable she is?"


    "Mr. Greene, thisdy has been exposed to a new substance at the bar. I''ve already given her an antidote, but I can''t guarantee its effectiveness. The spray works quickly, but it''s been a while since she was exposed."


    Cedric pressed his lips together. "Are there any side effects on her body?"


    "The effects will wear off eventually, but before they do, it''s best if someone keeps an eye on her."


    "Leave. Don''t tell anyone what happened here today." The doctor quickly nodded, grabbed his medical kit, and left.


    Cedric approached Noelle, feeling her forehead, which was slightly warm.


    He cleared his throat. "Do you want some water?"


    But Noelle, still dazed, leaned into his palm, reaching up to hug his waist. "You feel so cool," she murmured.


    As he looked at her leaning close, his gaze darkened. He gently pulled her hands away. "I''ll get you some water."


    He took a bottle of iced water from the fridge and returned to her side. When he saw her bare arm exposed, her dress discarded on the floor, his expression grew even darker.


    He stepped closer and softly told her, "Sit up and drink some water."


    However, Noelle''s body was limp and weak, offering no resistance.


    Cedric had no choice but to pick her up. Just then, the nket slipped off her. He hurriedly adjusted it and pulled it back up over her.


    His brow furrowed in frustration. "Stop moving!"


    He held her in his arms, carefully twisting the cap off the bottle and offering her a sip.


    She coughed a bit after a few sips, growing irritated. "It''s so hot."


    Cedric''s temples tensed, and he firmly held her hand down.


    His voice was low. "Stop moving, or you''ll expose yourself!"


    "But I''m really hot. Feel for yourself."


    Noelle pulled his hand and ced it over her chest. She tilted her head back, her eyes dark and bright.


    Cedric froze, beads of sweat


    forming on his brow as his throat tightened. Her skin was burning, and her heartbeat was rapid. He lowered his gaze, his voice hoarse and heavy. "Noelle, do you know what you''re doing?"


    They were close now, and his eyes burned with intensity. He felt parched; this sensation was all too familiar-he was still a man after all.


    Noelle wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed his lips. Her technique was clumsy, almost like she was biting him.


    Cedric gripped her chin, his eyes cold and dangerous. "Noelle, snap out of it. Look at who I am!"


    "I know who you are!"


    She cupped his face gently. "If I had to choose a man, I would rather it be you!"


    He felt as though the string inside him had snapped in that instant. His rationality seemed to crumble.


    Noelle had indeed been thinking about it. She knew what Xenia and Samantha had done to her. If it were any other man, she would rather die. However, if it was Cedric, she wasn''t so opposed.


    Cedric felt Noelle''s heavy breathing, and he tenderly wiped the tears from her eyes. "You''re still young. Don''t give yourself away so easily."


    "But I like you!"


    She finally voiced her feelings, kissing his lips gently, clumsily but with care. His palm burned with heat as he sighed, unable to control the surge of emotions.  fo

 Chapter 229

    Cedric knew that Noelle had been influenced by something, which was why she acted the way she did. He gripped the back of her head and deepened the kiss. His kiss was forceful, just like his nature-domineering and in control.


    She soon became limp in his arms, her face flushed with color. His gaze darkened as he gently traced her red lips with his thumb, the moistness reflecting a faint light.


    Noelle met his eyes, and all rationality flew out the window. She pushed him down with all her strength, her hands pressing against his chest, even trembling slightly.


    Cedric''s hands locked around her waist, the sensation of her skin against his palm lingering with irresistible allure.


    His gaze turned heated. "Noelle, are you sure you won''t regret this in the future?"


    "I won''t regret it!"


    She was firm in her resolve. After all, didn''t he not have a girlfriend at the moment?


    She probably wasn''t breaking any rules by doing this. She just wanted to be impulsive once.


    Cedric flipped over and pulled her back into his embrace, his breath hot and voice rough. "Silly girl, what will I do with you?"


    Noelle was too nervous to say a word. She had spent all her courage just moments ago.


    His hands felt almost magical, but he covered her eyes with his palm, his voice low in her ear. "There are other ways besides this."


    She was still thinking of what those other ways could be. But suddenly, her eyes widened, and her face turned bright red. She hadn''t expected him to use his hands!


    That night felt especially long for Noelle. She had gathered all her courage to be with the person she liked, but he stopped just before the final step and did something even worse.


    The following day, when Noelle woke up, the events ofst night flooded her mind. She was so embarrassed she pulled the nket over her face, wishing she could dig a hole and hide in it. She felt so shy.


    Now, her body felt weak, as though she had been drained of all energy, like after a serious illness. But her mind was clear, and she vividly remembered everything fromst night.


    She had kissed Cedric first, and he had kissed her back. Hiding under the covers, she secretly touched her lips as if trying to relive the feeling of the kiss. So this was what it was like


    The warmth on her face increased. Although they hadn''t gone all the wayst night, it seemed they had done most of it. Now, Noelle was nervous and didn''t know how to face him.


    She wanted to check the time and reached for her phone, but instead, her hand brushed against something warm and slightly stiff. She peeked, and to her surprise, it was Cedric''s abs!


    She quickly withdrew her hand. Maybe she could slip away quietly before Cedric woke up.


    That way, it wouldn''t be too awkward.


    "Are you awake?" Cedric''s voice came from above her head, crushing her desire to sneak away!


    Noelle held her breath, unsure of how to respond.


    As she remained silent, he pulled back the nket, worried that something might


    be wrong. But she quickly grabbed the nket, still unsure how to face him.


    Cedric tugged at the nket, finding it impossible to pull away. A trace of amusement flickered in his eyes. "Now, you''re shy?"


    She was incredibly boldst night.

 Chapter 230

    Noelle felt even more embarrassed after hearing the teasing in Cedric''s words. She didn''t want to see him anymore.


    He got up. "I''m going to take a shower."


    She sneaked a nce as he stood up and quickly grabbed a bathrobe to put on. Still, her sharp eyes noticed his physique.


    "He looks pretty good," she thought.


    Last night, she had been feeling his abs, and they felt quite nice.


    Once the sound of water from the bathroom reached her ears, she crawled out under the nket. She was barely dressed. She blushed and looked around before spotting her dress discarded on the floor.


    Noelle moved to the bed to pick it up, only to find it stained with red wine and the unpleasant scent still lingering on it. The dress was ruined.


    What should she do? Was she going to stay like this?


    Just then, the bathroom door opened. Cedric walked out in his bathrobe and saw Noelle bent over, picking her dress up by the bed.


    He approached her. "Don''t wear that dress. New clothes will be delivered soon."


    When


    face felle heard his voice, her


    I bright red, and she


    sod bright red, and she


    swnovel.ne


    quickly hid under the nket.


    She covered her face as she was too embarrassed to look at him.


    Cedric walked to the bedside, enjoying the sight of her


    bashfulness. "How''s your body? Is anything still bothering you? Lean have the doctore back and check on you."


    "There''s no need!" She quickly interrupted when she heard him mention the doctor.


    She sat up and met his gaze, feeling


    even


    lowered her head. "I''m fine novel ne


    e awkward. Then, she


    belongs to


    The effects of the medicine had worn off.


    Cedric touched her forehead. "Mm... It''s not hot anymore."


    Noelle instinctively pulled away from his hand, stammering, "I told you I''m fine."

 Chapter 231

    The next moment, Cedric flicked her forehead with his finger and frowned. "Didn''t I tell you not to drink at the bar? You really don''t learn, do you?"


    He couldn''t imagine what Noelle would have gone through if he hadn''t been therest night. She recalled the events ofst night and couldn''t help but feel a lingering sense of dread.


    Her eyes turned cold. "Xenia is hanging out with the heirs and heiresses from Yasnia''s elite families. I didn''t expect them to be so outrageous."


    She had been too careless.


    Cedric''s tone turned harsh. "How do you want to punish them?"


    "It''s not easy. They are from Yole University''s business school. Their family background is not something ordinary people can take on."


    However, she wouldn''t just let it go.


    Hearing her words, he felt his heart ache. "Just say the word."


    As long as she spoke, he would take matters into his own hands to seek revenge for her.


    "It''s really not necessary. I don''t want you to get into trouble."


    The heirs and heiresses from the business school had quite impressive backgrounds, some e of which she couldn''t contest alone. She didn''t want Cedric to get involved in her troubles.


    Cedric saw her understanding demeanor. "Don''t worry about these things. It''s not something you need to think about."


    "Cedric, I know you want to avenge me, but I already have a n." Noelle looked up at him solemnly. "I''m lucky it was you I metst night."


    Now, she had other things to do. She


    remembered that he also


    reciprocated her feelingsst night, which made her wonder if he secretly had feelings for her, too.


    He met her gaze and avoided it for a moment. Just then, someone knocked on


    the door. Cedric quickly turned around. "Let''s eat something first."


    He walked to the door and opened it, only to find a woman standing outside.


    "Ced, I need to talk to you. It''s about Samantha." Laura stood at the door, nervously ncing into the room, but Cedric stepped aside to block her view.


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


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 232

    Laura''s heart sank at Cedric''s defensive demeanor. When Samantha told her she had seen Cedric leaving the bar with a youngdy in his arms, Laura didn''t


    believe it.


    Even so, she had tracked him down to this hotel-only to discover that Samantha had been right.


    Laura knew it had always been her wishful thinking. She had gone out of her way to please Cedric''s mother, even spreading rumors about being engaged to Cedric, all in the hope of creating a chance to be with him. But deep down, she was aware that Cedric had always been indifferent to her.


    Cedric stared at her coldly without saying a word. She didn''t dare move closer, let alone barge into the room.


    Just then, a waiter arrived, pushing a food cart. Cedric took the cart himself, gave Laura a nce, and said, "Move."


    Laura instinctively stepped back but couldn''t help trying one more time. "Ced, I just-"


    Before she could finish, Cedric shut the door in her face.


    When Cedric returned to the room with the cart, Noelle nced toward the door curiously. "Who was that talking to you just now?" she asked. The voice sounded like a woman''s.


    Cedric replied calmly, "Room service."


    He handed Noelle a bag containing clothes. "Go change into these first."


    Noelle took the bag but hesitated. How was she supposed to change when she wasn''t wearing anything at the moment?


    Cedric turned his back to her. "Go ahead. I won''t look."


    ?


    Blushing, Noelle opened the bag and was surprised to find that even new underwear had been prepared for her. She quickly got dressed and


    cleared her throat. "Ahem, I''m


    done."


    Cedric turned around and pushed the food cart toward her. "Eat something."


    Noelle nced at the breakfast, her stomach growling. She sat on the edge of the bed and started eating. After a moment, she instinctively nced at him and asked, "Why don''t you eat some, too?"


    Just then, Cedric''s phone rang. "I need to take this," he said, stepping out onto the balcony. His tone


    11


    turned cold as he answer look"

 Chapter 233

    "How did things go with Nellyst night?"


    Cedric''s expression stiffened slightly. "Don''t ask questions you shouldn''t. Viins die from talking too much."


    "Whoa, don''t tell me you actually slept with her! What now?"


    "No, I didn''t touch her."


    "Good thing you kept your head. Don''t forget this: the two of you can never be together. Get a grip, alright?"


    Cedric nced back at Noelle, who was eating at the table. His gaze softened as he looked at her.


    "I know," he said, his voice tinged with bitterness. He knew it better than anyone, but now he found himself caught between a rock and a hard ce.


    Changing the subject, Cedric asked, "Did you find out anything aboutst night''s incident?"


    "The Merlocks were involved. That


    little bitch from the Liddell family, Xenia, is in the same business school as Laura Merlock''s sister they''re ssmates. Xenia


    deliberately provoked Nelly


    into


    offending Samantha, which led to


    the incident at the bar."


    Recalling Laura''s appearance at his door earlier, Cedric asked in a stern tone, "Have Samantha''s bodyguards been dealt with? Make sure they keep their mouths shut."


    "Handled it before you even asked. But Samantha probably saw you leaving with Nellyst night, so the Merlock family likely knows you''re seeing another woman on the side."


    Cedric rubbed his temples and said, "We can''t let anyone find out about Noelle. It wouldn''t do her any good."


    He understood that Noelle wanted


    to leave the Liddell family and live a carefree life. If word got out about her rtionship with him, her life would be anything but peaceful, and he refused to be the cause of that.


    BUMS


    "Leave that to me. But what about Nelly being set up? If we hadn''t been therest


    night, who knows what could''ve happened to her?"


    "Didn''t you say Samantha had a history of bullying her ssmates and stirring up trouble? Dig up the worst of it and make the Merlock family teach their daughter a


    lesson!" Cedric instructed.


    He knew Noelle didn''t want him to intervene, but that didn''t mean he would stand


    by and do nothing. After ending the call, Cedric sent a message to his secretary, saying, "Clear the hotel!"


    He couldn''t risk anyone seeing Noelle when they leftter.

 Chapter 234

    Regardless of what Noelle said, Cedric was determined to protect her. When he ended the call and returned to the room, Noelle had nearly finished eating. She looked up at Cedric, her gaze flickering with uncertainty as she searched for something to say.


    Cedric nced at the time and asked, "Do you have ss today?"


    Noelle thought for a moment before replying, "Yes, in the afternoon."


    "If you''re not feeling well, you can take the day off."


    "I''m fine," Noelle said quickly. "Besides, all I do is sit and listen to lectures-it''s not tiring." She felt a bit awkward facing him, unsure of how to navigate their current rtionship.


    Cedric noticed her difort and teased her with a smirk, "Are you really that scared of being alone with me?"


    Noelle''s breath hitched. "N-no, I''m not! I-I just don''t want to skip ss, that''s all."


    "A university life isn''tplete without skipping a few sses," Cedric quipped, amused by her flustered reaction.


    But seeing her struggling to maintain herposure, he decided to ease up. "I''II take you to school."


    As Cedric turned around, Noelle finally let out a sigh of relief. After quickly freshening up, she followed him out of the hotel. She noticed that the hotel seemed incredibly upscale, yet upon looking around, she found that there wasn''t a single guest in sight.


    "What''s the matter?" Cedric asked, catching her curious gaze.


    "This hotel seems so luxurious, but I don''t see any other guests. Is the business not doing well?" Noelle replied.


    A flicker of uneasiness crossed Cedric''s eyes, but he quickly answered, "Maybe it''s just a slow time of day."


    They headed to the underground parking lot together. Cedric got into the driver''s seat while Noelle settled into the passenger seat. As she tried to buckle her seatbelt, it got stuck.


    Cedric leaned over to help, adjusting the belt for her. When Noelle looked up, she realized his face was just inches away from hers. She could feel his breath.


    A sudden image shed in her mind a sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu. Had Cedric helped her with a seatbelt before?


    While Noelle was lost in thought, Cedric met her gaze, his heart racing uncontrobly. Panicked, he quickly averted his eyes, secured the belt, and sat back in his seat.


    As the car started, Noelle stole a nce at Cedric. The sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu lingered. Had she dreamt about this moment before?


    The two remained silent for the rest of the ride. When the car stopped outside the school, Noelle hesitated before asking, "When are you heading back to Aldoria?"


    "I''ll be here for a few days," Cedric replied.


    "Oh... I''ll head to ss now. Before


    you leave, let''s have a meal together. I want to thank you for saving me


    this time, Noelle said, her tone. nervous as her gaze flickered. She worried he might refuse or make an


    excuse.


    en


    Kon?


    Cedric found it hard to meet her eyes. He responded lightly, "Sure. If you run into any trouble at school, make sure to let me know."


    He suspected Samantha might still try to cause her trouble.


    "I can handle things myself at school. See you in a few days, then." Noelle


    stepped out of the car and walked toward the campus.


    Watching her departing figure, Cedric tugged at his cor irritably. "What should I do with you, Noelle?" he thought to himself.


    Noelle went straight to her ssroom. As she entered, the once-noisy room fell


    quiet, and strange gazes followed her every step.


    Ignoring the stares, she chose a seat in the front row, deliberately isting herself from the crowd.


    Suddenly, her phone buzzed with a message from Grace: "You didn''te backst night, and now there are rumors about you being involved in shady stuff. Be careful!"


    Attached was a photo of her getting out of Cedric''s car earlier.

 Chapter 235

    When Noelle saw the photo, she couldn''t help butugh. She noticed the watermark on it¡ªit was clearly from the school''s forum.


    Opening the forum, she immediately found posts about herself.


    "Freshman pretends to detest the rich but secretly hooks up with an old wealthy man, staying out all night!"


    Noelle scanned the content, scoffing. The post used her of looking down on the rich scions in the business school while secretly cozying up to older men at bars, which exined why she hadn''t returned to her dorm all night.


    Some users were stirring the pot:


    "I went to high school with Noelle. She''s always been like this, but the teachers turned a blind eye because she had good grades. I can''t believe she hasn''t changed."


    "Yeah! I heard she hooked up with the school doctor in high school. Now that she''s at Yasnia University, surrounded by the rich and wealthy, she ditched the doctor for an old rich man."


    "I saw it with my own eyes this morning-she got out of that old man''s car. He''s so hideous and old! How desperate is Noelle Liddell to stoop that low for money!"


    Noelle smirked at thements, knowing who the person iming to be her high school ssmate was-it was Xenia.


    It seemed like Xenia was having fun spreading rumors online. But Noelle wasn''t too worried; she could easily track down these trolls.


    Suddenly, the door mmed open with a loud bang. Noelle looked up and saw Samantha walking in with Xenia, apanied by a group of maleckeys.


    The ssroom immediately fell silent. Everyone kept their heads down, not wanting to cross these wealthydies from the business school.


    When Samantha spotted Noelle, she gritted her teeth and said, "Finally showed up, huh? Noelle Liddell. I didn''t think you''d manage to escapest night."


    After Cedric left, Samantha had gone to look for Noelle. But not only had she failed to find Noelle, she couldn''t even locate her own bodyguards.


    Sheter found out that her bodyguards had disturbed Cedric while searching for Noelle, which led to them being dealt with. All of them had been sent away. This situation had caught her family''s attention, and her father scolded her that morning.


    Samantha was fuming, and she wanted nothing more than to tear into Noelle the moment she saw her.


    Noelle rested one arm on her desk, her expression indifferent. "I didn''t like your party, so I left early. What''s the matter?


    "Don''t tell me I''m not allowed to leave freely. It''s against thew to restrict someone''s freedom, you know?"


    "So what? Thew won''t side with peasants like you!" Samantha retorted arrogantly. This was how she had been raised¡ªspoiled and entitled.


    Xenia chimed in, her toneced with irony. "Noelle, you misunderstood Ms. Merlock. We were just worried about you. We heard you didn''te backst night. Where did you go?"


    "Where I went is none of your concern," Noelle replied tly.


    Samantha smirked mockingly. "I heard you got out of some old man''s car this morning. And I thought you despised the rich and wealthy like us. Tums out you''re quick to spread your legs when money''s involved, huh?"


    "Well, not as fast as your mouth runs," Noelle shot back without hesitation.


    Samantha was taken aback by Noelle''s sharp tone, not expecting her to dare insult her.


    "You bitch!" Samantha cursed, her face twisted with rage as she raised her hand to p Nolle. But Noelle grabbed Samantha''s wrist mid-air.


    "Who are you calling a bitch?" Noelle asked, her gaze dark and piercing, exuding an intimidating energy.


    Xenia quickly stepped forward to pry Noelle''s hand away. For a moment, she was unnerved by Noelle''s fierce demeanor, which was something she''d never seen before.


    Humiliated, Samantha turned to herckeys and barked, "Why are you still


    standing there? Drag her out of the ssroom now! I''ll have a little ''talk'' with her."


    Theckeys moved toward Noelle, ready to grab her.


    "What''s going on here?"


    Just then, theputer science professor, Patrick Yade, walked into the ssroom. "ss is starting. Everyone, return to your seats."


    Though Samantha was seething, she didn''t dare cause a scene in front of the professor. If she did, she''d risk getting scolded again when she got home.

 Chapter 236

    Samantha plopped herself down in the seat behind Noelle and whispered coldly, "You''re so dead after ss."


    Xenia sat next to Samantha, her gaze locked on Noelle with hatred. She couldn''t wait to see Samantha humiliate Noelleter-there was no escaping this time.


    As the ss began, the students opened their textbooks, ready for the lecture.


    Noelle, however, took out her phone, intending to embed a small program into the campus forum. She was determined to make those trolls pay and show them she wasn''t someone to mess with.


    Samantha noticed Noelle using her phone and immediately called out to the teacher, "Mr. Yade, Noelle didn''t bring her textbook and is ying on her phone!"


    Noelle calmly put her phone away.


    Patrick nced at Noelle''s desk and noticed it was empty. He frowned and asked, "Ms. Liddell, is there a problem?"


    "No, Mr. Yade. Sorry, I forgot to bring my books," Noelle admitted calmly.


    Xenia seized the opportunity to escte things. "Noelle, I know you''ve always received special treatment because of your good grades, but at least bring your textbook-it''s basic respect to Mr. Yade."


    Samantha sneered. "Noelle, are you so confident in yourself that you don''t even bother bringing a textbook? What a terrible example for us ssmates¡ªa real bad influence on campus!"


    Patrick nced at Noelle, his tone firm as he said, "Noelle, you seem quite confident. Why don''t youe up and solve the question I just put on the board? It might be a bit challenging for you, but let''s hear your thoughts."


    Noelle nced at the question disyed on the screen, then walked to the front without hesitation. She picked up a chalk and began writing her solution on the board.


    Samantha snickered. "Wow, bad move, Noelle. This is the very first ss, and you think you can tackle such a difficult question?"


    Samantha, having been raised with an elite education, could tell at a nce that this question wasn''t something a freshman could handle it required coding


    knowledge. How could a freshme


    on her first day ofputer science ss, possibly know how to write code?


    Xenia chimed in, "Noelle, just admit it if you don''t know how to solve it. We promise we won''tugh at you."


    Ignoring the chattering duo, Noelle tucked one hand in her pocket and began writing steadily on the board. The solution unfolded in bold, neat writing.


    Patrick, who had initially dismissed Noelle as an arrogant student, was surprised to see her take on the challenge so confidently. When he examined her code, his expression changed dramatically.


    How was this possible? This question was meant for the final exam, yet Noelle, a freshman on her first day, had solved it effortlessly¡ªand without any mistakes! It was unbelievable!


    After finishing thest part of the solution, Noelle ced the chalk down on the lectern. "I''m done, Mr. Yade," she said calmly.


    Samantha, still smugly confident, sneered, "That''s just nonsense scribbled on the board! Right, Mr. Yade?"


    Patrick shook his head and replied, "Her answer is wless. This was one of the questions prepared for the final exam."


    The ssroom fell into stunned silence. Was Noelle Liddell some kind of genius? How could she solve a final exam question without even starting the course?


    Xenia refused to believe it. "Noelle, I know you have a great memory and can memorize things after seeing them once. But cheating isn''t the answer," she said, her voice sweet and innocent despite the usation.


    Xenia highly doubted that Noelle had the skills to solve the problem, and she was


    convinced she must have memorized the answer beforehand.

 Chapter 237

    Noelle wasn''t surprised by Xenia''s usation. She calmly replied, "Xenia, you''re too dumb to question me like that."


    "Don''t try to change the subject, Noelle," Xenia retorted, her face flushed with anger. "Obviously, you don''t have what it takes to solve this question.


    "You must have secretly searched for the answer on your phone, and that''s why your answer is so perfect! But that doesn''t mean you''re actually capable of solving it!"


    Samantha, still amazed by Noelle''s performance, had believed she was genuinely skilled. Yet, Xenia''s usation made her start to think it was all just an act.


    With a self-righteous expression, Xenia added, "Noelle, I''m only exposing you for your own good. You need to stop making the same mistakes over and over again. Lying isn''t right."


    Noelleughed aloud. "You''re such an idiot, Xenia. Do you really think everyone is as single-minded as you? I don''t need someone who scored zero on the college entrance exam to be concerned about me."


    Xenia''s face turned bright red, sensing that everyone around her wasughing at her.


    Samantha shot a disdainful nce at Xenia. But not wanting Noelle to get too smug, she quickly fired back, "Our business school doesn''t care about grades for admissions. A country bumpkin like you will never understand."


    "Isn''t it hrious for someone like you, an ignorant good-for-nothing, to question others about cheating?" Noelle replied calmly.


    Samantha shot up in fury. "Did you just call me a good-for-nothing? I''ve been raised as an elite since I was young.


    "A person like you-a country bumpkin-can only see us on TV. Deep down, you''re probably jealous of me, aren''t you?"


    Noelle smirked. "If you''re sopetent, why don''t you solve this question then?"


    "Hmph! This question is too easy for me. Since we''re studying programming, why don''t you write a little program to prove you''re really capable of solving it?"


    Noelle''s smile widened. "You want to bet?"


    "Sure," Samantha said confidently. "If you can write a program, I''ll believe you actually solved this question.


    "But if you can''t, it means you cheated. Then, you''ll have to kneel and apologize to Mr. Yade and the entire ss!"


    Noelle nced at Samantha''s smug expression before responding coldly, "What if you lose?"


    "I can''t possibly lose!" Samantha responded confidently. Based on her prior knowledge of the course, she was certain Noelle was incapable of writing a program.


    Noelle raised an eyebrow. "Too scared to take the bet, huh?"


    "No, I''m not! What are the stakes?"


    "Good," Noelle said with a bold smile, her chin held high. "If you lose, you''ll have


    to kneel and apologize to everyone for ndering me."


    Patrick and the whole ss watched the scene with skepticism, thinking Noelle was digging her own grave by going up against a Merlock.


    "I feel so sorry for you, Noelle because you''re going down!" Samantha smirked before walking confidently to the podium.


    "Let''s start with the school forum, then. I''ll write up a redirect," she said.


    Samantha essed Patrick''s


    forum, showing the headline about Noelle staying out all night, with rumors circting about her being materialistic.


    She deliberately exposed it to the ss, hoping to ruin Noelle''s reputation for good. In a few


    moments, Samantha hadposed a code and set up a redirect to the post which included a photo of Noelle getting out of a luxury car.


    The audience couldn''t help but gossip about Noelle''ste-night escapades.


    A victorious smile spread across Samantha''s face as she said, "Noelle, care to exin why you came out of a luxury car this morning after staying out all night?" "That wasn''t her first time showing up to school in a luxury car, right?"


    "Look at those branded clothes on her. Could she have earned them by sleeping with some rich man?"


    Samantha''sckeys began mocking Noelle,ughing at her.


    Noelle remained calm. "Spreading malicious rumors can have legal consequences, you know? And it was just a luxury car-I can easily afford it!"


    In fact, No¨¨lle had a pretty solid


    ie. Aside from her


    live-streaming earnings, she also


    had a sry from Maple Enterprise and received various projecto bonuses.


    Samantha burst intoughter. "My God, Noelle, stop bluffing, you country bumpkin. Do you even know how much that luxury car costs?


    "You''ll probably never see this much money in your life! What a joke you are."


    Stillughing, Samantha continued, "It''s your turn now, Noelle. If you really can''t do this, just apologize, and I might let you off the hook."


    "Save it for yourself," Noelle replied coldly, walking up to theputer and typing skilfully on the keyboard.


    Soon, she had finished writing the code and embedded it in the post, quickly collectingments with relevant keywords.

 Chapter 238

    "Anyone who took part in spreading rumors will have their phones locked. Unless they post an apology, their phone will remain locked for the rest of their lives," Noelle said nonchntly, her tone carrying an air of arrogance.


    Samantha sneered, "You''re getting a little bit too cocky, Noelle. Do you really think that little code of yours can do something like that?"


    "What the hell? My phone just went ck."


    "Mine too. The page is stuck on a post, and the only thing I can do is publish a response-nothing else works."


    Hearing thements around her, Samantha suspiciously pulled out her phone, only to find it ck-screened like the rest.


    "What did you do, Noelle? Unlock my phone now! Who gave you the right to lock it?"


    Noelle suddenly burst intoughter. "So, you''ll admit I won the bet?"


    Samantha''s expression froze instantly as she finally realized Noelle had truly done what she imed. The atmosphere in the ssroom shifted dramatically.


    Noelle ced one hand on the podium and stared at Samantha. "So, are you kneeling first or apologizing first?"


    Samantha took two steps back. "What makes you think I''d kneel and apologize to you?"


    "That was the bet, wasn''t it?" Noelle raised an eyebrow.


    Samantha was momentarily speechless. Xenia stepped in quickly. "Noelle, I think neither you nor Ms. Merlock lost the bet. Both of you wrote a code, so it''s a tie!" "Exactly, a tie!" Samantha echoed, not wanting to kneel and apologize.


    Noelle sneered. "How pathetic. Can''t admit you''ve lost, huh?"


    Xenia pressed on. "Noelle, there''s no need to be so aggressive. We''re all ssmates here. It''s only natural for Ms. Merlock to question you-who would believe you could solve a question like that on the first day of ss?"


    Noelle smirked and pped her hands slowly. "Bravo. Ms. Merlock, yourpdog sure knows how to spin a story."


    Xenia''s expression darkened, fully aware of the insult hidden in Noelle''s words.


    Samantha raised an eyebrow. "What, are you jealous? Enough talk-unlock everyone''s phones now!"


    "Like I said Noelle replied


    indifferently, "to unlock your phones, just post an apology and wait


    "for"


    approval. Then, voil¨¤, your phones


    will be unlocked,"


    Samantha, unwilling to apologize, turned to Patrick. "Mr. Yade, Noelle has crossed


    the line! Would you kindly remove her program for everyone''s sake?"


    "Alright," Patrick replied before ncing at Noelle. "You''re talented, Noelle, but you should use your skills for the right reasons."


    Noelle gave him a faint smile, fully aware her code wouldn''t be so easy to crack.


    Patrick got to work attempting to remove the program, but as time passed, his expression grew serious. He nced at Noelle in disbelief and redoubled his efforts. Even after giving it his best, Patrick couldn''t


    crack the code.


    Samantha''s anxiety mounted. "Mr. Yade, why haven''t our phones been unlocked yet?"


    Patrick, who was stunned and embarrassed, admitted, "I...I can''t unlock them."


    "What? Not even you, Mr. Yade? How is that possible?" Samantha couldn''t believe what she had heard.


    How could Noelle be this skilled?


    Patrick adjusted his sses,


    realizing he''d severely


    underestimated Noelle. He knew she


    was clever, but her capability


    exceeded all expectations.


    Xenia''s phone was locked as well, and it contained many important files. Still, she refused to apologize to Noelle.


    Pointing an using finger, Xenia said. "Do you even realize what you''re doing is illegal?"


    Noelle twirled a piece of chalk between her fingers, a sly smile ying on her lips. "And you ndered me. So, I''d say we''re even."


    If Xenia wanted to talk about thew, Noelle was more than ready to oblige.


    Suddenly, a few police officers entered the ssroom.


    Samantha''s eyes lit up. "Perfect timing! Officers, this is Noelle Liddell-arrest her!"

 Chapter 239

    Noelle was slightly taken aback by the sight of the police officers. She wondered if Samantha had been the one to call them.


    Xenia smirked smugly and said, "Officers, Noelle wasn''t in her right mind when she locked our ssmates'' phones. She didn''t mean to break thew. I hope she''ll recognize her mistake and learn her lesson."


    "That''s right," Samantha added. "Noelle hacked the school forum and locked everyone''s phones just to cover up the fact that she''s materialistic."


    Turning to Noelle, Samantha''s mood visibly lightened. "Looks like we won''t have to wait until ss is over. Someone else is going to take care of you now-get ready to be expelled, Noelle!"


    She was confident that a quick word with the principal would be enough to get that pathetic country bumpkin, Noelle, kicked out of school.


    Noelle, however, remained calm as she nced at the officers, already considering whether she might need to hire awyer. She was determined to stand her ground.


    But then, the officers turned to Samantha and said, "Ms. Merlock, we''re here for you."


    "Me? What for? You''re supposed to arrest Noelle, not me!" Samantha snapped, bewildered by their actions.


    "Ms. Merlock, pleasee with us," one of the officers said.


    "Why should I? I haven''t broken anyws!" Samantha replied.


    "Ms. Merlock, our investigation shows you were involved in bullying a ssmate in high school, which led to the victim''s suicide by jumping off a building. We''ve uncovered new evidence and need you toe in for questioning."


    Samantha''s face went pale at the officer''s words. She took a step back, her fear evident. "But... I thought that case was closed." She was certain her family had settled the matter for her long ago.


    "Ms. Merlock, this is the arrest warrant. Pleasee with us now," the officer said as he approached her.


    "Stay back!" Samantha screamed in fear. "Let go of me! Do you know who I am? My brother-inw is a prominent figure in the capital''s elite circle! Touch me, and you''ll regret it!"


    Despite her protests, Samantha was taken away. Everyone in the ssroom exchanged nces, startled by the unexpected turn of events.


    Even Noelle hadn''t expected Samantha to be taken away by the police. But based on the charges mentioned, it did seem to match Samantha''s daily behavior.


    Xenia, who was watching Samantha get dragged off, couldn''t help but feel her mood lift-served her right!


    Feigning a righteous demeanor, she said, "Noelle, now that Ms. Merlock is gone, don''t you think it''s time to unlock our phones?"


    "Oh, so you''ve ndered me, too?" Noelle replied with a mocking smile.


    Xenia averted her eyes uneasily. "I was just trying to exin things in your stead. Anyway, you shouldn''t have locked everyone''s phones. Right, Mr. Yade?"


    Patrick could feel his head start to ache.


    It was clear this incident was tied to the business school, and they had intentionally targeted Noelle. However, they hadn''t expected Noelle to be so tough- stubborn and incredibly skilled.


    Even he couldn''t crack Noelle''s code, which was a testament to her being a one- in-a-million genius.


    Patrick couldn''t afford to offend either side. Clearing his throat, he said, "I''ll bring this to Mr. Farrell, the counselor, and we''ll decide how to handle it."


    Xenia grew anxious. "Is it really necessary? This is just a small matter. Imagine the inconveniences without our phones!"


    Patrick turned to her and said, "Until we verify the truth of this post, we can''t jump to conclusions."


    In fact, Patrick doubted Noelle would go after the rich for money-there were so many ways for her to make money with her skills. He believed she was probably being ndered by the spoiled rich students in the business school.


    Personally, Patrick hated to see a promising student like Noelle lose her future over something like this.


    He looked at Noelle, his tone


    softening "Ms. Liddell, I''ll report this


    matter to the school and make sure


    it''s handled properly. I trust the


    school will take this seriously."


    "Thank you, Mr. Yade," Noelle replied, slightly surprised that Patrick would stand


    up for her instead.


    After Patrick left, the ssroom buzzed with conversations.


    "What should we do now? Are they going to help us unlock our phones?"


    Noelle stood at the podium, ncing at her ssmates. "Just do as I said, and your phones will be unlocked."


    With that, she walked to her seat, packed her bag, and left.

 Chapter 240

    Xenia stopped Noelle from leaving. "Noelle, for the sake of our rtionship, you''ll unlock my phone, right?"


    "What rtionship?" Noelle shot Xenia a cold, mocking nce.


    Before Xenia could respond, Noelle walked out of the ssroom. Those trolls deserved a little punishment for spreading inappropriate rumors. They needed to understand the consequences of spreading irresponsible gossip!


    Noelle returned to her dorm, feeling exhausted. Just as she was about to take a shower, the door suddenly mmed open.


    Jessica stormed in, fuming with anger. "You''ve gone too far, Noelle! How could you lock so many people''s phones? What do you expect them to do now?"


    Noelle noticed therge crowd outside the dorm. They were likely those whose phones had been locked.


    Visibly displeased, she said impatiently, "Are you deaf? I''ve already told you the solution: just post an apology, and your phones will be unlocked."


    Jessica, still unsatisfied, snapped, "Why should we apologize when we''ve done nothing wrong?"


    "In that case, scram!" Noelle felt it was a waste of time reasoning with these hypocritical trolls.


    "Not until you unlock our phones!"


    "Yeah! Who gave you the right to do this? We have freedom of speech."


    "That''s right! Are you too scared to own up to your actions?"


    Noelleughed bitterly. "Come on,dies. Have you ever thought that one day, you might end up being ndered, just like you''re doing now?


    "Someone could easily make up a post with a photo attached, and suddenly, you''re slut-shamed. While I can vent my frustration by embedding a small program on the forum, you might be leftpletely helpless, not knowing how to clear your name.


    "Do you realize the gravity of your actions?"


    Noelle''s words hit everyone like a bolt of lightning. The room fell silent.


    "That''s right. Think about it,dies," Grace chimed in. "Noelle is being isted and targeted by the business school students.


    "We don''t know for sure if that post is even true. Wedies should be supporting each other, not judging one another so harshly!"


    As some agreed with Grace and left, the crowd slowly began to disperse.


    Jessica, however, wasn''t ready to let it go. "Grace, how dare you speak up for Noelle? If Ms. Merlock finds out about this, you''re in big trouble!"


    Noelle shot Jessica a cold look. "Samantha''s dealing with a serious case involving


    a death. I highly doubt she has the time for anything else."


    "Samantha is a Merlock. What could happen to her?" Jessica retorted, but she quickly backed off under Noelle''s icy gaze.


    Without Samantha''s backing, Jessica didn''t dare to stand up to Noelle. In the end, she slumped at her desk, staring at the ck screen of her phone, furious and on the verge of tears.


    Grace took out her unlocked phone and handed it to Jessica. "If you need to make a call, you can use mine."


    "No thanks, you traitor!" Jessica snapped, tears of frustration streaming down her face. She wondered why she had to share a dorm with Noelle, the country bumpkin whom she detested most!


    After taking a shower, Noelley on


    her bed with herputer. She


    hacked into the bar''s system, searching for the surveince footage from the night before. She realized the first and second floors had cameras, but the third floor had none.


    She managed to find the footage from the second floor, where she had been ambushed outside the restroom, but the footage from the previous night had been deleted. She copied the surveince data


    As far as she knew, the only person who could restore it was that person from the ck market. However, she hadn''t been in contact with that person since the incident.


    Noelley back on the bed, trying to clear her mind. She was exhausted after everything that happened the night before and soon fell asleep. When some noise woke her up, she groggily got up, her face showing clear irritation.


    Grace stood by the bed. "Mr. Farrell, the counselor, is here to talk to you. I think it''s about the post."


    "Look who''s in big trouble," Jessica sneered from the side. "Let''s see if Mr. Farrell can make Noelle unlock our phones!" She hoped that Noelle would be punished for good.

 Chapter 241

    Noelle got changed before heading downstairs, where Morgan was waiting outside.


    "I assume you know why I''m here?" Morgan looked at Noelle.


    "It''s about the rumors on the campus forum, right?" Noelle said.


    "Yes," Morgan nodded. "The program you embedded has locked many students'' phones. Some parents can''t reach their children because their children''s only phone is locked. They were so worried, they almost reported it to the police."


    Noelle remained unfazed. "As soon as they apologize for what they''ve done, their phones will be unlocked." She offered the solution, but they refused to ept it.


    "I understand you want to resolve the issue with the campus forum, but isn''t your method a little too aggressive? It''s also caused some disruption at the school," Morgan said, "So, I''d like you to unlock the phones first before we figure out how to resolve this."


    "No can do," Noelle replied coldly. "This could be easily fixed if they just apologized. There''s nothing more I can do on my end. Even if I delete the program, it won''t unlock their phones. That''s just how the program works." "Noelle, are you refusing to cooperate? You need to understand there will be consequences!" Morgan didn''t expect Noelle to be such a pain.


    Not only did she have issues with the rich students from the business school, but she also went as far as locking everyone''s phones.


    Initially, the school had no intention of taking this incident seriously-they nned to handle the program themselves. However, after spending the entire afternoon trying, Patrick simply couldn''t crack Noelle''s code, let alone unlock all the students'' phones.


    With no other option, they had to approach Noelle, only to find she wasn''t willing to cooperate.


    Noelle said calmly, "I''m well aware of my actions. All I ask is just a simple apology from the people who ndered me. Is that too much to ask?"


    Morgan sighed before speaking, "Noelle, you''re an orphan, and your parents have passed away. You were epted into our school as a top scorer, but your family''s financial situation probably isn''t great. It''s only natural that people would believe the rumors."


    "This is hrious," Noelle smirked mockingly. "The person who started the rumor did so with just one photo. I don''t see why I shouldn''t fight back. Being an orphan doesn''t mean I must be poor and materialistic, does it?"


    Her impatience was evident. She wasn''t going to remove the program. Those trolls could either apologize or throw their phones away They had to face the


    In


    consequences of spe


    baseless rumors.


    Morgan snapped, "Last chance: are you going to unlock the phone or not?"


    "No, no, and no!"


    "Fine. My job here is done. Tomorrow, the school will announce its decision about this incident. Let''s hope you don''t regret it."


    "I won''t," Noelle replied firmly. "But if the school''s decision is unfair, I will hire awyer to handle this. I will notpromise!"


    Noelle knew what was going on. The school was trying to sweep the matter under the rug by forcing her to back down and take the me for everything, but she wasn''t going to y along.


    Morgan stormed off in frustration.


    When Noelle returned to the dorm, Grace asked carefully, "What did Morgan say?"


    "He told me to remove the program and unlock the phones, but I refused," Noelle said coldly.


    Jessica, who overheard that, snapped at Noelle''s response and angrily kicked the desk. She had been counting on Morgan to pressure Noelle into submission, but Noelle was as stubborn as ever.


    Jessica red at her phone, torn. Without apologizing, she wouldn''t be able to use it again. But the idea of apologizing to Noelle felt worse than death!


    Noelle remained indifferent. Having already died once, nothing in the world could intimidate her anymore. She stood firm in her belief that the ones spreading baseless rumors should be the ones to apologize, not her the victim.


    However, as Noelle recalled Samantha being taken away earlier, a sense of unease crept in. Something about the situation felt off, though she couldn''t quite put her finger on it.


    Still, with Samantha''s influential family background, Noelle assumed she would get out of trouble as usual.


    Taking out her phone, Noelle


    searched for news about


    Samantha''s bullying incident that allegedly caused a ssmate''s suicide. Most of the information had been scrubbed from the


    inte-clearly, someone, vel?


    working behind the scenes to control the narrative. But that


    wouldn''t pose a problem for her.

 Chapter 242

    Noelle hacked into Samantha''s phone and, as expected, found the nastyments Samantha had made about her in the business school group chat.


    She quickly skimmed through them, then dug deeper and discovered an encrypted document. When she unlocked it, she found a disturbing collection of photos and videos rted to the bullying of girls.


    She clicked on one of the videos, watching as a girl was humiliated and verbally abused.


    Noelle had only seen this kind of bullying on TV. She never imagined it could happen in real life. But worse still, the bullying didn''t stop even after the girl took her own life. The cycle continued, with another girl recing the previous victim and enduring the same torment.


    It was no wonder Samantha had been so skilled at isting her and turning the entire ss against her. She was a repeat offender.


    Noelle copied all the images and videos before taking control of Samantha''s phone. She uploaded them to Instagram with a single defiant line.


    "Yes, I bullied her to death. Come and catch me if you dare!"


    Once everything was posted, Noelle logged out of Samantha''s phone and wiped all traces of her activity. Since Samantha was so arrogant, Noelle might as well give her a final push. After everything was done, shey down and went to sleep. The first thing Noelle did the next morning was scroll through Instagram.


    The post she had made from Samantha''s ount had already been deleted. But others had saved the videos and photos, and people were still buzzing about it online. It seemed like the Merlocks had acted quickly, but the inte would never forget¡ªthose videos and photos would be around forever.


    Since Samantha had already been arrested, those images and videos would only help with the investigation. Noelle went to ss as usual. As she entered the room, several ssmates shot her nces.


    Her face remained expressionless as she took her usual seat in the front row. Before long, Morgan called her out of ss. When she left the room, students began whispering, wondering how things would y out.


    Jessica sneered. "I bet Noelle''s going to get punished. Maybe even expelled!"


    Grace whispered, "Not necessarily. What if the school finds out the forum posts were fake?"


    "How could they be fake? Noelle''s just an orphan. How could she afford designer clothes? Her


    vel


    money''s probably from suspicious sources!"


    Jessica''s phone was back on, but she couldn''t get rid of her frustration Why should she


    apologize to Noelle? They all hoped


    Noelle would be disciplined this time and that their phones would be unlocked. t


    When Noelle arrived at the principal''s office, Morgan and Patrick were already there.


    Morgan spoke harshly, "Noelle, you im the forum posts are fake, but exin this photo. Did you spend the night out with him?"


    The photo showed her stepping out of Cedric''s car.


    Noelle remained calm. "We know each other. There''s no ''sugar baby'' rtionship


    like the post suggests."


    "And how do you prove that?"


    "I''ll prove it in her stead!"


    Noelle turned to see Frank walking in. But instead of feeling relieved, she felt irritated. She asked, "Why are you here?"


    She was already capable of handling this herself.


    "Noelle, how could you not tell me about something this serious? Of course


    had toe. I won''t let


    anyone nder you like this


    MOUMS


    Frank was furious and turned to Morgan. "I''ve hired awyer. We''re taking legal action against these defamations!"


    Morgan sized him up and asked, "Who are you, and what''s your rtionship with Noelle?"


    His appearance suggested he was well-off. Could he be another man Noelle had been involved with?

 Chapter 243

    Frank stared at Morgan. "I''m Noelle''s brother!"


    "What? You''re her brother? But didn''t Noelle say her parents passed away and that she''s an orphan?"


    Morgan was shocked. Where did this ''brother''e from?


    Frank turned to Noelle, his expression slightly exasperated. "Noelle, do you really dislike the Liddell family that much?"


    Noelle replied to Morgan, "It''s true that my parents are gone, and I don''t have any family." She didn''t want to acknowledge any connection to the Liddell family.


    "Noelle, I know you''re angry with the family, but now''s not the time to be stubborn." Frank sighed, clearly frustrated by her refusal to back down.


    He then turned to Morgan. "Here''s my card and ID. Noelle is my biological sister. She''s only saying otherwise because of some disagreements with the family, but she does have a family."


    Morgan looked at the business card and ID, noticing that Frank''sst name matched Noelle''s, and their registered household address was the same.


    His expression grew awkward. He hadn''t expected Noelle to have family and an affluent one at that. From the business card, it turned out that Frank was the CEO of apany. So, were the rumors about Noelle being a sugar baby likely false?


    Patrick softly remarked, "Looks like a youngdy running away from home after a fight."


    Morgan''s face grew redder by the second. Everything he''d said earlier had backfired.


    He finally spoke up, trying to salvage the situation. "We didn''t know about Noelle''s family situation before and may have misunderstood. But the fact remains that she imnted a program to hack into several ssmates'' phones, which was clearly wrong!"


    "But those ssmates spread defamatory rumors about my sister. If they''re mad about it, they can talk to mywyer. I have no problem with suing them one by one!"


    Frank''s stance was unwavering. He wasn''t going to let anyone bully his sister. Morgan, who was unsure of how to proceed, turned to Bruce for guidance. "Mr. York, what do you think should be done about this?"


    Noelle wasn''t just any orphaned student from a low-ie family-she was clearly well-off and came from an influential family, which made things moreplicated.


    Bruce shifted his gaze to Frank. "However, Noelle also had conflicts with the business school students. As someone with experience in the business world, Mr. Liddell, you must understand the potential fallout.


    "If their parents get involved, it could cause trouble for you as well." After all, no one would want to cross the students'' parents.


    Frank scoffed, "They started with the false usations. The Liddell family will not back down!"


    Noelle cut in coldly, "No one asked you to interfere. This is my problem to handle!" She red at Frank. "Leave. I don''t need you meddling in my affairs."


    "Noelle, even if you''re upset, let me handle this first."


    "I''ve already cut ties with the Liddell family. You have no right to handle my business!"


    Noelle refused to ept any help from the Liddell family, nor did she want to have anything to do with them.


    Frank offered a bitter smile, but when he turned to Bruce, his demeanor grew firm. "The Liddell family will see this matter through to the end!"


    Noelle was beyond frustrated and turned to Morgan. "Weren''t you asking me to exin my rtionship with that man and where I get my ie? I can prove it!"


    At that moment, Noelle remembered she was a signed top-tier streamer and a core member of the Maple Enterprise''s research team. She certainly wasn''t short on money.


    Morgan awkwardly cleared his throat. "Since your brother is here, there''s no need for further proof."


    "He''s not my brother. I can prove my own case!"


    Despite her protest, Morgan dismissed her words, treating her like a spoiled


    heiress throwing a tantrum. It was maddening.


    Just then, Bruce''s phone rang. His tone became more respectful as he picked up


    the phone. "Yes, understood. I''ll take care of it on my end."


    Bruce turned to Noelle after hanging up. "Our investigation confirms that the forum posts were defamatory and were unrted to you."

 Chapter 244

    Morgan asked, "What about the locked phones?"


    This had be the most pressing issue. The professors from the Computer Science Department had still failed to crack Noelle''s program, leaving them feeling somewhat humiliated. How could they not break a code written by a mere freshman?


    Bruce cleared his throat and said, "Since the forum posts have been proven to be defamatory and untrue, those who participated in spreading falsehoods about Noelle should certainly apologize."


    Noelle was a bit surprised by Bruce''s swift resolution. Had it been settled so quickly?


    Morgan didn''t press further after hearing Bruce''s statement, but he couldn''t help wondering if this lenient approach was setting a bad precedent for how Noelle''s actions were handled.


    At that moment, Patrick approached Noelle. "Noelle, what exactly did you hide in your program on the school forum? We''ve been working on it all afternoon and night, but we still couldn''t crack the code!"


    His curiosity was the main reason he came to the office.


    Noelle nced at him. "It''s simple. I can show you if you have aputer."


    Bruce stood up. "You can use mine. I''m curious to see how a freshman managed to stump the entire Computer Science Department."


    Noelle walked over to theputer and began typing swiftly, her fingers flying across the keyboard. She quickly wrote a small piece of code and exined how it worked.


    After listening to her exnation, Patrick chuckled in surprise. "So, that''s how it works. This little trick of yours is something most people wouldn''t think of. Did your family arrange special tutoring for you before?"


    Bruce turned to Frank. "Mr. Liddell, how did you nurture such a talent? We''ve had many top students at our school, but someone as gifted as Noelle is truly one of a kind."


    Frank''s expression grew a bit awkward. He forced a strained smile and replied, "She most probably learned that on her own."


    Their family had never provided Noelle with any special training. If anything, they had only been a burden to her.


    Noelle stepped away from theputer. None of this was particrly challenging for her. She had already mastered these skills in her previous life.


    However, Patrick was thrilled. "Noelle, the school has special training courses for exceptionally talented students like you. Would you like to join?"


    "She won''t go!"


    Frank immediately rejected the offer on her behalf. He told Noelle, "Those special courses might be part of the business school''s elite program."


    But considering Noelle''s past conflict with the Merlock family, attending sses at the business school might expose her to further bullying.


    "Of course, that depends on Noelle''s own decision."


    Noelle''s expression remained calm as she declined. "I really don''t want to go."


    Bruce tried to persuade her. "If it''s because of your previous conflict with the business school, I can help resolve it."


    "There''s no need for that, Mr. York. I appreciate your kindness, but even without those so-called elite courses, I can still surpass them." Her tone was calm yet carried a subtle defiance.


    Originally, Noelle had simply wanted to enjoy a low-profile university life. But given the circumstances, that was no longer possible. After finishing her statement, Noelle left Bruce''s office, as the matter had now been resolved.


    Frank followed her. "Noelle, my dear sister, can we talk?"


    "Don''t call me that. I''m not your sister!" Irritation shed in Noelle''s eyes as she quickened her pace down the stairs, but she ran into Xenia at thending below.


    Xenia wore a smug expression. "Noelle, did Mr. York give you any disciplinary action? I told you to apologize and admit your mistake earlier, but you just wouldn''t listen!"


    "Noelle did nothing wrong. Why should she apologize?" Frank''s voice came from behind as he descended the stairs.


    Xenia''s face turned as pale as a sheet. Why was Frank here?

 Chapter 245

    Noelle stood still, letting out a coldugh.


    Xenia staggered back, clearly startled. She hadn''t expected Frank to be here! What should she do now?


    Frank had just overheard her words!


    Xenia nervously swallowed and stammered, "Frank, I was only concerned about Noelle. She''s made so many enemies at school with what she did, and I was worried her time here might be difficult. I didn''t mean anything by it."


    However, Frank didn''t buy it. He had clearly heard the mocking tone in her voice earlier.


    His eyes narrowed-he was suspicious of Xenia''s double-dealing. Was this why Noelle''s rtionship with the family had soured over time?


    Frank turned to Noelle. "Noelle, don''t hesitate to reach out to me if you ever run into any trouble. I''ve decided to move thepany to Yasnia, so I''ll always be close by."


    Noelle''s irritation grew. "I have just one request: stay away from me!"


    She stormed down the stairs. Why couldn''t the Liddell family ever just leave her be? It was so annoying! She didn''t need Frank interfering in her life!


    After Noelle left, Frank cast a meaningful look at Xenia. "Why didn''t you fill us in on everything about Noelle?"


    "I... I nned to, but Noelle insisted I mind my own business. I was going toe over today to check things out before deciding whether to inform you." Guilt rose in Xenia as she kept her eyes averted.


    Frank''s disappointment was palpable as he looked at her. "Xenia, have you ever lied to us before?"


    "No, Frank, I''ve never lied to you, I swear!" Xenia''s eyes reddened with frustration.


    If this had happened in the past, Frank might have softened and let it go. But now, he felt nothing. He began to suspect that Xenia wasn''t as innocent as she appeared. Perhaps all these years, he had been deceived by her.


    A seed of doubt had taken root in him.


    Frank''s tone was icy. "I hope you remember what you just said. Noelle is my real sister the Liddell family''s real daughter.


    "You can ept what our family offers you. But if we don''t give it to you, don''t ever think you can take it."


    Xenia was taken aback by his words. What about all the years she had spent trying to win the Liddell family''s favor? Was that worth nothing?


    However, she quicklyposed herself, lowering her head and speaking softly. "Frank, I''ve always known I''m not blood-rted. How could I everpete with Noelle?"


    "It better stay that way!" Frank gave her a warning look before turning to leave.


    Xenia''s expression turned cold and venomous as soon as he was gone. She had always known she wasn''t the biological child. If she wanted a better life, she''d have to fight for it!


    She wouldn''t let Noelle return to the Liddell family and take everything from her.


    Noelle returned to ss for back-to-back lessons. Many students couldn''t help but sneak nces at her as soon as she walked in.


    Jessica couldn''t resist gloating. "Noelle, you''re back so soon. Did the school punish you?"


    With all the public outcry over her actions, surely the school had to punish her.


    Noelle replied with a half-smile. "I think you''ll be disappointed."


    Jessica had a bad feeling upon seeing her expression. "Quit the charades, Noelle. There''s no way you won''t be punished!"


    Just then, Morgan walked into the ssroom.


    Jessica raised her voice. "Mr. Farrell, has the punishment for Noelle been decided? She caused such a huge stir; it''s only fair she be punished!"


    "Yeah, our phones were all locked. It was so inconvenient!"

 Chapter 246

    Everyone followed Jessica''s lead and began toin. Jessica immediately felt supported, and her confidence grew.


    Morgan stood at the front, ncing around the ssroom. "Students, regarding the issue with the campus forum, we''ve reached a conclusion."


    "Mr. Farrell, please announce the result. We can''t wait any longer."


    "After the school''s investigation, we found out that the rumors on the forum about Noelle being a sugar baby are false. The student who posted that thread will also face disciplinary action from the school."


    Jessica was reluctant to ept the announcement. "Mr. Farrell, that is impossible! Noelle is an orphan; both of her parents are dead.


    "How could she possibly afford all those luxury brands? Something doesn''t add up!"


    "Although Noelle is an orphan, she has an older brother. We''ve verified this," Morgan replied. "Jessica, do you have any objections to the school''s decision?"


    Jessica was immediately silenced. "I just find it unbelievable! And what about the locked phones?"


    "Since the content of the forum post was false, you all should apologize to Noelle."


    The ssroom erupted into chaos after Morgan finished speaking.


    He cast aplicated look at Noelle. He hadn''t expected her to be so discreet¡ªa wealthy youngdy pretending to be an orphan. However, what was most surprising was how capable she was.


    Morgan was still somewhat embarrassed when he left the ssroom, as he had also misunderstood Noelle. Soon after, the school issued an official statement about the forum rumors.


    Jessica was furious. How could Noelle just get away with this?


    On the other hand, Noelle''s mood was lifted after the result. It seemed that justice had prevailed.


    After ss, Noelle went straight to the gaming team''s training base. She had other matters to take care of besides the team''s practice.


    When Noelle entered the training base, everyone had already gathered. Her arrival immediately silenced the room.


    After all, Noelle had be a well-known figure at school. She had single- handedly taken on the business school and the entire institution!


    Rumors even circted that the school couldn''t crack the code Noelle wrote, and now, the students whose phones had been locked could only post apologies to get their ess back.


    Samuel looked at her in surprise. "What are you doing here?"


    He had expected Noelle toy low after causing such a stir.


    "Can''t Ie? I''m a reserve yer, after all," Noelle replied.


    "Of course, you can. But I wouldn''t rmend it right now since many people are still upset with you for locking their phones!"


    Noelle sneered. "So, they spread rumors and made mistakes, and now they can''t pay the price?" What kind of logic was that?


    "I didn''t mean it like that. Since you want to join the training, that''s fine. We''ll do a team-based PvP match. The losing team might not be able to stay as reserve yers."


    Samuel made it clear, considering how many people Noelle had offended.


    Noelle agreed without hesitation. "Sure." She went to the restroom, and when she came out, she ran into Samuel.


    "Noelle, don''t take what I said earlier to heart. The sponsorship for the team mainlyes from the business school, and we can''t afford to offend our benefactors."


    Noelle replied calmly, "I understand."


    "I''m d you understand. Actually, I think you''re pretty great and very talented. But it might be a bit difficult for you to be a regr member of the team. Still, it''s not impossible. I''ll fight for you!" As Samuel spoke, he ced his hand on Noelle''s shoulder.


    Noelle immediately dodged away and looked at him warily.


    "Noelle, I actually like you a lot. How about you be my girlfriend?" Samuel said, beginning to make advances.


    Noelle raised her hand and pped him. "Get your filthy hands off me!"


    "Noelle, don''t be so ungrateful. I can kick you out today with just one word."

 Chapter 247

    Seeing Samuel''s flustered expression, Noelle smirked coldly. Scum seemed to be everywhere. She then said with disdain, "Someone like you isn''t even worthy! You''re trash!"


    After cursing him, Noelle returned to the training area, only to find Jessica and Grace there. She hadn''t expected her roommates to show up at the gaming team''s base.


    When Jessica saw Noelle, she snorted coldly. "How dare you stille here? A lot of people in our club had their phones locked and are upset with you!"


    "That just means they were involved in spreading rumors. They got what they deserved!" Noelle didn''t think she had done anything wrong.


    Before long, Samuel walked out with a sour expression.


    Jessica immediately stepped forward with concern. "Captain, what happened to your face?"


    "It''s nothing, just a little bump."


    Samuel''s expression was somewhat unnatural, and his gaze toward Noelle was filled with displeasure. This little brat actually dared to strike him.


    He considered Noelle lucky to even be interested in someone like him! Jessica noticed Samuel''s gaze and felt a wave of jealousy. Could it be that he was interested in Noelle?


    Samuel cleared his throat. "Since everyone''s here, let''s get started with the team formations."


    Everyone quickly found their teams, but Noelle ended up without one.


    Samuel looked at Noelle with disdain. "You won''t be able to continue training or pass the assessment alone. I suggest you quit while you still can."


    "The team rules require passing the assessment, but it never said a single person can''t take it on!" Noelle had already looked into the rules.


    Samuel sneered. "The final assessment is a PK match against our official team members, and you alone won''t stand a chance."


    "How would you know? Are your official team members afraid of losing?" "Noelle, don''t think just because you''ve yed some games, you can act this arrogantly!" Samuel waspletely underestimating her.


    Noelle smiled coldly. "If you''re scared, just say so. Stop making excuses."


    "Who''s scared? Since you''re so confident, I''ll give you a chance." Samuel thought it was time to teach Noelle a lesson so a neer like her wouldn''t think she could step over him.


    Jessica mocked her with sarcasm. "Noelle, you should give up. There''s no way you''ll pass the assessment."


    Noelle didn''t even bother to respond. During the yer Kill match, Noelle barely exerted any effort and won against her opponent effortlessly.


    Samuel couldn''t stand Noelle''s arrogance and directly said, "Since you''ve got some skill, why not y against one of our official team members?"


    "Sure," Noelle replied, unafraid. When she faced off against an official team member, everyone gathered around theputers.


    Jessica, who was standing nearby, sneered. "Noelle, they''re official team members. You''re just an amateur. Don''t overestimate yourself, or you''ll end up losing badly."


    "Shut up, you gossiping witch. Who asked for your opinion?" Noelle''s tone was harsh and full of impatience.


    Jessica stomped her foot in anger. "Noelle, you''ll regret this. We''ll see how long you can stay so proud!"


    Almost everyone thought Noelle was going to lose for sure. But when the PK match began, Noelle knocked her opponent out with one move and won the match.


    Noelle''s lips curled into a smirk. "I won!"


    The crowd watching the match was stunned. They hadn''t realized it was over so quickly!


    Samuel was somewhat incredulous and looked at his team members. "What''s wrong with you? Did you let her win?"


    "Captain, I didn''t! I was just a bit careless!"


    Samuel didn''t want to admit that Noelle was really that good. He thought it was just his team member underestimating her.


    He turned to Noelle. "Let''s do it again!"


    Noelle took off her headphones, stood up, and said, "I won. That''s the result."


    Why should she y again just because he asked? She wasn''t going to humor him.


    Jessica said mockingly, "Noelle, are you too scared for a rematch? You only won thatst round because he got careless!"

 Chapter 248

    Samuel took the initiative and said, "I''ll take you on this time! Are you up for it?"


    "Alright, but if you lose, you''ll have to apologize for harassing me outside the restroom earlier." Her gaze was cold and dark, carrying an oppressive air.


    Samuel''s face faltered for a moment. "What are you talking about? When did I harass you?"


    Jessica chimed in, "Exactly, Noelle. Don''t think you can nder someone just because you''re a little attractive!"


    Noelle clicked her tongue twice. "So, you''re scared? If you''re too cowardly to admit it, just say so!"


    "Who said I''m scared? Fine, we''ll make a bet. But if you lose, you''ll apologize for locking everyone''s phones!"


    Samuel was confident he would win. A small smile flickered in Noelle''s eyes. "Alright, I''m in!"


    She sat back down and put her headphones on. Most of the crowd sided with Samuel, certain that Noelle would lose.


    As the match began, Samuel grinned. "To make it fair, I won''t pick my best character, so no one can say I''m bullying you."


    Noelle didn''t bother responding. She quicklyunched abo and defeated Samuel! Though it did take a few more seconds than thest match.


    The crowd was once again stunned. If the first win was because the team member was careless, what was the exnation this time?


    Noelle was going against the team captain-the one with the most experience and skills!


    Samuel stared at her in disbelief. "This is impossible!"


    Noelle smiled faintly. "If you switch to your best character, I''ll make sure you lose so thoroughly that there''ll be no way for you to deny it!"


    Samuel gritted his teeth and switched to his strongest character. He refused to believe such nonsense!


    The second round began.


    Noelle watched Samuel charge toward her and said coldly, "You''re not cut out for this closebat character. Your brain and reflexes can''t keep up."


    Samuel snapped back, "Stop talking rubbish! You have no right to lecture me!" Seizing the opportunity, Noellended abo and ended the match.


    Samuel mmed his keyboard. "Impossible! Something''s wrong here!" He couldn''t believe it; Noelle had beaten him so easily!


    Noelle stood up. "It''s not your fault. I shouldn''t havee to the newbie area and dominated, but I''m trying out for the national team, so I''m sorry to everyone!"


    "Noelle, shut up!" Samuel''s pride was shattered. This was impossible!


    "Now, it''s your turn to apologize. A bet''s a bet."


    Samuel''s face twisted in displeasure. He had never expected to lose! He didn''t want to apologize.


    Jessica immediately spoke up, "Noelle, don''t go too far. We''re all ssmates here!"


    "But everyone heard the bet," Noelle shot back. "If you can''t afford to lose, don''t bet!"


    At this point, Samuel felt like he was being roasted alive, his cheeks aze with humiliation. Finally, he muttered, "Sorry."


    Noelle smiled with satisfaction. "That''s more like it. If this happens again, it won''t be as simple as an apology."


    Samuel''s expression darkened at her words. This bitch!


    Meanwhile, some of the girls in the room exchanged nces. Samuel had a reputation for being handsy, but no one expected him to be taken down by a freshman.


    Just then, one of the team members said, "I heard Noelle is really good withputers. Do you think she used cheats?"


    Jessica added, "Exactly. Noelle must''ve used cheats. How else could she beat the captain?"


    Others murmured in agreement. After all, Noelle was just a neer. How could she possibly defeat the captain, who was pursuing a professional career?


    Samuel finally caught on. "So it seems you''ve cheated, Noelle!"

 Chapter 249

    Noelle found the whole twist of events utterly amusing. She said with a mocking glint in her eyes, "You''re just making excuses because you''re not good enough. Maybe you should go back and practice!"


    "Noelle, you definitely cheated! I''ve never even seen you y games at school, and you don''t even have aputer! How could you possibly be that good?


    Jessica''s confidence surged as if she''d found a crack in the armor. "Since you used cheats, the previous match doesn''t count!"


    Samuel immediately picked up on this. "Right! It doesn''t count! Let''s rematch!"


    How could someone like Noelle, a neer, possibly defeat him? There must have been something wrong.


    Noelle sneered. "No need for all this trouble. Whether I used cheats or not, the assessment for the team will prove everything."


    "Noelle, you used cheats and still want to participate in the assessment?"


    "But do you have any proof? I don''t have time to waste with you." Noelle''s voice was t, and her gaze was dismissive.


    Samuel shot back coldly, "Fine, we''ll wait for the weekend''s assessment. If you lose, you''ll kneel and apologize publicly!"


    "And if you lose, you''ll do the same, too!" Noelle''szy lift of her eyelids oozed arrogance.


    Samuel agreed without hesitation. "Fine, but don''t regret it!"


    By then, even if Noelle had decent skill, there was no way she could beat an entire team. He was already looking forward to watching her lose and kneel in apology.


    Noelle turned and left the team base. She wouldn''t have stayed in this chaotic team if it weren''t for the national team tryouts.


    "Wait, Noelle!"


    She turned around to see two girls running after her. "What''s up?"


    "Thank you for speaking up for us earlier. We all support you!"


    Noelle guessed that Samuel was probably not a first-time offender and had likely treated other girls the same way before. She smiled. "It was nothing."


    If she ran into someone like him, she definitely wouldn''t let them off easily. With someone like Samuel as the captain, who knew how many other girls he had harmed?


    After eating, she returned to the dorm and saw Jessica sitting in front of theputer practicing. Grace was also online and was clearly much better than Jessica, the neer.


    After Jessica''s character died, she immediately startedining. "Grace, it''s your fault. Why didn''t youe to save me?"


    Grace adjusted her sses. "Sorry about that."


    Noelle sneered, and Jessica immediately stood up. "What''s your problem, Noelle? You''re mocking me, aren''t you?"


    "If you think so, then yes," Noelle responded nonchntly.


    "Don''t think you''re all that just because you used cheats. You''re probably not even as good as me. Samuel is a professional, and he''s really good.


    "I can''t wait to see you get arrogant for a few more days. The assessment is on


    Saturday night, and by then, you''ll be apologizing on the floor!"


    Jessica was certain Noelle must have used cheats to be that good.


    Noelle''s tone remained calm as she responded, "Samuel is no good."


    "Noelle, you''re just jealous that he cares about me more, right? You tried to hook up with him, but he rejected you, so now you''re using him of harassment.


    "I''ve seen girls like you before. A country bumpkin will always just be a country bumpkin!"


    Upon seeing that Jessica was so stubborn, Noelle stopped trying to argue. It was useless to reason with someone who was so determined to stay ignorant.


    After finishing her personal care routine, Noelley in bed and searched for updates on Samantha''s bullying incident. The trending topic had long since disappeared, and it had even be a prohibited term!


    It seemed the Merlock family spent a lot of money to cover this up. However, the family of the deceased continued to call for justice online, saying that the police had imed that the photos and videos exposed on the inte had been photoshopped and couldn''t be used as evidence.


    After reading this, Noelle hacked into Samantha''s phone again and reposted the exact same content on Instagram. "Hah! The lower-ss rubbish thinks they can sue me!"


    She also set up several virtual IP addresses overseas to post the videos and photos.


    "The truth should not be hidden."


    "Samantha should be imprisoned for bullying a ssmate to death!"


    The Samantha bullying incident quickly became a trending topic again. After


    posting the messages, Noelle knew her IP address would soon be traced, so she had already taken precautions for this situation.

 Chapter 250

    They would never find Noelle!


    Since the Merlock family was trying to suppress the videos and photos to control public opinion, she wasn''t going to back down. She would make sure those files were leaked online, forcing the Merlocks to try to delete them endlessly.


    Noelle thought of how Samantha and Xenia had schemed for her. Now, only Xenia remained. She knew she couldn''t restore the deleted videos by herself, but she had to get her hands on that video evidence.


    After a lot of hesitation, Noelle logged into a tform she hadn''t visited in years. She used to enjoy exploring the dark web and learning new things. In fact, the firewall system for Donovan''spany had been created after brainstorming with contacts from the dark web.


    However, Donovan despised people from that world, so she''d never told him about her connections.


    She had almost been discovered once, and she''d severed all ties with them after that, never logging into the tform again. Since she was no longer connected to the Liddell family, she didn''t need to worry about that anymore.


    Noelle quickly posted a bounty. "Looking for J''s contact information!"


    J was someone she''d known a long time ago¡ªthey were highly skilled. But after so many years, she wasn''t sure if they still used this tform.


    She posted the bounty publicly, hoping they would see it. Would they help her for old times'' sake?


    The news spread quickly across the dark web.


    At a private club, Alfred approached Cedric, cing his phone in front of him. "Someone''s looking for you!"


    Cedric nced at the username of the poster, ''MM Bean,'' and found it vaguely familiar.


    "The codename ''J'' is from ages ago, isn''t it? Why would anyone still use it to look for you?


    "Could it be some unresolved romantic debt of yours, Cedric?" Alfred teased.


    Cedric thought for a moment. "Come to think of it, there was someone like that. Young but exceptionally talented, always asking basic questions on the dark web."


    "Yeah, that kid even wanted to be your apprentice, but then they just disappeared and never showed up again."


    Cedric looked at the post and felt a twinge of curiosity. Why had that person disappeared back then? Did something happen?


    At the time, he''d been impulsive, teaching the kid a lot, worried they might take the wrong path.


    Cedric logged into the tform and sent a private message to the kid. "You''ve been gone all these years. What do you need me for now?"


    Noelle kept her phone close, afraid of missing any messages. When she heard the notification, she quickly opened it and saw he had actually replied to her.


    A surge of excitement rushed through her as she typed. "I need your help with something!"


    "Let''s hear it."


    Upon seeing his response, Cedric couldn''t help but wonder if the kid had gotten into trouble.


    Noelle quickly replied, "I need help restoring a deleted surveince video. I have the original data."


    "What''s in the footage?"


    "Evidence of a friend being harmed. It could help put the perpetrator in jail!"


    Cedric read the message carefully. "Send it over. Let me take a look."


    Noelle immediately packaged the surveince data and sent it to him.


    Cedric brought out hisputer and opened the files she had sent. His brows furrowed slightly. "Isn''t this the surveince footage from the second floor of that bar?"


    "It really is. Weren''t you trying to get that footage before, but the Merlock family deleted it? You thought backing up the data for recovery might work, but then the data just vanished.


    "And now it''s here. Who is this ''MM Bean,'' anyway?"


    Cedric''s expression grew more serious as he studied the video files on the screen. This ''MM Bean'' definitely knew Noelle, but what exactly was their rtionship?

 Chapter 251

    After sending the data, Noelle hesitantly asked, "Can it be restored?"


    Cedric replied, "Yes, but since this video involves a crime, it must be handed over to you in person."


    Noelle pondered for a moment and immediately agreed. "No problem. When will it be ready?"


    "By Saturday at thetest."


    "See you Saturday then."


    Seeing his assurance that the video could be restored, a small smile tugged at Noelle''s lips. Once she had the video, Xenia''s days would be numbered. She couldn''t let this anger go unacknowledged!


    Meanwhile, Cedric sat quietly, staring at the data on hisputer, a sense of unease creeping in.


    "Cedric, do you think this ''MM Bean'' could be Nelly?"


    "Why would you think that?"


    "I heard about something at Yole University. A freshman was smeared with fake rumors, and she locked the haters'' phones. Even theputer science professors couldn''t crack the code she wrote. Isn''t that impressive?"


    Cedric''s eyes narrowed slightly. "Don''t tell me that person is Noelle?"


    "Exactly! That''s why I suspect MM Bean is her!"


    Cedric hadn''t expected Noelle to be so skilled, but if she truly was MM Bean, it wasn''t surprising, given how much he''d taught her.


    He nced at Alfred. "Let''s get to work. This video needs to be restored before Friday."


    Whether MM Bean was Noelle or not, Cedric was determined to recover the surveince footage.


    Friday arrived quickly. After waking up, Noelle left her dormitory. She was heading to meet J and retrieve the restored video.


    However, as she approached the school gate, Frank stopped her and handed her a luxury-brand gift bag.


    "Noelle, I heard about what happened to you at the bar with Samantha. If you want to pursue this, I''ll hire the bestwyer for you!"


    "Are you sure?" Noelle nced at Frank with a faint smile. "What if Xenia was involved, too? Will yourwyer go after her as well?"


    Frank hesitated for a moment. Finally, he spoke, "Noelle, I''ve talked with Xenia. You must know about the case where Samantha bullied a ssmate to death, right? That''s the kind of person she is.


    "Xenia had her difficulties and didn''t dare to intervene at the time. But she definitely didn''t work with Samantha to harm you."


    Noelle wasn''t surprised by Frank''s exnation at all. She let out a soft, hollowugh, but her eyes remained cold.


    Noelle then shoved the luxury gift bag back into Frank''s hands. "The Liddell family never fails to disgust me!"


    "Noelle, I know you don''t like Xenia, but the surveince footage from that night was deleted. There''s no evidence to prove Xenia was involved. I can''t hold her responsible without proof."


    "You want proof? You''ll get it soon enough." Her gaze darkened as she stepped into a waiting taxi, leaving without another word.


    Frank stared at the gift bag on the ground, a bitter smile on his face. Both Noelle and Xenia were dear to him, but without concrete evidence, how could he use Xenia?


    "Frank, I was asleep earlier and missed your call, so I came outte. I know which dorm building Noelle lives in, and I can take you there, but she probably won''t acknowledge you."


    Noticing the gift bag that was still in his hands, Xenia added, "So, you''ve seen her? What did she say about what happened at the bar that night?"


    In truth, Xenia was feeling a little guilty. But with the Merlock family having deleted


    the surveince footage, as long as she didn''t admit anything, there was no way they could pin the me on her!


    Frank adjusted his tie and deliberately said, "She said she''s found evidence from that night at the bar."


    What? Xenia''s expression shifted to panic instantly. That was impossible!


    The Merlock family had deleted the surveince footage. There was no way they left any loose ends.


    Without saying another word, Frank walked toward his car.


    Xenia quickly followed. "Frank, are you nning to go after Noelle? Let mee with you! I''m worried she might do something drastic."


    Frank gave her a long, piercing look. "Get in the car."


    A flicker of satisfaction crossed Xenia''s eyes. She needed to find out what evidence Noelle imed to have so she could prepare a countermeasure in advance. However, deep down, she was certain Noelle was bluffing!

 Chapter 252

    Meanwhile, Noelle arrived at the designated cafe by taxi. It was still early, and the streets only had a few pedestrians.


    Noelle entered the cafe and spotted a figure with aptop. That must be J-he had mentioned bringing one.


    She took a deep breath and walked over, but as she got closer, the figure seemed oddly familiar.


    When Noelle sat down and looked at the face before her, she froze. "Cedric, why are you here?"


    "Why, are you surprised to see me? I didn''t expect you to be someone who liked seeking out mentors back then."


    As soon as Cedric saw Noelle walk in, he had a feeling it was her.


    "But I didn''t expect you to be J."


    The revtion took herpletely by surprise.


    Cedric stood up. "Since you''re here early, have something to eat first."


    He ordered milk and a small cake for her.


    However, Noelle wasn''t in the mood for food. Her eyes were fixed on hisptop. "Is the surveince video really restored?"


    "It is," Cedric replied calmly. "But eat first. The video isn''t going anywhere, and neither is the culprit."


    Noelle took a couple of bites of the cake and said, "If I had known you were J, I would''vee to you sooner."


    "You knew it could be dangerous. Why didn''t you tell me?"


    "I didn''t want to drag you into this. Besides, you''re leaving in a few days. This kind of mess would only disrupt your life."


    Noelle didn''t want Cedric to offend those powerful people because of her.


    Cedric understood, but there was still something he couldn''t tell her his true identity.


    He opened hisptop. "Here''s the surveince video."


    Noelle nced at the footage, and sure enough, it showed the moment when Xenia sprayed something on her. It also captured Samantha''s involvement, including when she ordered the bodyguards to grab her.


    Noelle smiled faintly. "Thanks."


    This evidence couldn''t havee at a better time.


    Just then, Frank strode over with a dark expression. "Noelle, why are you still in contact with this school doctor?"


    He hadn''t expected to see Noelle so at ease with Cedric,ughing and talking like old friends.


    Xenia followed closely behind, putting on a concerned face. "Noelle, Frank only wants the best for you. There are so many promising young men in Yasnia. Why settle for a poor school doctor?"


    Noelle picked up the small cake and mmed it directly into her face.


    She might as well settle both old and new grudges at once.


    Xenia screamed, "Noelle, what are you doing?"


    Noelle''s eyes glinted coldly. "Compared to what you sprayed on me at the bar that night, this small cake is practically a gift!"


    "I don''t know what nonsense you''re spouting. When did I ever spray anything on you?"


    Xenia felt a pang of guilt, but there was no way she would admit it.


    The Merlocks had deleted the surveince footage-there was no way Noelle could have any evidence!


    But Frank pressed further, "Noelle, are you saying Xenia sprayed something on you at the bar?"


    "That''s right. Everyone knows what that stuff was. Samantha was there too¡ªshe even sent bodyguards to grab me. If it weren''t for Cedric, you''d be looking at a version of me who had been drugged, sexually assaulted, and filmed!"


    Noelle''s eyes, dark and full of rage, bore into Xenia with a chilling intensity.


    Frank turned to Xenia, his voice sharp. "Why didn''t you tell me about any of this?"


    "Frank, I didn''t do anything like that! Noelle is making this up. She''s always disliked me and can''t wait to see me driven out of the Liddell family!" Xenia maintained her pitiful act, though her face, smeared with cake, made her look utterly ridiculous.


    Frank''s expression darkened. "I''m asking you onest time. Are Noelle''s usations true or not?"


    "They''re not true! Noelle is lying! She has no evidence!" Xenia wiped the cake off her face, looking frantic, but refusing to confess.


    "Who says I don''t have evidence? I recovered the deleted surveince footage!"


    Noelle spun theptop around and yed the restored video.


    The moment Xenia saw the footage, a wave of despair washed over her.


    It was over.


    Completely over.

 Chapter 253

    Noelle stood by theputer, her gaze cold as she watched Frank reacting to the video.


    A sarcastic smile yed on her lips. "Did you see clearly? This is the evidence you wanted!"


    For years, she had been schemed against and ndered by Xenia, unable to find any real proof. Over time, it became the story of the boy who cried wolf, and her brothers no longer believed her.


    In that moment, Noelle couldn''t help but feel a vengeful satisfaction.


    Frank watched the surveince video, his eyes fixated on the moment when Xenia sprayed something at Noelle. It felt like a hard blow to his mind.


    He struggled to maintain hisposure, his body trembling as he slowly turned to look at Xenia.


    Frank was speechless for a long time. He couldn''t believe his eyes-how could Xenia have done this?


    His expression darkened, eyes cold with fury. "Xenia, the evidence is right in front of you. What more is there to exin?"


    He had never imagined that Xenia would go so far as to harm Noelle.


    Xenia''s face turned pale with fear. She hadn''t expected Noelle to have restored the surveince footage.


    How could this be? How had Noelle managed to do that?


    How was she supposed to exin herself now?


    Xenia stammered, "F-Frank, I-I was forced by Samantha..."


    "You''re still making up more lies?"


    Frank pped Xenia across the face, the sound sharp and final. "I gave you a chance earlier. Why didn''t you speak then?"


    Only did Xenia finally admit the truth after Noelle revealed the surveince footage. That meant she had been lying all along.


    After the p, Xenia saw the disgust on Frank''s face, and fear rushed through her. She couldn''t afford to lose the trust of the Liddell brothers.


    Shaking with terror, she fell to her knees. "I-I was just too scared earlier. I couldn''t afford to offend Samantha. I had to do as she said!"


    "Xenia, I don''t even know if what you''re saying now is the truth or just another lie!"


    In that moment, Frank finally saw Xenia for what she truly was.


    All the terrible things she had said about Noelle had they all been lies? Had Noelle never done any of those things? Was it all just nder from Xenia?


    The realization shattered Frank''s heart. What kind of life had Noelle been living all these years?


    Xenia immediately copsed to the ground, begging for mercy. "Frank, I really was forced! You know Samantha''s temper, and she was being investigated for bullying a ssmate to death. I was afraid she''d do the same to me!"


    "You were afraid Samantha would bully you, so you let her bully Noelle instead?"


    Frank''s voice cracked with desperation as he asked, "Xenia, since the day we brought you back into the Liddell family, have we ever wronged you? If Noelle has something, you''d have it too! Why would you do this?"


    They were family, yet Xenia had hurt Noelle.


    Xenia was scolded harshly, and in a panic, she held onto Frank''s legs. "I was forced into this, Frank. You have to believe me!"


    "Get off!"


    Frank kicked Xenia away, his voice filled with disgust. "Don''t call me Frank anymore. You don''t deserve it!"


    Noelle, who had been watching this unfold, couldn''t help but feel a sense of satisfaction.


    It was spectacr.


    She had waited for this day for so long.


    Frank looked at Noelle, his face filled with deep guilt. "Noelle, I''m truly sorry. I was wrong all along."


    This time, he genuinely understood his mistake.


    When Noelle saw Frank''s apologetic expression, all she felt was mockery.


    She replied coldly, "But I don''t ept your apology."

 Chapter 254

    "Noelle, I know the pain you''ve suffered over the years. I don''t expect you to forgive me, but I hope you can at least give me a chance to make things right."


    Cedric couldn''t hold back any longer and scoffed coldly. "Noelle has been living ten times better since leaving your Liddell family.


    "You''re asking her to go back to the Liddell residence and live a miserable life? Dream on!"


    "No, as long as Noellees back, everything will be different from before!"


    Noelle smiled coldly as she took out a USB drive, copied a video onto it, and handed it to Frank.


    Her voice was cold as she said, "Keep it, and watch it at your leisure. I''m heading to the police station to file a report now. I won''t let anyone involved in hurting me that day off the hook."


    She exposed Xenia, but it wasn''t in hopes of returning to the Liddell family.


    Frank clutched the USB drive in his hand, it felt as heavy as a thousand pounds.


    Xenia, kneeling before Noelle, pleaded, "Noelle, please forgive me just this once for the sake of our past. I was forced by Samantha!"


    "Do you think I''m stupid? Why should everything be forgiven just because you apologize?"


    Noelle looked down at Xenia. It was rare to see her kneel for once. In her previous life, she too had begged them before being kicked out.


    "Then what do you want me to do? I''ll do anything to calm you down!"


    Noelle pinched Xenia''s chin, her voice icy. "I just want to report this to the police.


    You can look forward to your prison sentence."


    She would make sure Xenia went to jail no matter how long it took.


    After pushing Xenia away, Noelle left the cafe.


    Xenia anxiously looked at Frank and the USB drive in his hand. "Frank, I know I''ve made a mistake. I realize it now. Can you forgive me just this once?"


    "Forgive you? Didn''t I give you a chance? You just didn''t take it!"


    Frank slipped the USB into his pocket, his expression cold. "I''ll give it to Donovan


    so everyone knows the truth about what Noelle went through."


    It was time for Donovan to know about the grievances Noelle had suffered.


    "No, no! Frank, please, I beg you. Just this once! I''ll never do it again!"


    Panic overtook Xenia. She hadn''t expected Noelle to restore the surveince footage and catch her off guard!


    If the other brothers found out about the contents of the video, it would be the end of her.


    Without the Liddell family name, she would have nothing.


    Xenia looked at Frank''s back. At that moment, she even wished he would get into a car ident and die right there.


    That way, the USB would never fall into Donovan''s hands.


    Xenia stumbled as she rushed after him. "Frank, you promised to treat me like your real sister. Is it because I made one mistake that you can''t forgive me? Am I not as important as a real sister to you?"


    Frank stood by the car, gasping with anger from Xenia''s words.


    He leaned against the car door and his cold eyes fixed on her. "So, you swear you''ve only hurt Noelle this one time?"


    Xenia immediately felt guilty but quickly retorted with righteous indignation, "Yes, only this once, and it''s all Samantha''s fault! I''m the victim here!"


    "Xenia, you''re lost for good!"


    Frank had finallye to his senses and saw through Xenia''s maniption. All he felt now was disappointment and rage.


    The Xenia he had always treated as a little sister turned out to be a viin who had taken advantage of him.


    As he prepared to get into the car, he suddenly felt dizzy. Before he could react, everything went ck, and he copsed to the ground.


    Seeing this, Xenia cautiously approached. "Frank, what''s wrong?"


    When she saw Frank had passed out, a smile spread across her face.


    Fate was on her side!


    She quickly grabbed the USB drive.


    However, Noelle still had another copy of the video, and if it got into the police''s


    hands, Donovan would find out too.


    What should she do?


    She had to destroy the surveince footage!


    In a panic, Xenia pulled out her phone and dialed a number. "Hello, I need your help with something."

 Chapter 255

    "My baby daughter, what''s the matter?"


    Xenia gripped the phone and made her request. "I need you to help me destroy a piece of surveince footage. Go to the police station and steal it."


    "Did you leave behind any evidence? I can help you, but you blocked mest time, and that really hurt."


    "Enough with the talk! Help me this one time, and I won''t block you again. I''ll make sure you get something out of it."


    Xenia was desperate. The only person she could think of was this man who imed to be her father, though his background remained unclear.


    It didn''t matter if he was truly her father-if he could help her, then she''d use him. "No problem. I''ll take care of it."


    The call ended, and Xenia immediately deleted the call history.


    She checked on Frank''s breathing, then quickly dialed Donovan''s number. Her voice wasced with fake sobs. "Donovan, something bad happened to Frank!"


    "What happened? Don''t cry, calm down."


    "Frank came to check on Noelle earlier, asking about her at school. They got into an argument, and Frank fainted from anger. What should I do?"


    Xenia cried on the other end of the line, her voice full of distress.


    Donovan''s tone turned sharp. "Call 911 first, and give me the address."


    After hanging up, Xenia wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes, amazed at her own acting skills.


    She turned and looked at Frank, a mocking smile spreading across her face.


    As long as the video was destroyed, no one would believe anything Frank said. After all, Donovan still hated Noelle and would only believe her side of the story. She wasn''t going to give up easily.


    Meanwhile, Noelle was at the police station with Cedric.


    She was in an unusually good mood. She nced around at the car they were in. "You got a new car? It''s different from the one we were inst time."


    "It''s a friend''s car."


    Noelle nodded. "By the way, what have you been doing since you arrived in Yasnia? You haven''t been chasing girls all this time, have you?"


    Cedric''s grip tightened on the steering wheel as he gave a vague answer. "Not chasing anymore."


    "Why not?"


    Noelle looked at him, surprised. She felt a little pleased to hear his response. Her mood shifted, bing a bit moreplicated.


    Cedric cleared his throat. "Do I need a reason?"


    "Yes, for example, have you fallen for someone else, suddenly thinking other girls are good too? After all, there are so many good girls!"


    Noelle''s words hung in the air, her gaze drifting as she realized she might have said the wrong thing.


    After the incident at the bar, she and Cedric had grown closer, though they hadn''t taken that final step. She had even secretly touched his firm abs. He might appear lean, but without clothes, he was well-built.


    As Cedric''s car stopped at a red light, he turned to look at her. Her pale skin, almond-shaped eyes filled with anticipation and a hint of caution¡ªit all caught his attention.


    He gazed at her, and in that moment, his once iron-cold heart softened, almost melting.


    A faint smile curled at the corner of his lips. "You''re right, there are many good girls."


    Noelle''s heart skipped a beat. Did he just admit it? Her face flushed for a brief moment.


    What did thatment mean?


    Suddenly, Noelle looked up and saw a van swerving out of control, heading straight toward them!


    Time seemed to slow down.


    "Cedric, watch out!" she screamed.


    Cedric saw the van speeding toward them and instinctively swerved the steering wheel, positioning himself to shield Noelle in the passenger seat.


    "Bang!"


    Noelle felt like her ears were sted with sound, and her body was nearly thrown out of her seat. Luckily, the seatbelt held her tightly in ce.

 Chapter 256

    Noelle felt dizzy, her vision spinning, nausea rising in her throat, and a loud buzzing in her ears.


    She felt like she was about to lose consciousness. However, in her foggy state, she noticed someone moving around beside her, rummaging through things.


    She slowly opened her eyes, but everything in front of her was a blur of red. She saw someone take theputer from her side.


    She tried to stop them, but she had no strength left. All she could do was watch helplessly as the person stole it.


    She turned and saw Cedric slumped over the steering wheel, blood dripping from his head.


    "Cedric, wake up!"


    But ultimately, Noelle lost consciousness. She couldn''t shake the thought that she''d caused trouble for Cedric.


    What seemed like an ordinary car ident had caused a huge stir in the Greene family!


    "Greene family Heir Suspected of Cheating, Involved in Car ident with New Lover!"


    The news quickly made its way to the entertainment headlines, only to be swiftly removed.


    When Noelle woke up, she was surrounded by the strong scent of disinfectant. She realized she was in a hospital.


    Alfred sighed in relief. "Nelly, you''re awake. Are you feeling okay?"


    "Where''s Cedric? How is he?" Noelle only remembered that he had been hurt worse than she had.


    "He''s fine, nothing serious. Just don''t move too much. You''re on an IV."


    "I want to see him!"


    Noelle insisted, unwilling to rx until she saw him for herself.


    "Not yet."


    "Why? Is Cedric seriously hurt? Are you hiding it from me?" The thought made Noelle even more anxious.


    Alfred gently held her down. "Have you been watching too many dramas? It''s really nothing major, but his family is here. It wouldn''t be appropriate for you to see him right now.


    "After all, you were both in the car ident, and it could cause some misunderstandings."


    After the ident, the Greene family had turned the hospital upside down, looking for the culprit!


    Thankfully, Alfred had arrived early enough and separated Noelle and Cedric, preventing her from being dragged into further trouble.


    Noelle felt a bit guilty. "He was hurt... I feel responsible."


    "It was an ident, it''s not your fault. The thing is, Cedric''s blind date was arranged by his family. Since you were both in the ident, people might misunderstand. It''s not the right time for you to meet his family."


    With Cedric''s family around, it wasn''t appropriate for Noelle to show up. Realizing this, Noelle reluctantly gave up the idea of seeing him right away. "Nelly, once his family leaves, I''ll make sure to take you to see him." "Okay."


    Since Alfred had said so, Noelle decided to wait.


    Then she suddenly realized something. "This wasn''t an ident. it was intentional."


    "Intentional? Do you think your enemies did this?"


    Alfred thought it might be Cedric''s enemies¡ªmaybe rivals from the mall, or


    people who had failed in theirpetition and gone bankrupt.


    Noelle nodded. "Someone took theputer, and it had the surveince footage from the bar that night."


    "Wait... If that''s the case, they really were targeting you. That narrows down the investigation."


    Noelle smirked. "It''s Xenia!"


    After all, if any of her brothers saw that video, Xenia''s pure and innocent image she carefully crafted would be shattered.


    She would be the one most eager to destroy the footage.


    "Besides Xenia, the Merlock family is also suspicious. The driver hasn''t been found yet, and only the Merlocks have the power to pull something like this off!"


    "You''re right. Xenia probably doesn''t have such a bigwork in Yasnia, so maybe she told someone from the Merlock family. The Merlock family might have acted to protect Samantha."


    Noelle hadn''t expected the Merlock family to be so ruthless. They had actually wanted to take her life!


    "But since theputer was stolen, and if there''s no backup, the evidence is probably destroyed."


    "No, I made a copy and gave it to Frank!"

 Chapter 257

    Noelle thought for a moment before looking at Alfred. "How long have I been unconscious?"


    "One day. The ident happened yesterday."


    "Then the Liddell family should have seen the video by now!"


    Noelle wanted to ask Frank for the video evidence back. She pulled out her phone


    and dialed Frank''s number, but it went unanswered.


    What was going on? Why wasn''t he picking up?


    Not ready to give up, she dialed again, and this time the call connected.


    But to her surprise, it was Xenia''s voice on the other end. "Hello, Noelle, what do you want with Frank?"


    "Why is his phone with you?"


    "Isn''t it because of what you said? It made him so angry he fainted and ended up in the hospital. He hasn''t woken up yet."


    Noelle''s voice turned icy. "Did the USB drive fall into your hands? Did you team up with the Merlock family to steal theputer?"


    "What USB drive? Whatputer? I don''t know what you''re talking about. I''m hanging up now."


    Xenia ended the call, a sly smile ying at the corner of her lips. Even if Noelle figured it out now, it wouldn''t matter. The video was long gone.


    However, as Xenia turned away, she saw that Frank had already regained consciousness.


    She froze, her smile faltering. "Frank, when did you wake up?"


    "When you denied taking the USB drive."


    Frank was in a hospital gown, and his voice was cold as he demanded, "Where''s the USB drive?"


    "Frank, can''t you forgive me this time? I was the one who saved you when you fainted on the street!" Xenia persisted, still hoping to sway him.


    "Give me the USB drive, and then I''ll consider it."


    "No, you''d just show it to Donovan and the others, right?"


    Frank''s expression darkened. "If you''re innocent, why are you afraid of Donovan knowing?"


    "Frank, my dad saved Noelle''s life. He died when he went back to rescue your parents. You can''t do this to me!"


    "Without your father, you wouldn''t have even had the chance to join the Liddell family. Give me the USB drive now."


    Xenia realized that no matter how much she yed the victim, Frank wasn''t going to be moved.


    Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed someone outside the door. She said softly, "I''ve already destroyed the USB drive."


    Frank pped her across the face. "Who gave you the right to do that?"


    "Frank, I really didn''t hurt Noelle! Why won''t you believe me?"


    Suddenly, Xenia burst into tears, using him. At that moment, Donovan entered the room and saw Xenia covering her face. "Frank, why did you hit Xenia?"


    "Donovan, don''t you know what Xenia has done? A few days ago, Noelle almost had an ident at the bar. She and Samantha teamed up, and she even drugged Noelle!"


    Xenia, still sobbing, defended herself, "Donovan, I really didn''t do any of that." "Xenia, how dare you deny it? You were at the bar, and there were witnesses!" "I¡ªI did go to the bar, but Noelle offended Samantha. Ms. Merlock forced her to drink two sses of alcohol. There was no drugging, no kidnapping!"


    Frank couldn''t believe his ears. He never imagined Xenia''s acting skills could be so convincing.


    Donovan frowned and said, "Frank, how could Xenia do such a thing?" "Donovan, are you implying that Noelle is lying?"


    "Noelle has lied to get our attention since she was a child, hasn''t she? Plus, you have no evidence!"


    Frank forced a bitter smile. "Who said there''s no evidence? Noelle restored the bar''s surveince footage, and I saw it with my own eyes. How could it be fake?"


    Donovan was stunned. "If you say there''s a surveince video, then show it to me."


    "After I fainted, the USB drive was taken by Xenia."


    "Frank, I didn''t take the USB drive!"

 Chapter 258

    Xenia''s eyes reddened, and she forced a bitter smile. "Frank, If you are so certain it''s me, then fine, I''ll take the me. After all, who else could it be? None of you would dare make trouble for Samantha!"


    Frank gritted his teeth, holding back the urge to curse out loud.


    Donovan rubbed his temples and spoke up. "Frank, are you saying you have no evidence? I know you''ve been favoring Noelle recently, but you can''t just use Xenia without proof."


    Frank almost choked with frustration.


    He wasn''t using Xenia without reason he had seen the evidence with his own eyes! But without concrete proof, he couldn''t say a word.


    For the first time, he truly understood what it had felt like for Noelle when she was wrongfully used. It was suffocating!


    Frank took a deep breath to calm himself, saying, "Aside from what I''ve seen, Noelle also has the surveince video. She even filed a report at the police station yesterday. If you want evidence, go to the police!"


    Even if Xenia kept denying it now, the truth wouldn''t stay hidden for long.


    Donovan nodded. "Very well, I''ll have someone look into this right away. The truth wille out."


    Frank turned to Xenia. "Do you really need everythingid out in front of you before you admit it and kneel to apologize?"


    "Frank, I know you''ve always wanted me to return to our hometown and retake my exams. It''s my fault for not listening to you, and I understand you''re upset with me.


    "But I swear, I won''tpete with Noelle for anything if I stay in Yasnia. You don''t have to use this excuse to force me away!"


    Xenia kept her head lowered, looking hurt and aggrieved.


    Donovan quickly interrupted, "Xenia, don''t worry about Frank. I''m the one who decided you shouldn''t go back to retake your exams."


    "Donovan, I''ve always felt like an outsider. Now that I''m an adult, it''s true-l shouldn''t keep imposing on the Liddell family!"


    "What nonsense! Since I decided to adopt you, you''re my sister, Xenia, no matter what!"


    Frank was so frustrated he nearly spat blood. "Donovan, do you even see Xenia for who she really is? She''s maniptive, and we''ve all been fooled by her!"


    That was why Noelle left the Liddell family so decisively!


    Xenia''s acting was so convincing that even he had been deceived for years.


    "Frank, I only believe in evidence," Donovan replied firmly.


    While they waited, Xenia took it upon herself to wash some fruit and deliberately brought it to Frank.


    But Frank didn''t even nce at her.


    Xenia, ying the victim, returned to Donovan''s side. "Donovan, you can have it instead."


    "Alright, Xenia, there must be some misunderstanding about this situation. Don''t hold a grudge against Frank," Donovan reassured her.


    Xenia nodded obediently, but a cold glint shed in her eyes.


    See? Without evidence, no one would believe Frank.


    If Frank wouldn''t stand by her, so be it.


    Before long, Donovan''s secretary returned. "Mr. Donovan, we''ve got the information."


    "Hmm, did you retrieve the surveince footage?"


    "ording to our investigation, Noelle didn''t go to the police station to file a


    report, nor was she at school. She only requested sick leave."


    Frank straightened up. "Noelle didn''t go to the police station?"


    Impossible¡ªunless something terrible had happened!


    He turned to Xenia. "Are you behind this?"


    "Frank, since Noelle imed she had surveince evidence and nned to report


    it to the police, thest people who would want this exposed are the Merlocks, not


    me!


    "Although I was at the bar that night, I didn''t do anything. I have a clear conscience!"


    Xenia had long known about Noelle''s car ident and how herputer had been stolen and destroyed. Right now, Noelle has no evidence at all!


    She feltpletely fearless.


    Donovan nodded. "Xenia is right. It''s very likely the Merlock family is behind this."


    Frank''s expression grew serious. "There''s still evidence. The coffee shop where we met yesterday has surveince footage, with you, Xenia, kneeling and begging for mercy!"


    Xenia''s face turned deathly pale in an instant.


    Oh no, she had forgotten about that!

 Chapter 259

    "Donovan, you can send someone to retrieve the surveince footage from that coffee shop," Frank said, then turned to Xenia. "The footage will prove what I''m saying, including your kneeling and begging for mercy."


    Xenia kept her head down, her heart pounding with guilt as cold sweat beaded her forehead.


    Donovan frowned. "Frank, I''ll believe you this time, but if the footage doesn''t prove your im, don''t me me for doubting you."


    "Fine." Frank asked coldly, "Xenia, are you still refusing to tell the truth?"


    "Frank, I''ve been telling the truth," Xenia replied, avoiding his gaze. Admitting anything was out of the question.


    If the footage really were retrieved, she''d need an excuse. Having already lost Frank''s trust, she couldn''t afford to lose Donovan''s as well.


    Maybe she should contact that person once more.


    Xenia picked up the fruit tray. "Donovan, I''ll go wash some more fruit."


    "Stop right there!" Frank snapped. "Until the coffee shop footage is retrieved, you''re not leaving this room. I don''t want you contacting the Merlock family to tamper with it!"


    Frank knew Xenia didn''t have the means herself, but the Merlocks did.


    Xenia had no choice but to stay put, her anxiety building with each passing second.


    Soon, Donovan''s phone rang. It was his secretary.


    "Have you retrieved the surveince footage?


    "What? The coffee shop caught firest night, and all the surveince footage was destroyed?"


    Donovan couldn''t help but feel something was off.


    Xenia finally breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing the news.


    The shop was burned? Good. She had narrowly escaped this disaster!


    Had that man acted, or was it the Merlock family? Either way, she was safe now.


    Noticing Frank''s piercing gaze, Xenia flinched. "Frank, you don''t think it was me, do you? You were sickst night, and I stayed at the hospital taking care of you. Besides, I wouldn''t daremit arson!"


    "You couldn''t do it, but the Merlocks could!" Frank snapped. "You definitely contacted someone from the Merlock family. Otherwise, how would they know about the surveince footage so early?"


    He pulled out his phone. "Even though the coffee shop''s footage is gone, there is still a witness!"


    He yed a video of the coffee shop server.


    Xenia''s heart skipped a beat. This couldn''t be happening!


    The server said in the video, "I saw four people arguing there yesterday. One of


    the girls took out aptop and seemed to open some surveince footage. Another girl then knelt and begged for mercy, as if she had done something wrong and been caught red-handed."


    Xenia nearly copsed, her entire body shaking.


    Frank''s eyes bore into her. "What do you have to say now?"


    Xenia turned to Donovan. "Donovan, the footage on Noelle''sptop yesterday was indeed from the bar, but the Merlock family had already deleted the part involving Samantha. Noelle had pressured me to testify about it.


    "I was scared that the Merlocks wouldn''t let me off.


    "Frank also forced me to agree, so I had no choice but to kneel and beg them not to treat me that way."


    Frank''s voice was icy. "Xenia, you''re lying!"


    "I''m not lying! Noelle said a lot of infuriating things to provoke us. That''s why you fainted from anger, Frank. Don''t you remember?"


    Xenia choked back sobs and wiped her tears. "Since Frank insists I''m the culprit, I''ll go to the police and turn myself in!"


    With that, Xenia bolted out of the hospital room.


    She had to leave. Who knew what Frank would do next?


    Donovan was visibly annoyed and said, "How could you speak to Xenia like that? Are you really going to frame her just to clear Noelle''s name? This is clearly the Merlock family''s doing!"


    "Donovan, Xenia isn''t as innocent as she seems. I only realized it after seeing the surveince footage," Frank insisted.


    "Enough. Focus on recovering. Xenia will stay by my side from now on. You don''t need to concern yourself with her."


    With that, Donovan left the room in a hurry.


    Frank felt a surge of despair when he realized Donovan didn''t believe a word he said.


    He coughed up a mouthful of blood in anger.

 Chapter 260

    This was Frank''s own doing-his well-deserved retribution.


    "Frank, why are you coughing up blood?"


    Lucas hurriedly helped Frank sit up. "I just saw Donovan leaving with Xenia. What''s going on? Donovan said you''re insisting on sending Xenia to jail for Noelle!"


    "Lucas, do you believe me?"


    "Of course I believe you."


    Frank recounted everything that had happened at the coffee shop the day before. "That''s how it all went down. But with the surveince footage destroyed,


    Donovan doesn''t believe me."


    Lucas found himself torn.


    "Frank, it''s not that I don''t believe you. But if I hadn''t seen the footage myself, I''d find it hard to imagine that Xenia could be so maniptive or that she drugged Noelle. It''s too much to handle."


    "I understand that it''s hard to ept. If I hadn''t seen the footage with my own eyes, I wouldn''t believe it either!"


    Frank''s face was pale, his chest heavy, as though he couldn''t catch his breath. "But don''t be so quick to trust anything Xenia says."


    Xenia wasn''t a good person.


    Seeing how anguished Frank was, Lucas swallowed the words he wanted to say.


    In the end, he nodded. "Alright, I promise."


    In truth, Lucas also had doubts, wondering if there was some misunderstanding between Noelle and Xenia.


    However, Frank''s condition looked dire.


    Frank gripped Lucas'' hand, his voice trembling. "Also, try to find out why Noelle took sick leave and which hospital she''s staying at. Go visit her for me. Tell her that even if it costs me my life, I''ll make sure she gets justice!"


    This was his debt to Noelle.


    Lucas could only agree. After leaving the hospital room, he immediately tried to locate which hospital Noelle was at.


    He wanted to message her but found she had already deleted him from her contacts.


    Left with no choice, he called her directly-but her number had blocked him.


    Only then did Lucas realize just how distant he had be from Noelle.


    He switched to another phone number and dialed her again. This time, the call was quickly answered.


    "Noelle, it''s me."


    Noelle''s tone was cold when she heard Lucas'' voice. "What do you want?"


    "Frank''s in the hospital and in bad shape. If you''re free, you shoulde see him. He''s really worried about you!"


    "Doesn''t he have Xenia to take care of him? He doesn''t need me."


    "Frank really dislikes Xenia now. He''s already kicked her out."


    Lucas remembered what Frank had said and couldn''t help but ask, "Noelle, was it really Xenia who drugged you that night at the bar?"


    "Did you see the surveince footage?"


    "No, Frank said the USB drive disappeared. He suspects Xenia took it, but there''s no evidence."


    Noelle''s suspicions were confirmed upon hearing this.


    What a coincidence.


    "Xenia really has incredible luck, doesn''t she? She always manages to get away."


    Lucas hesitated before speaking. "Is there some kind of misunderstanding between you and Xenia? Did she really do all that?"


    Still, it was hard for him to believe.


    "Ha. Go back and warn Xenia. She might have slipped away this time, but it''s far from over. She''ll face her sentence soon enough."


    With that, Noelle hung up, unwilling to waste another word with anyone from the Liddell family.


    She turned to Alfred. "Xenia took Frank''s USB drive."


    "Ugh. Why did Frank have to faint at that exact moment? He handed the little


    bitch her chance! Now that the footage has been destroyed, there''s nothing we can do this time."


    Noelle sneered. "No. Even if the footage is gone, I''ll find a way."


    She wasn''t going to let this go.

 Chapter 261

    Noelle''s eyes shed with anger. She would make the perpetrator pay. Cedric had nearly died for her. If not for his luck and the fact that the car was modified, he would probably be on the brink of death.


    "Noelle, let''s discuss this after both of you are recovered. If you want to take revenge on your enemies, you need to be patient. There''s no point being in a hurry."


    She diverted the topic by asking Alfred, "Can you take me to Cedric?"


    She wanted to confirm how severe his wounds were.


    "Let me take a look."


    Alfred returned in minutes. "Let''s go. I''ll lead you there. Can you manage?"


    "I''m fine."


    Noelle headed to Cedric''s room with Alfred. Looking at him in the ICU, she teared up. "Didn''t you say that he was fine?"


    "There isn''t anything hugely wrong with him. He''s just got a concussion slightly more severe than yours and needs to stay under observation. His family is very concerned for him, so they asked for him to be hospitalized in the ICU."


    She stood outside watching him for a while. "I''ll visit him after he wakes up."


    During the ident, she remembered how Cedric steered the car in the other direction to protect her. If not, she wouldn''t be barely wounded while he was in the ICU.


    Alfred sighed and said, "Let''s go. You should go back and rest. Cedric will


    probably regain consciousnesster today."


    Noelle left with Alfred. They ran into Laura on their way back.


    Laura stared at Alfred in surprise and eximed, "Alfred, you''re here! Who''s yourpanion?"


    When Noelle saw Laura, she was terrified. The blood drained from her cheeks. When one was down on their luck, misfortune was everywhere.


    Alfred cleared his throat and stuttered, "S-she''s a friend of mine."


    Noelle nced at the gorgeous woman before her. Their eyes met, but no one spoke. Something felt off.


    After the elevator doors closed, Noelle asked, "Who''s that?"


    "She''s a friend of mine."


    Alfred was bewildered. He had left this situation for Cedric to resolve himself. Noelle didn''t continue asking about Laura. However, she sounded familiar, as though Noelle had heard her somewhere. Yet, she couldn''t ce her finger on where.


    Noelle returned to her room to rest. A message came through from Grace. She asked, "Why didn''t youe to the test today?"


    She only recalled it after Grace''s reminder. Noelle had missed it.


    Noelle replied, "I fell sick and got hospitalized, so I couldn''t go back and take part in the test."


    Initially, Noelle had thought that she''d be able to reveal Xenia''s true colors. She hadn''t expected so many twists!


    However, she still had time. Once Noelle was discharged, there would be countless chances for Noelle to exact her revenge on Xenia!


    After a moment of thought, Noelle asked, "Is Laura going to be punished this time?"


    "I think so. After all, there have been so many photos and videos of her bullying others circting online. Right, this isn''t your doing, is it?"


    "Yes. I don''t think that the Merlocks will be able to obscure justice."


    Noelle didn''t deny it. After all, considering who Cedric was, Alfred definitely found out about her.


    "Noelle, I hadn''t expected you to be so capable. I thought you were an expert in artificial intelligence. Who knew you''d turn around to be an all around ace?"


    Noelle replied shyly, "You guys taught me most of what I know. Back then, I was the youngest and only you guys were willing to teach me."


    She hadn''t expected C to be Cedric.


    Alfred was wistful. He hadn''t thought they''d known each other for such a long time. Fate was a tricky thing.


    He thought for a moment before saying, "You''ve got to be careful with the Merlocks. Laura will definitely be punished."


    Cedric gave the order himself. The Merlocks wouldn''t be able to change their fate no matter what they did.


    "I know."

 Chapter 262

    After Alfred left, Noelle searched up Samantha. Like always, information about her had been suppressed. However, the videos of her bullying others had left their mark on the inte. They couldn''t be erasedpletely.


    Noelle hacked into Samantha''s phone again, only to realize that there was nothing left. It looked like the Merlocks realized that something was off and destroyed Samantha''s phone.


    Her gaze turned icy. She would wait for Samantha to be punished. If she wasn''t, Noelle would do it herself.


    At night, Noelle found herself unable to fall asleep. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw Cedric turning the wheel to bear the impact of the crash in her ce.


    If it turned out to be a fatal crash, he would''ve been the one to die.


    Finally, she got out of bed and went to take a look at Cedric by sneaking into his room. His paleplexion saddened her.


    Cedric must''ve lost a lot of blood. Noelle took his hand. It was cold to the touch.


    She said unhappily, "Cedric, you must get well soon. It''s all my fault. I shouldn''t have dragged you into this. After all, you''re just a normal guy. There''s no way you''d be able to emerge victorious against these wealthy people. I''m sorry!"


    Noelle pressed his palm to her cheek. "Cedric, please wake up."


    "Instead of sleeping, you came to find me in the dead of the night, wailing like a kid. If a stranger saw, he''d think I was permanently paralyzed."


    Noelle froze. She turned to see Cedric staring at her.


    She stuttered, "Y-you''re up. Are you feeling ufortable anywhere?"


    "No."


    "But you didn''t wake up."


    "I fell asleep out of exhaustion."


    After ascertaining that he seemed to be alright, Noelle felt relieved. "I feel better now that you''ve woken up."


    "Were you wounded on your forehead?"


    Cedric was concerned looking at the bandage on her forehead.


    Noelle shook her head and said, "It''s nothing inparison to your wounds."


    "It wouldn''t be pretty for a girl to be scarred on her forehead."


    Noelle sniffled. "Why did you turn the steering wheel during the ident? You could''ve avoided bing so gravely injured."


    Their eyes met after she spoke. Noelle had been kept awake while he was unconscious. Now that he''d woken up, she didn''t know what to say.


    Cedric''s eyes gleamed alertly as he professed, "I didn''t want you to get hurt!"


    He wouldn''t let her be wounded in an ident ever again.


    Noelle ducked her head anxiously. "I''m relieved to see that you''re up. Get some rest."


    She turned and left the ICU with her heart thundering in her chest.


    As sheid in bed, she could see Cedric''s face in her mind''s eye and recall their ident.


    Then, fragmented scenes of another ident that happened a long time ago shed through her head. She dreamt that she was trapped in the car. Cedric showed up to save her.


    When she woke up, she realized that her face was wet with tears. Noelle hadn''t dreamt of that ident for a long time. Perhaps because of the recent crash, Cedric appeared in that dream. Her memory had probably ovepped.


    Noelle''s phone rang. She picked up and asked, "Hi, who''s speaking?"


    "Noelle, which hospital are you in? Frank would like to see you," Lucas said.


    "I''m doing fine. I''d be even better if you didn''t show up."


    After a moment of hesitation, he said, "You said that this wasn''t over. Do you have evidence?"


    He wanted to know what was happening and see the evidence.

 Chapter 263

    Noelle smirked coldly. "I do. You''ll find out when I''m discharged."


    "Why are you keeping a secret at such an important period? Can''t you just tell us about it?"


    "Tell you? I told you about how I got hurt this time. What happened? I don''t trust you all!"


    Lucas was struck by this. "But you trust Frank, right?"


    "To me, you''re all the same."


    Lucas changed the topic and said, "Noelle, Frank''s health is suffering. His gastrointestinal problems have gotten worse. The doctors said that this was caused by his low spirits. Go see him."


    Noelle said calmly, "Last night, I dreamt of the ident with Mom and Dad."


    Lucas was taken aback. "What did you recall?"


    "Nothing much, just some fragments, and the sound of them calling for me. Ever since they passed, you have all been ming me for it. If I hadn''t demanded cake for my birthday, this wouldn''t have happened."


    She held the same beliefs in the past life, which was why she always tried to appease her brothers.


    Lucas sighed and said, "That was all said in the heat of the moment. It''s not your fault. It was an ident."


    "Indeed. Now, I think so too because they kept telling me to run in my dream."


    Noelle wiped at her tears and said, "Whenever you see me, you think of our parents passing away. Me too. Let''s keep our distance from each other. Being strangers is a nice change. Contact me sparsely and only if necessary."


    She hung up.


    Noelle had always known they harbored a grudge against her. Even though they didn''t bring it up, that didn''t mean it never existed.


    After Lucas hung up, he felt a bout of unexined sadness. Although he said it was an ident, he subconsciously med Noelle for it. It was all her fault for wanting to go out for cake. That was why their parents got into the fatal ident!


    That day, all of them lost their parents.


    "Lucas, did Noelle say what evidence she had?"


    Although Frank was pale, his eyes glimmered with excitement.


    Lucas held on to his phone and looked down silently.


    Frank understood. He looked away and swiped at the tears at the corner of his eye. "Do you think Noelle will forgive me if I sacrifice my life for her?"


    If only he could take a pill to turn back time!


    Frank turned serious as he said, "Frank, send people out to look into Xenia. This time, Noelle needs to be protected."


    Since Donovan didn''t believe them, they''d find evidence and make him listen! Xenia couldn''t be kept around.


    After hanging up, Noelle recalled Frank''s expression in the cafe. It was one of anger and surprise.


    She smirked. Xenia would probably point fingers at Frank for hisck of evidence. With that temper of his, Donovan probably wouldn''t believe Frank. It was a pity she couldn''t witness it firsthand. What goes aroundes around.


    However, she wouldn''t let things blow over just like that. Since Donovan wanted to protect Xenia, who was the perpetrator, while harming Maple Enterprise to monopolize the Al industry, Noelle wouldn''t let him get his way.


    In the morning, the doctor came to check out on her and said she could be discharged.


    After changing, Noelle immediately went to see Cedric and saw him sitting up and eating.


    "How are you doing today?"


    "I''ll be discharged from the ICUter today."


    Cedric''s family had been spooked by his ident, especially Emma.


    Thankfully, he had Alfred. If not, Noelle would be in trouble.


    Cedric put his fork down and said, "I called Alfred just now. Theputer and the


    hard drive are gone. Crucial evidence has been lost."

 Chapter 264

    "I know, I''ve got other methods."


    Noelle understood Xenia and the Liddells extremely well. She had many ways to deal with them. In the past, she used to think that the Liddells were suffocating and did everything trying to leave. However, she wouldn''t run away anymore.


    Cedric studied her. Sometimes, he thought that she seemed wise beyond her years. There seemed to be an old soul behind her eyes.


    After a short chat, Noelle stood up and said, "I''ll go fill in my discharge forms and go back to school. I''lle back to visit you."


    "There''s no need for that. I''ll be discharged soon. Don''t worry about me."


    Thankfully, his car had been modified. If not, Cedric would''ve died in that ident. He wouldn''t give up on taking legal action for this.


    Although they didn''t have evidence, he had other alternatives as to how to deal with the Merlocks.


    However, he didn''t n to tell Noelle about this for fear of dragging her into this.


    Noelle left the ICU and ran into the gorgeous woman from yesterday. It was Laura.


    They were stunned. Laura spoke first. "We meet again. Are you here to see Cedric?"


    "Yeah. Are you here to see him too?"


    Noelle studied the stunningdy before her and couldn''t help but guess at her rtionship with Cedric. Were they friends?


    Laura smiled. "Yeah, Emma asked me to bring some food over. Let''s meet up for lunch after he''s discharged."


    Noelle smiled awkwardly. She turned back and watched her sashay away, feeling as though she was on an emotional rollercoaster.


    What was his rtionship with her?


    Noelle paused. Was she going to turn back and take a look?


    In the end, she couldn''t muster up the courage to do so and took the elevator back to her room.


    She didn''t know how to treat Cedric. Her thoughts were a mess.


    A nurse walked over and said, "Ms. Liddell, your discharge procedures are done." "Got it. Thanks."


    Before Noelle left, she texted Cedric, "I''ll take my leave now. Get some rest."


    After receiving her text, he replied, "I''ll give you some cream for the wound on your forehead. It works like a charm."


    "Cedric, are you listening to what I''m saying?"


    Laura eyed Cedric carefully and noticed how warmly he was smiling at his phone.


    Who had texted him?


    When he looked up, the warm expression was gone. "I''ll talk to my mom myself. I don''t need you to be a middleman."


    "Cedric, do you have to be so cold toward me? Everyone''s saying that you got into that ident because you were going out with a woman..."


    "You can leave now. Bring your stuff with you."


    Cedric was cold as he red at Laura emotionlessly.


    She didn''t want to back off just like that. "Cedric, I don''t mind what you do outside. I''ll take care of Emma and be a good wife."


    "Laura, you were the one who told Mom that we were engaged, knowing fully that


    I never agreed to this and we''ve never been in a rtionship."


    Her expression turned dark. "Wee from the same backgrounds. There''s nothing wrong with an engagement. You''ve changed since you returned from Aldoria. Have you developed a crush on someone?"


    "That''s my personal business. I''m not obligated to tell you any of this. Leave!"


    Laura stood up indignantly. She was going to find out who she was. Was it the woman she saw by the door just now?

 Chapter 265

    However, Noelle had just left. Cedric probably wasn''t one to text her that quickly. There had to be someone else.


    Laura had to ask Alfred about this.


    She called Alfred. "Alfred, was the woman in the ident with Cedric the one I saw yesterday?"


    "No, I wouldn''t be dumb enough to leave her in this hospital for you all to find her. Ask Cedric about this. I won''t reveal anything."


    Alfred immediately hung up and patted his chest. What a close call!


    ...


    Noelle took a cab straight back to campus. The first thing she did upon stepping onto campus was to call Xenia and ask, "Have you been sleeping well for the past few days?"


    "Is that you, Noelle? Why are you calling me?"


    Noelle replied in a lively tone, "Let''s catch up. After all, blood is thicker than water."


    "I-I''ve got sster. I don''t have time for that."


    Xenia had a bad feeling about this. If Noelle had called to question her, she would''ve felt fine. However, Noelle''s tone was making her uneasy.


    She giggled and said, "You don''t want toe? In that case, I''ve got no choice but to send my evidence!"


    "What evidence? Do you have backup copies? No, if you did, you would''ve taken it out a long time ago."


    "I''ll see you on the balcony."


    Noelle hung up immediately without offering any exnations. However, she knew Xenia would show up.


    She went to the balcony of the business building. It wasn''t locked, and there were chairs and recliners ced there. It looked like life in the business school was quite rxing.


    Noelle walked to the railings. It wasn''t high. The wind was strong here. One step and she would fall off.


    Xenia showed up. Upon seeing Noelle by the railings, a crazy idea suddenly popped up in her head. If Noelle fell down and died, would that mean that no one would find out about the evidence Noelle had?


    Xenia wouldn''t be chased out in that case. The second the thought manifested in her head, it kept growing.


    Xenia held her breath and snuck over to Noelle. She would tip over the railings with one hard push. Xenia only had one chance. She didn''t want to miss it and go through what happened at the cafe once more.


    Frank had made it clear that she would be abandoned the second the evidence was presented before the Liddells.


    Xenia quickly snuck up on Noelle and pushed her.


    Noelle ducked to the side and Xenia fell forward, hanging out of the railing.


    Although Noelle reached out and yanked on Xenia''s hair, most of her body was


    still leaning out. If Noelle let go, Xenia would fall.


    She held onto the railings and shrieked, "Don''t let go, Noelle!"


    Xenia struggled. She didn''t want to die!


    Noelle chuckled and stood before the railing, watching Xenia struggle.


    "If my guess isn''t wrong, you wanted to push me to my death so that no one


    would find out about the evidence I have, right?''


    "N-no! I just wanted to say hi to you!"


    Xenia was sobbing. She didn''t want to die!


    Noelle patted her cheeks and said, "Did you think I''d believe what you''re saying?"


    "However, if something happens to me here, you won''t escape scotch free. My friends from the business department know that I came here to meet you. You''ll be the murderer if I die!"


    "Is that a threat?"


    Noelle let go. Xenia screamed and grabbed the railings. Her toes cling around the short part of the roof sticking out of the building, which was why she hadn''t fallen down.

 Chapter 266

    Xenia screamed, "Noelle, have you gone mad?"


    Tears and snot were streaming down her face while she trembled. She had been on the brink of death just now. Noelle really let go! That bitch really wanted her


    dead!


    Noelle smirked and said, "Initially, I only wanted to live out my life in peace, but you kept following me around. I''ll y your game this time!"


    "What are you trying to do?"


    Xenia was on the verge of a mental breakdown. Noelle was a madwoman.


    Noelle turned around and grabbed a bottle of water, pouring it onto Xenia. "I want to toy with you till you die!"


    Xenia coughed and pleaded, "Noelle, I''ve seen the error of my ways. I''ll never do that again. That day in the club, I was forced into doing that by Samantha. You know how she is. I didn''t dare to disobey her."


    Xenia was scared out of her wits. She''d be dead if Noelle pushed her hand off.


    Suddenly, Noelle found Xenia''s begging a little boring. How could she have been sent to her death by a hypocritical dumbass like this?


    Was it Noelle''s fault for not being as good an actor as Xenia who switched personalities to kiss up to different people?


    Noelle stood on Xenia''s hand and said, "I can pull you up if you do something for me."


    "I can do whatever it is you ask of me! Please don''t kill me!"


    "You know Donovan invested heavily in the Al project for Frank''spany, right?"


    Xenia nodded hurriedly and replied, "Yes, I''m aware of that."


    "I want you to steal the data that Donovan has to run his Al models."


    Noelle ground on Xenia''s hand with her foot. "I promise you I''ll do it. Donovan


    never keeps his guard up around me!" Xenia quickly said.


    Noelle lifted her foot.


    Xenia sighed in relief and extended a hand toward Noelle. "Pull me up. I can''t get back up myself."


    Noelle eyed her hand in disdain and handed Xenia the bottle.


    Xenia climbed up and sat on the ground, stunned by her near-death experience. Then, she looked up and yelled, "Did you think I''d obey your whims? In your dreams!"


    She had only agreed to Noelle''s conditions to survive. The more Xenia thought about it, the more livid she felt. She stood up and pounced at Noelle. "How dare you humiliate me like this? I won''t let this slide, Noelle!"


    Noelle grabbed her hair and pressed her onto the ground before pping Xenia twice. Xenia''s head spun.


    Grabbing her chin, Noelle said, "I knew you would go back on your word! Didn''t I tell you I had evidence?"


    "I don''t believe you. There''s no way you''d have it!"


    "And yet you still came. It shows that you''re scared."


    Noelle pulled her phone out and showed her a screenshot of surveince footage.


    It depicted Xenia with the spray in her hands, drugging Noelle.


    When Xenia saw the picture, her blood ran cold. She hadn''t expected Noelle to really have the evidence!


    Xenia stuttered, "W-why didn''t you pass this to Frank straight away? Instead, you a-asked me to meet you here. What are you trying to achieve?"


    "What I want has changed. Steal the data from Donovan. I want Maple Enterprise to win!"


    Noelle red at her and asked, "I''m giving you a choice now. Are you going to do as I say, or should I send this out immediately?"


    "Don''t do that, I''m begging you. I''ll do as you say!"


    Xenia was scared of this lunatic! She could only agree to do it.


    Noelle stood up slowly and said, "I''ll be waiting for the data."


    She left the balcony without looking back.


    Noelle smirked and deleted the picture in her phone. It was photoshopped.


    However, guilty people like Xenia couldn''t run the risk of it!


    She was looking forward to what Xenia would do. Donovan''s face when he found


    out was also an exciting prospect.


    Noelle wanted revenge, but she also wanted to advance her career.

 Chapter 267

    After Noelle left, Xenia recalled how she had been humiliated. Tears of frustration escaped her. That bitch! Xenia regretted not pushing her to her death! Now she was being ckmailed by Noelle.


    Xenia couldn''t let Noelle win. Just then, her phone rang. Lucas was calling. "Xenia, I''m at school now. I''d like to speak to you. Where are you?"


    Xenia said through sobs, "Lucas, I''m on the balcony. Just now, Noelle asked me to meet her there, and she tried to kill me. I''m terrified!"


    "I''ming over now."


    Xenia hung up and made herself look even scruffier in hopes that it would inspire Lucas'' pity.


    Noelle sashayed down the stairs. She arrived at the ground floor only to see Lucas sprinting over, looking extremely concerned. She raised an eyebrow. Xenia was quick in calling for help.


    Upon seeing Noelle, Lucas halted in his tracks. Her icy expression was strange to him. She continued walking without sparing him a nce, as though they wereplete strangers.


    His heart sank to the pit of his stomach. Lucas couldn''t help but turn around and shout, "Noelle!"


    She did not turn around, as though she hadn''t heard him.


    Lucas wouldn''t give up. He chased her and said, "Noelle, stop right there. Just now, Xenia called me to tell me that you asked her to meet on the balcony and tried to kill her!"


    Noelle looked up. "Are you questioning me?"


    Lucas realized that he''d taken a harsh tone with her. However, Noelle kept ignoring him and it made him feel horrible. It was a subconscious decision.


    He lowered his voice and said, "I''m just asking. Why are you doing this? She''s your sister."


    "Xenia doesn''t deserve to be my family. She deserves to be in jail!"


    Lucas was taken aback. "You''ll be imprisoned for inflicting bodily harm on her as well."


    "Do you have evidence to substantiate your usations?"


    "Why would I need evidence?"


    "Oh, so you don''t have evidence. In that case, why did you ask me for evidence? If Xenia hurt me, I needed to prove it with evidence. Yet, Xenia doesn''t have to provide evidence when using me of harming her, right?"


    "Noelle, that''s not what I meant."


    "What did you mean, then?"


    Xenia watched as Lucas went from confident to feeling guilty. In the end, he fell silent.


    Noelle said coldly, "Stop putting up a regretful front and trying to repair our rtionship. I find it disgusting!"


    In the face of Noelle''s attacks, Lucas was decimated. He realized how he''d been taking sides!


    Lucas watched her leave. He''d been impulsive. He wouldn''t question Noelle like that again. Lucas turned around and headed to the balcony.


    Xenia ran into his arms while wailing. "Lucas, I nearly died!" "What did Noelle say to you?"


    "She thought that the ident had something to do with me and wanted to cause me grief. The ident was the doing of the Merlocks. It had nothing to do with me."


    Xenia wouldn''t admit that she''d been the main perpetrator behind it. She would frame the Merlocks so that no one thought to suspect her. They wouldn''t find out about her biological father still being alive!


    Lucas recalled what Noelle said. He was lost in thought.


    "Lucas, you must avenge me. I nearly died."


    He came to his senses and said, "You''re fine, aren''t you? Noelle only wanted to vent her frustrations. She wasn''t actually trying to kill you. Let it go. She''s a victim as well."


    Upon hearing this, Xenia felt like she was about to vomit blood. What did he mean by asking her to let it go?

 Chapter 268

    In the past, Lucas would''ve immediately gone to question Noelle the second he found out about this! Why had he changed as well?


    Xenia sobbed andined, "But I nearly died."


    "Xenia, I know you''ve always been mature and thoughtful. Although Xenia left him, we''re still a family at the end of the day. Don''t hold a grudge against her."


    After a pause, Lucas continued, "In addition, there''s no evidence to say that Noelle did all this to you, right?"


    Noelle was so angry she couldn''t even cry. Hadn''t he said this to Noelle in the past? Xenia never thought he would say this to her!


    Xenia was stuck. If she continued asking for revenge, the facade she''d built for herself would crumble.


    In the end, she could only swallow herints. Xenia didn''t dare to say she wanted to sue Noelle! However, she wouldn''t let this go.


    When Noelle got back to her dorms, all her roommates were present.


    Upon seeing the bandage on her head, Grace asked, "Were you hurt?"


    "Yeah, but I''m fine now."


    Noelle sat down. Jessica remarked, "Noelle, you didn''t take a medical leave by pretending to be sick because you were scared you''d lose, right?"


    "To be honest, no one in the society can beat me."


    "You''re such a braggart. You didn''t even have the balls toe to the test. Yet, you''re still trying to insist on how amazing you are!"


    Noelle didn''t exin herself. There was no point in reasoning with a fool.


    Jessica bragged, "This time, they even hired famous people. Many livestreamers from Firestorm will be present tonight. It''s a pity you don''t have a chance anymore. Only team members are allowed to participate in the event."


    She then strutted away in her little dress and heels.


    After Jessica left, Grace said, "You''re amazing. You can join other teams, or even join the national tema."


    "I know, thank you for saying that."


    Whether or not Noelle joined the team didn''t matter to her. It wasn''t a matter she was considering presently.


    As she was about to shower, she received a call from the manager of Firestorm. "Ms. Liddell, I called and texted you multiple times yesterday. Why didn''t you reply?"


    "I was in an ident yesterday and didn''t receive your calls. I''ve just been discharged and returned to my dorms."


    "That exins it. I remember that you''re from Yole University. Tonight, there''ll be a livestreamers event at the team building in Yasnia. Why don''t youe along? I''ve sent the invitation to your phone."


    Noelle agreed after a moment of thought.


    There was no harm in joining in on the fun. It would stop certain people from bitching at her.


    After hanging up, Grace asked, "Do you have any livestreamer you like? I can ask for their autographs."


    "There''s no need for that, but thanks."


    Noelle changed into a white shirt and jeans after her shower. She found that she


    had many missed calls from an unknown number. Another call came in from that number.


    "You''re Noelle, right?"


    Noelle said coldly, "That''s me. And you are?"


    "I''m Harvey Sris, thewyer representing the Merlocks. I would like to speak to


    you in person regarding your confrontation with my client, Samantha."


    "There''s nothing to talk about. I hope she atones for her sins and bes a better person!"


    Harvey was enraged. "Noelle, you''re quite brave. Aren''t you scared you''ll inconvenience the Liddells?"


    She smirked. Inconvenience the Liddells? What a treat!

 Chapter 269

    Noelle asked mischievously, "How would I be inconveniencing them?"


    "I think you know. I don''t have to tell you about this. The Liddells are nothing inparison to the Merlocks. Samantha''s sister is engaged to one of the wealthiest men in the city! Did you think that the Liddells can afford to get into the Merlocks'' bad books?"


    Oh, they had a powerful family backing them up!


    Noelle chuckled and answered, "I don''t believe it. I dare you to let it rip!"


    Noelle hung up. The fate of the Liddells had nothing to do with her.


    She nced at the invitation in her phone before leaving the dorms. When she arrived at the team building, there was a red carpet outside as well as a registration counter. It looked like a big deal.


    "Noelle, how did you get hurt?"


    She turned around to see an old friend of hers. It was Michael, the manager of Team Celestial.


    She smiled and answered, "I got into a little ident."


    "I heard that you didn''t pass the test for Team Yasnia. That seems off."


    Michael''s eyes lit up. "That''s great. You can consider joining Team Celestial. We won''t stop you if you decide to join the national team."


    "I''ll consider it."


    Noelle hadn''t made up her mind.


    "I see a friend over there. I''ll head over to say hi ande back to convince you to join us."


    Michael left, wine ss in hand.


    Noelle walked into the hall. She heard Grace say, "Noelle, you must be shameless for daring to show up here!"


    She stopped walking and shot back, "If you can be here, why can''t I?"


    "Of course I can be here. You can''t, though. The event today has invited many famous livestreamers. To preserve the integrity of the event, no one who isn''t from the team can be admitted."


    Samuel chimed in, "Noelle, if you knew the consequences of your actions, you shouldn''t have done them in the first ce. If you regret it, grovel before me and apologize right now!


    "Since we''re on this topic, you haven''t grovelled before me after losing to me!"


    Samuel looked away awkwardly. Grace said immediately, "Get lost, Noelle. Who knows how you snuck in?"


    Noelle snorted and replied, "I walked in. No sneaking around was involved."


    She raised her voice and mocked, "You don''t even have an invitation. How else would you get in if you hadn''t snuck in?"


    "Who says I don''t have an invitation?"


    Grace cackled.


    "Samuel, she''s shamelessly iming that she has an invitation. I''ve never seen someone as shameless as she is."


    Samuel was all high-and-mighty as he said, "Noelle, I heard that you didn''te from a wealthy family. You probably don''t even know what an invitation looks like!"


    "Exactly. Security, get this shameless woman out of here!"


    As Grace red at Noelle, she felt like she''d finally taken her revenge. Noelle had humiliated her thoroughly by saying that her bag was fake. She''d pay her back!


    Noelle nced at the guards and pulled out her phone. "This is my invitation."


    They nced at it and said reverently, "We apologize for disturbing your night. Do proceed!"

 Chapter 270

    Jessica was dumbfounded. "What do you mean? There''s no way Noelle has an invitation!"


    Samuel frowned and added, "Indeed. I''m sure she''s not part of our team and therefore doesn''t have the right to ess the event, let alone receive an invitation."


    "Right, everyone who received the invitation today were famous livestreamers. How could Noellepare?"


    Samuel came to a realization. "Noelle''s invitation is fake. She''s a master of technology. Faking an invitation is nothing to her!"


    The guards were conflicted. After all, Samuel was the captain of the team. His words warranted belief.


    Noelle nced at them and said, "I really don''t want to burst your bubble, but you two are really behaving like uncivilised monkeys!"


    "Noelle, you must be terrified right now. How could you have received an invitation? You''re not famous on the inte!"


    "Why not?"


    Samuel mocked her, "If you''re an influencer, I''ll eat shit right now!"


    Noelle giggled and said, "You were the one who promised that."


    Michael walked over and said, "Ms. Liddell, we''ve been waiting for you for a while. Why are you still standing by the door?"


    Noelle said, "Someone doubts my identity. They said that my invitation is fake."


    Michael turned to Samuel and said unkindly, "Is there something wrong with your head? Who would fake a stupid little invitation like this? Inte personalities all know each other!"


    "Mr. Mrk, I''m saying this to be thoughtful for the event''s integrity. Noelle isn''t part of our team, and there''s no way she''s an inte celebrity! We can''t allow her to sneak in."


    Samuel knew Michael. His every word wasced with praise. Joining Team Celestial was his dream, but he hadn''t gotten the chance.


    Michael roared, "Who said she isn''t an influencer?"


    Samuel was taken aback. "How could that be possible?"


    Yet, if this came from Michael, did this mean that Noelle really was a famous influencer? It didn''t make sense. Wasn''t she from an underprivileged family? Michael didn''t take any liberties. He scolded, "Samuel, with that brain of yours, you wouldn''t even be able to get a share of a piece of shit in this industry!"


    He was insulted terribly, but Samuel didn''t dare to p back in fear of leaving Micahel with a bad impression.


    Jessica stood up for him. "What kind of influencer is Noelle?"


    "Shut it. Mr. Michael has proved Noelle''s identity. This is not a situation where you should speak out of turn." She wasn''t reading the room. Was Michael someone she could offend?


    Jessica had never been yelled at like that. Tears welled up as she said, "I was standing up for you!"


    Michael turned to Noelle and said, "Let''s go. Some people nowadays are blind." Noelle eyed Samuel and said, "Didn''t you say that you would eat shit if I really turned out to be an influencer? It''s your chance now!


    His face fell. He hadn''t expected her to hold him to it.


    Jessica said, "Noelle, don''t be so extreme. Samuel was just kidding."


    "I''m extreme? The two of you were all up in my face calling the guards over to chase me out. Wasn''t that extreme? You lot are so hypocritical. You can treat others like that but others can''t do the same to you!"


    Noelle''s words cut deep. They were speechless.


    Jessica soldiered on. "Asking him to eat shit is a little much."


    "Why don''t you do it for him? It''s all the same to me!"

 Chapter 271

    Jessica''s expression changed. There was no way! She wouldn''t do it.


    Noelle''s re turned cold. "Why have you gone back on your word, Samuel? It''s alright if you don''t want to eat shit."


    Samuel sighed in relief and asked, "What''s your solution, then?"


    "Stand by the door and scream thrice that you''re sorry to me and you''re a


    dumbass. If you do so, I''ll let this slide!"


    Noelle wasn''t a saint. She would finish what he started.


    Samuel was unwilling to do so. Michael chuckled. "So this is the spineless excuse of a man that you are!"


    He flushed. In the end, Samuel stood by the door and shouted, "I''m sorry, Noelle. I''m a dumbass!"


    Noelle pulled her phone out and recorded him before walking into the hall with Michael.


    Samuel''s face was redder than a tomato.


    Jessica added fuel to the fire by saying, "Samuel, I think that there''s something between Michael and Noelle. If not, why would he speak out for her?"


    "You''re right. After all, I''ve seen most of the influencers here before. Yet, I''ve never heard of Noelle!"


    He spit and said, "That bitch, Noelle. I''ll make her life hell."


    "Right, you can poke holes through her lies. After all, she''s not a celebrity. She''s in this industry because of the support from a man. They won''t ept her into their ranks."


    Jessica could already imagine Noelle being ostracised and humiliated.


    Samuel and Jessica walked back in while discussing how they''d deal with Noelle.


    Upon hearing this, Grace nced at the guest list. The only livestreamer here who''d never shown her face on the inte was SweetNelly. Was she Noelle?


    Grace texted Noelle. "Grace and Samuel are discussing how to take revenge against you. Be careful."


    Noelle eyed the message and smirked. It looked like they hadn''t learnt their lesson!


    She stood with Michael and chatted with the other Firestorm livestreamers.


    "Ms. Nelly, you''ve decreased the frequency of your streams ever since school started. You didn''t stream this weekend either. Rumor on the street is that you got hurt."


    "Yeah, I was hospitalized after an ident. Thankfully, it wasn''t severe."


    Noelle had taken the bandage on her forehead off and reced it with a ster to cover the stitches.


    "I heard that one of the rich bachelors of Yasnia got into an ident while taking his newest girlfriend on a drive. However, it was kept from the media. Not many people are aware of it."


    "Yeah, I heard that he keeps himself under the radar. Who knows which lucky girl caught his eye?"


    Noelle listened to their gossip. Just now, Harvey had mentioned something about a rich heir in Yasnia!


    Noelle had heard of him in her past life, but the Liddells weren''t even on his level, so they had never crossed paths.


    It would be great to inconvenience the Liddells so that Donovan didn''t take action against Maple Enterprise.


    Michael turned to Noelle and said thoughtfully, "So do you know him?"


    "I''ve heard of him, but why would I know him!"


    Michael found it odd. What a coincidence that Noelle and Cedric were in an ident at the same time! He remembered seeing her in Aldoria with him. Was it a mistake on his part?


    After the event began, Michael went onstage and said, "Wee, everyone, to the event tonight. Firestorm Entertainment has always had a great rtionship with Team Yole, thus we hosted the event here.


    "Later, we''ll be ying a game. Our team members can challenge the


    livestreamers as they please. The winner will be given a small gift!"


    Noelle sipped at the drink and saw Samuel and Grace staring at her out of the corner of her eye.


    The mirth in her eyes sparkled. She had an inkling as to what they were nning.


    As expected, Grace raised her hand and said "Samuel, our captain, wants to challenge Noelle!"

 Chapter 272

    Samuel said nothing, but glee could be seen in his expression.


    Michael paused before saying, "I would suggest you choose someone else." Everyone in the team added together wouldn''t be enough for Noelle to pulverise.


    Graceined, "Why would we do that? Didn''t the rules of the game say that we could choose the livestreamers we wanted? Is Noelle scared to ept our challenge?"


    Noelle smiled and said, "I ept!"


    Michael announced, "Since some people have got a death wish, who are we to stop them? Let the game begin."


    They could''ve chosen anyone but they decided to challenge the strongest one in the room!


    Noelle sat in front of theputer. Samuel had a whole team behind him.


    Samuel said, "Hadn''t you said that you wanted to challenge our whole team? You didn''t show up during the weekends for some reason, but if you''re scared now, you can tap out!"


    The livestreamers beside Noelle snickered. Samuel was confused. What were theyughing for? Noelle was doomed to lose.


    Behind her, one of the livestreamers said, "Ms. Nelly, please allow me to y with you. I''d like to be directed by you."


    "Just me is enough for this."


    Noelle didn''t want to give Samuel an excuse. She would make him ept his loss voluntarily!


    Although Samuel was feeling a little insecure, he brought his team on. It was her against the five of them. She was going to lose.


    Noelle chose the gunner, her specialty.


    After the game began, Noelle hid in the high grounds.


    After Samuel and his team emerged, Noelle said, "Your team''s positioning is problematic. The center is running too far ahead and might be caught easily."


    Samuel snorted and said, "Shut up with the nonsense."


    In the next second, Noelle sted him to death.


    She smirked and said, "I told you. Why didn''t you hide?"


    Samuel questioned his centre, "Why didn''t you hide?"


    "Hey, you don''t have time to be scolding someone now. You should be adjusting your tactics. I''m a gunner. Close-range attacks won''t work."


    "Shut up, Noelle!"


    Noelle took down his healder and said, "My next target will be the assassin. Stop lying in wait to ambush me ande out to fight. How else would you win?"


    "I''ll be dead if Ie out!"


    "You''re right, but you''ll be dead even if you continue hiding. Found you. Bye!"


    He was taken down again. She killed someone for every sentence like a devil. Samuel was the only one left.


    Samuel had broken down. He hadn''t expected her to be that powerful? Did that mean she''d never cheated?


    "I''ve told you that you''re not suited for this character. Game over!"


    Noelle approached him and killed him. He barely fought back.


    Samuel stared at theputer, pale and covered in cold sweat. "No way!"


    Grace shrieked, "Noelle, you must''ve cheated again right?"


    There was no way she was this amazing otherwise.


    Michael mocked, "Samuel, didn''t you fucking look at the guest list? Don''t you know who she is?"


    Samuel stuttered, "W-who is she?"


    Was she really an amazing gamer?

 Chapter 273

    "Noelle is SweetNelly."


    Michael threw the guest list booklet onto Samuel''s face and asked, "Are you illiterate? It''s so obvious!"


    The livestreamers beside Noelle mocked him.


    "This captain''s brain must be just a prop. Noelle is the only streamer who hasn''t revealed her face."


    "Isn''t that right? Just now, I heard someone say that Noelle didn''t pass the test for the team. What kind of joke is that? Is the test for their team stricter than that of the national team?"


    "With Noelle''s abilities, she could beat any of us within this room. If she couldn''t even pass a society test, there has to be some behind-the-scenes maneuvers." Samuel''s hands trembled. He looked at the booklet. Indeed, "SweetNelly" was there, without a picture of her face.


    How could he have known this was Nelly?


    Jessica didn''t want to give in. She mocked, "Samuel, is she any good? Why are there no pictures of her?"


    Samuel trembled while he answered, "She doesn''t show her face. She analyzes games and positioning verbally."


    "SweetNelly" had never lost a game. She was at the top of the leaderboard. Her capabilities and experience was public knowledge. Who knew it was Noelle? Samuel wanted to cry.


    The students present were mindblown. They hadn''t thought she was really a streamer, not to mention one who was capable.


    Jessica said, her tone dripped with jealousy, "Who knows whether it really is Noelle or not. She''s never exposed her face. Perhaps Noelle is stealing her identity..."


    Samuel pped her and scolded, "Shut up, you dumb bitch."


    Since Michael had told them who Noelle was, he wouldn''t be wrong, not to mention how capable she was. She wasn''t cheating. It was her own abilities!


    Noelle watched Michael and Jessica get into their spat and giggled, a mocking re in her eyes.


    Jessica had always held herself in a high-and-mighty way. Now, she got pped by Samuel in front of everyone. She was the single-child from a middle-ss family. Never had anything so humiliating happened to her.


    She went up to hit Samuel. "You asshole! Last night when you were fucking me, you said you''d pamper me for the rest of our lives. How dare you hit me! Even my parents have never done that."


    Surprise took over Noelle''s features. Samuel was fast in his catch, the yboy.


    Jessica screamed and cried, which only embarrassed Samuel. He pushed her to the ground and said, "What are you talking about? When have I slept with you? Where''s your evidence?"


    No matter how proud Jessica was, she was a girl at the end of the day. She hadn''t expected a horrible yboy like him would ask such a shitty question in public. How would she present evidence for this?


    Samuel said coldly, "It has always been you trying to pursue me and join the team through affiliations with me. However, I never agreed. Now, you''re turning around to frame me for it?"


    Jessica broke down.


    Grace couldn''t stand by and watch this happen. She walked over and helped Jessica up. "Samuel,st night Jessica hadn''te back to the dorms. I can testify that she was with you."


    "Last night, I had dinner with her, but then we went our separate ways. Who knows who she slept with?"


    Jessica cried. "Samuel, you''re not a man. You''re just an asshole!"


    Samuel straightened his cor and said, "I''m telling the truth. I''ve met many women like you. Don''t use me of things I haven''t done!"


    Grace held Jessica back to prevent her from pouncing on him and getting pummeled in turn.


    Hatred gleamed in Noelle''s eyes. She hadn''t thought he was such an ass! Who knew how many girls he''d scammed with his tactics?

 Chapter 274

    Michael warned, "Samuel, be careful. Karma will nip you in the bud."


    "Mr. Mrk, I''m telling the truth. I''ve never made the first move. It was always them."


    He turned to Noelle and said appeasingly, "I didn''t know you were SweetNelly! Why didn''t you tell us? We need people like you on the team!"


    "I don''t want to join you. You''re filthy!"


    Noelle didn''t try to mask her disdain for Samuel. "I''d consider it if you left the team!"


    Samuel''s face fell, but he didn''t p back at her. She wasn''t someone he could stand to offend.


    The other streamers said, "Ms. Nelly, let''s try out our skills. We''ve never gotten the chance to do so. We''re all gathered here in this rare opportunity. Give us a chance."


    "Me too. I haven''t been able to ovee the technical problem you pointed out. Please help me take a look at it."


    Noelle was surrounded by a bunch of livestreamers who wanted to y with her.


    Samuel looked at them from the sidelines. He didn''t dare to approach them. He should''ve put some more effort into pursuing her. After all, freshmen in university were easy to fool.


    Jessica was jealous and angry to see Noelle being celebrated by everyone. After all, she had looked down on the vige girl. Yet, Jessica was the one being proven wrong now.


    Grace said softly, "Let''s go to the clinic. You''re hurt."


    She turned to Samuel subconsciously. However, he didn''t pay any attention to her. She could only run off with her tail between her legs.


    After Noelle was done soloing everyone, her mood had improved greatly. One of the girls in the society approached Noelleand asked, "Noelle, can I take a picture with you?"


    "Sure."


    Many others came to take pictures with her after she agreed to that.


    Not before long, her picture was posted to the school forum. The headline read, "SweetNelly, the famous livestreamer, is a freshman at university!" The post gathered a lot of traction quickly.


    After the event ended, Michael invited her once more. "Once again, I''m inviting you to Team Celestial. We won''t stop you from joining the national team!" "Alright, I''ll consider it."


    With Samuel there, she didn''t want to join his team. It was filthy.


    Michael was in a great mood. Samuel finally did something right.


    Noelle went back to her dorms and passed out in bed.


    The next day, she was woken up by Jessica wailing.


    "Jessica, why won''t you call the police?"


    "No way. He took my nudes and sexual videos. If I called the police, he''ll send those pictures into the group chat. How would I show up to school in the future?"


    Jessica was crying incessantly. Noelle couldn''t fall asleep. She went to the toilet with a yawn.


    Jessica nced at Noelle and said, "Unless someone can hack into his phone and delete them for me!"


    The only person who could help her was Noelle.


    However, Noelle went straight to the washroom without paying her any attention. She was angry and anxious after getting annoyed. After Noelle came back out, she questioned, "Noelle, you heard what I said. Why didn''t you say anything?"


    Why didn''t Noelle offer her help? Noelle had excellent hacking skills. She would be able to do so easily.


    Noelle asked, "Do I look like a saint to you?"

 Chapter 275

    Noelle red at Jessica. Why did she think it was only natural for Noelle to help?


    She asked, "Have you forgotten what you said and did to me at the eventst night?"


    Noelle wasn''t stupid.


    Jessica said guiltily, "I was deluded by an asshole of a yboy."


    "Oh, what does that have to do with me? Those are not my nudes."


    If it were her nudes, Jessica would''ve been sending them to a bunch of people. Nowadays, some people thought that others'' contributions were naturally justified. Noelle wouldn''t feed into her delusions.


    As long as she didn''t feel guilty, no one would be able to guilt-trip her.


    Jessica cried and held onto Grace, not letting her go, trying to persuade her to speak for Jessica.


    Grace said softly, "You behaved out of linest night. Why don''t you apologize to Noelle?"


    There was no way she asked for Noelle''s help when she bullied Noelle just a day before. It didn''t make sense!


    Upon hearing this, Jessica sobbed even louder. She didn''t want to apologize. She had always held herself proudly and viewed Noelle in disdain. Yet, it was Noelle who was a famous livestreamer! Jessica felt like things were out of bnce. She couldn''t ept this. Jessica couldn''t muster up an apology.


    After Noelle was woken up, she went straight to the library and wanted to borrow some books. Many things had happened in her past life. She had left her studies behind and now she needed to bring her standard back up.


    Noelle took a book and sat down. She realized there were many people looking at her. However, when she turned to them, they averted their gazes.


    After a while, a girl passed Noelle a paper. On it was written, "I''m a fan of yours. Can you sign this?"


    Noelle signed the book she prepared. Other fans swarmed over. Noelle was afraid she would affect the other students studying, so she left the library.


    "Noelle, can we talk?"


    There were two girls there. She knew they were official members of Team Yole. They were the ones who said that they believed her when she was facing off against Samuel thest time.


    One of them hesitated for a moment before skiing, "Could you run for team captain?"


    "Me?"


    "Yeah. You''re capable. You know what Samuel is like. He''s caused grief for many girls, but no one had the guts to tell others about it. If you were captain, all this wouldn''t have happened. With you as captain, we''ll bring honor to the team."


    Noelle considered it for a moment before saying, "I haven''t heard that the position of captain is open for nominations."


    "I''m nning to report Samuel to the authorities. When I saw how Jessica was hurt by him, I stayed awake with regret for the entire night. If I''d stood out and spoken for him, no girls would be scammed by him. Once the school begins investigating him, his position as captain would be stripped from him. Elections will open once more. You''re popr right now. You''ll definitely be captain!"


    Noelle was moved by the determination in their faces. Girls were the cutest creatures in the world.


    She hadn''t wanted to join the team, but now that Samuel was gone, all was well! Noelle nodded and said, "Alright. If you need any help, just ring me up."


    They smiled and said, "No need. We''ve prepared all the evidence. It''s enough."


    Noelle arrived in front of the school and bought some snacks, considering whether she should learn defence tactics. She had many enemies now. If she was too weak, she''d get pushed around.


    "Miss, would you like to consider our gym? We''re newly opened and offering discounts."


    She looked at the leaflet depicting someone boxing. She pointed at it and asked, "Do you offer sses for this?"

 Chapter 276

    "Of course. Our boss is a professional boxer. It''s good for women to learn self- defence."


    "Alright."


    She followed the man back to the gym. There weren''t many people. The boss was a middle-aged man.


    "You''re pretty skinny, so there''s no need to cut your weight. You just need to grow some muscle."


    Noelle said, "I would like to learn self-defence quickly, the type which would enable me to beat others up."


    He asked hesitantly, "Miss, why do you want to learn to fight at such a young age?"


    "I can pay twice the normal rate."


    "Money isn''t the issue."


    "I''m also a livestreamer with billions of followers. I can advertise the gym for you."


    He coughed and said, "At the same time, there are benefits for women to learn self-defence! When would you like to start practice?"


    "Today!"


    Noelle wanted to make the most of every moment she had to grow as strong as possible.


    Initially, she had just wanted to go through her life on her own. However, reality wouldn''t allow her to do so. She could only get rid of those who created barriers in her path.


    Noelle was pummeled by him. Sheid on the floor in exhaustion.


    He asked, "Have you always been so strong?"


    "Yeah, I''ve always been quite strong since a young age."


    "In that case, you''re quite suited for boxing. You''re talented!"


    Noelle wiped at her sweat. When she went back, her legs were trembling. She was exhausted.


    When Noelle got home, Jessica was still crying. Grace had brought dinner for her, but Jessica hadn''t eaten. Noelle washed her hair and copsed into bed, ignoring Jessica''s cries.


    The next day, Noelle felt sore all over.


    She went to school and ran into theckeyes from the business department.


    Xenia wasn''t there, but there was someone else she knew. Justin had a bottle in hand. He approached Noelle and said, "I heard that you were very arrogant in my absence. You even tried to push Xenia off the balcony!"


    Everyone was curious. Noelle seemed to know him.


    After Samantha was taken away for bullying, she still hadn''t returned. They''d thought everything had blown over. Now, there was someone else who knew Noelle. Was she really just a freshman?


    Noelle asked, "Do you have evidence?"


    "What, did you not do it just because there''s no evidence?"


    Noelle grabbed the can Justin had in hand. She twisted her hands and the can yielded. Coke sprayed all over Justin.


    However, he nced at her hands while backing away. She imploded a can with her bare hands? Was she that strong?


    Noelle handed the can back to him and said, "This is a warning. The next time, it won''t be as simple as this."


    Noelle patted his shoulder and wiped her hand on his shirt. She sashayed away through the business department. There was not a hint of an expression on her face. The bandage on her forehead made her look even more badass. No one dared to stand in her way, and she left.


    Justin watched her leave and threw the can in her direction. "Don''t move!"

 Chapter 277

    Noelle raised her arm to block it, so the can flew into Justin''s face.


    "Fuck, my nose! Noelle, you''ve got a death wish!"


    He ced a hand over his nose. Tears streamed down his cheeks.


    She turned back to see him and said innocently, "You can scold my family members who are still alive and kicking, but you mustn''t scold my parents. You can''t scold me either!"


    She left.


    Justin wanted to chase after her and exact his revenge, but his nose was too painful.


    "Justin, where is Noelle from? She''s the famous livestreamer from Firestorm Entertainment!"


    "I just found out yesterday that she''s SweetNelly, my idol! Who knew my idol was right there?"


    "Does Noelle hate people from the business department? Is it toote for me to pull out?"


    Not everyone from the business department had beef with Noelle. In the past, it was Samantha who had said she looked down on the business department and urged everyone to ostracise her. Yet, Noelle was amazing and she wasn''t wrong.


    Justin was in a horrible mood. He had been rejected by her when he pursued her, and he would not swallow the dishonor just like that. He had to get together with Xenia and make Noelle regret turning him down.


    Before that, he had to head to the hospital. His nose was probably broken. Noelle was a violent woman who wasn''t as warm and gentle as Xenia.


    ...


    Noelle went to ss and sat down in the front row, as always.


    Many students who filed into the room viewed her in a different light. Noelle was so cool when she told off the proud business students! Noelle could feel their changed attitudes, but she didn''t care.


    After ss, she received a text from her senior which read, "I''m sorry, Noelle. I hadn''t done what I said I would yesterday. Your position as team captain might fall through."


    Noelle called her back immediately and asked, "What''s wrong? Was the evidence insufficient?"


    "The evidence was sufficient, but Samuel is supported by the Merlocks. I couldn''t win them. I''m giving up."


    Noelle''s gaze turned icy. "Wait for me. I''m heading over right now."


    She tidied up her things and immediately went to see her.


    "What did the school say?"


    "The Merlocks threatened my parents. If I didn''t tell the school that the information was fake, they would lose their jobs and even be imprisoned. My sister is still studying. I can''t afford to take the risk!"


    "Samuel asked for the Merlocks'' help?"


    She remembered how Samuel had sucked up to Samantha back in the team. She''d thought it was because Samantha belonged to the business department.


    "The Merlocks have invested in the team, but they''ve been using it as an avenue for moneyundering. Samuel is captain and he''s aware of this."


    Noelle knew why they wanted to protect him.


    After a moment of thought, Noelle said, "Withdraw the evidence. I''ve got a n."


    "Noelle, we can''t fuck with the Merlocks. Let it go. I don''t want to drag you into this."


    "No, I''ve had a feud with the Merlocks long before this. It has nothing to do with you."


    Noelle returned to her dorms. It looked like they enjoyed using their family members to threaten others. It was theirmon tactic. However, for Noelle, she had no issue with her family in namending some trouble.


    When Noelle went downstairs, she saw a bunch of people gathered in the courtyard. There were candles and flowers on the floor. It looked like someone was confessing their love.


    Noelle tried to walk past them by taking a sidepath, but suddenly everyone turned toward her.


    Samuel was holding a bouquet while walking toward her. Her temples throbbed. It wasn''t what she thought was happening, right?


    Assholes had no moral boundaries! He was a yboy with unfounded confidence!


    Samuel smiled, thinking it made him look dashing. "Noelle, I fell for you the first time we met, but I didn''t dare to confess to you. I only did things to piss you off and attract your attention."

 Chapter 278

    "I can''t hold it back anymore. I want to confess my love for you. Be my girlfriend, Noelle."


    After he spoke, everyone began making a fuss.


    "Say yes, say yes!"


    Noelle found this hrious.


    "Noelle, you''re gorgeous when you smile. I''ll make you happy for the rest of our lives."


    She nced at the bouquet and took it from him. Samuel was ecstatic. "Let''s have dinner together. I reserved seats at a ssy restaurant."


    Samuel knew that freshmen were easy targets. They would be moved as long as he made a scene when confessing.


    Novelle pped him with the bouquet. The flowers fell out of their arrangement and were strewn all over the floor. The thorns of a rose even drew a bloody streak across his face.


    Novelle red at him and said, "Did you look in the mirror before you left the house today? You''re hideous. How dare you confess to someone looking like this?"


    Samuel paled, but he recovered himself. "Noelle, I''m being genuine with you. I know we''ve had our share of disagreements but I said all that to draw your attention. I''ll ept anything you want to do with me."


    Noelle couldn''t help but dry heave. "Stop talking or I''ll throw my breakfast up."


    The corners of his lips twitched. "Noelle, I''ll show you how genuine I am!"


    The people around them crooned.


    "Noelle, Samuel is a local. Hees from a wealthy family.''


    "If you marry him, you''d be able to stay here."


    "Samuel''s got high standards. You''re lucky to have piqued his fancy."


    Upon hearing this, Samuel felt much more confident. Usually, he viewed people


    like Noelle with disdain because they came from a vige.


    If not for her excellent gaming skills, Samuel wouldn''t have pursued her.


    He lowered his voice and continued, "You pissed the Merlocks off as well. If you


    get with me, I''ll help you beg for their mercy."


    Noelle snorted. It all had to do with the Merlocks.


    She turned to Samuel and asked, "You want me to see you''re genuinely right? Does that mean you''ll do anything I ask you to?"


    "Yeah!"


    She put her feet out and ordered, "Get on your knees and lick my boots. ThenI''ll consider you."


    His smile froze. "Noelle, my love for you is genuine. Don''t make such jokes."


    "I''m not kidding. Didn''t you say you adored me? Can''t you do something small for me?"


    Noelle''s eyes shed with mockery. "It looks like your heart is worth nothing."


    Noelle considered whether he had some kind of brain injury. Did he really think every girl would fall for that?


    She threw the rest of the flowers on his face and said, "Get lost. Remember to take the rubbish on the floor, including yourself."


    She went back to her dorm.


    Jessica and Grace were back and they had bought food.


    Jessica stood up and eyed Noelle carefully.


    "No."


    Noelle turned her down coldly. She knew that her kindness was not for naught and was aware of what Jessica wanted to achieve. However, Noelle didn''t want to give it to her.


    She bit her lip and turned to Grace, who said, "Noelle, we''re from the same dorm. Can''t you help Jessica with this? She''s seen the error in her ways."


    Noelle said, "I''m not free."


    Upon seeing how Noelle was determined, Jessica could only say, "Noelle, I might''ve crossed a line. This is my formal apology to you. I''m sorry. It was all my fault."


    Noelle didn''t even spare her a nce.


    Jessica was a little embarrassed, and this turned into fury. "I''ve apologised, Noelle. What more do you want for me?"


    It was only a small favor, but Noelle was acting like she was asking for her firstborn child! She was a dumb vige girl indeed.

 Chapter 279

    Noelle turned back to look at Jessica and said, "I''m not going to let you guilt-trip me!"


    What did she mean by saying that she had apologized and what more could Noelle want? Noelle had heard all of that growing up.


    "Noelle, how could that be guilt-tripping? I''ve apologized and would like you to do a little favor for me. Who are you putting up this big show for?"


    Jessica was a single-daughter born and bred in the city. She had been pampered growing up and never had to beg anyone like she did now. She was already humbling herself. What else did Noelle want from her?


    Noelle said calmly, "It''s for you."


    What was that?


    Jessica cried from anger. Sheined to Grace, "It''s all your fault foring up with the stupid idea to apologize to Noelle." That ungrateful bitch!


    She sat down angrily and took her phone, looking at social media, suddenly, she saw someone posting about a confession. It was Samuel confessing to Noelle.


    Jessica nearly blew a fuse when she saw that. "Fine, Noelle. I was wondering why you wouldn''t help me. Now I know. You had gotten together with Samuel a long time ago, right?"


    Grace asked in confusion, "What are you going on about?"


    How could they be together?


    "I''m not talking any nonsense. Check social media. He confessed to her downstairs."


    Jessica considered how she''d slept with him but never got a confession from Samuel. Why had Noelle elicited one? The more she thought about it, the angrier she got. "That''s why Noelle didn''t help on purpose. She''s a little bitch. Her parents didn''t teach her any manners because they died when she was a kid!"


    Noelle pped her.


    She screamed, "How dare you hit me?"


    "You can scold me, and you can scold my living family members. But you cannot curse my deceased parents!"


    "Noelle, do you dare to say that there''s nothing between you and Samuel?"


    Noelle chuckled and answered, "Even looking at him stains me. You''re the only one who could fall for him and sleep with him. Did you think everyone was just as blind as you are?"


    "Noelle, I''m going to kill you. You''re just a vige girl. How dare you be so arrogant?"


    Jessica was provoked till she nearly went mad.


    How dare Noelle not help? How dare Noelle get everything Jessica wanted without lifting a finger?


    Noelle pushed her aside and said, "If you''re asking me for help, you should put on


    a proper attitude. Stop trying to morally coerce me into this."


    "I begged for your help already.!"


    "Am I obligated to help you just because you asked me to? That''s hrious!"


    Jessica spoke to her like it was only natural that Noelle helped her.


    She''d been morally coerced since she was a child. Now, she hated this more than anything else in the world!


    Noelle changed into sportswear and left her form to go boxing.


    Jessica watched her leave with eyes rimmed red. "Noelle, if you don''t y nice, don''t me me for taking precautions."


    She wiped her tears away and called Samuel, "I''ve got a way to help you get Noelle. However, you must delete the photos and videos of me!"


    Samuel had slunk away from the female dorms. Hatred for Noelle swirled within him. He had just beening up with ways to teach her a lesson when the golden opportunity came knocking on his door.


    "Deal!"


    When she saw Samuel''s response, Jessica red at Noelle''s bed and said, "Since youughed at me for sleeping with him, I''ll give you a ride as well."


    She would destroy Noelle.


    Noelle would never be able to show herself in public!


    Grace heard her and said, "Jessica, that''s not nice, is it?"


    "Stop with that nonsense. Noelle forced me into this. Didn''t you see how she was


    all high-and-mighty there? I''m going to destroy her!"


    She grinned coldly, as though she could envision Noelle''s downfall already.


    Grace was thrown into her thoughts. This would only drag Jessica further into her obsession.


    ...


    Noelle went to the gym to continue her training. She punched the punching bag ferociously.


    Samuel disgusted her so much she felt like she wouldn''t be able to stomach dinner. The asshole with unfounded self-confidence!

 Chapter 280

    After training, Noelle dragged her exhausted body back to her dorms. She felt as though she had been beaten up. All she wanted was a shower and to get some sleep.


    She got back just before curfew. While she got water from the dispenser, she realized it had run out. If she''d known, she would''ve bought a drink beforeing back.


    "Noelle, I bought some drinks. Have a sipt."


    Jessica handed her a bottle. Noelle eyed it but did not take it from her.


    She said anxiously, "Noelle, I admit that I had crossed a line in the afternoon. Don''t hold it against me."


    Noelle took the bottle. As she was about to drink from it, she noticed Jessica''s eyes glinting anticipatorily.


    She put the bottle back down.


    Jessica was nervous. "Noelle, why aren''t you drinking? Are you still mad at me?"


    "If you own up to your mistakes now, you''ll still have a chance."


    "Noelle, I''ve apologized to you just now."


    She dragged Jessica over and poured the drink into her mouth. "In that case, drink this yourself."


    Jessica choked and struggled, as though she was being fed poison.


    The second Noelle let go, Jessica stuck a finger down her throat trying to spit the water out."


    Noelle watched her coldly and asked, "What are you doing? Is the waterced with poison?"


    "Even if you didn''t drink the water, you won''t escape it, Noelle!"


    The door to the balcony opened. Samuel walked out in a dress and a wig. He''d pretended to be a woman to sneak in.


    He scanned her and asked, "Weren''t you acting all arrogant in the morning? You even dared to ask me to lick your shoes. I''ll make you lick mine."


    Jessicaughed evilly and said, "That''s right. We''ll make a film of it. Noelle will be an obedient girl after this."


    She would be like Jessica, destroyed. Jessica wanted to watch how she continued to be hailed as a school goddess after turning into a lustful wench!


    Noelle took a step back and punched Samuel. His head spun. She continued kicking at him and said, "No one would purchase your services even if you were a prostitute. You''re ugly and dirty!"


    She stepped on him and dragged him out of the room.


    He only looked anxious while he was lying in the corridor. She screamed, "Everyone,e out and take a look. A pervert dressed up as a girl to sneak into our dorms. Come out and let''s beat him up!"


    Samuel was terrified. He scrambled to his feet and sprinted to the stairs.


    Noelle went forward and pushed him down the stairs. Many girls came out to see a man in a dress and a wig. They took out their brooms and pulled out their phones to take videos.


    He covered his face. "Stop filming, stop fucking filming. Can''t you hear me?" "Wow, a pervert is being so arrogant. He looks rather familiar."


    "I know who he is. He''s the captain of the esports team. I think his name is Samuel!"


    "Damn, he looks like a decent man usually. Turns out he''s a pervert!"


    When he heard this, Samuel tried to run but Noelle kicked him onto the floor.


    She looked down at him. "Who gave you permission to get up? I want you to crawl out of the girls'' dorms!"


    Everyone would watch the asshole il! She avenged the girls he wronged!

 Chapter 281

    "Yeah, crawl out of here!"


    "Asshole, pervert!"


    All the girls were shouting at Samuel and some even threw bins at him. He was in horrible condition. His bones seemed to have been broken, so he could only crawl down the stairs, biting his pain back!


    The dorm supervisor came over and asked, "What''s going on? Why are you guys hitting him?"


    When he saw her, Samuel immediately said, "Noelle made the first move. She called me a pervert."


    She immediately exined, "He''s here for a rehearsal. He''s not a pervert."


    Noelle understood. He''d bought her favor as well. That exined how he snuck his way in.


    Jessica ran out, her face flushed. She looped her hands around his neck. "Samuel, didn''t you say you were going toe over and give her a sedative so you could teach her a lesson? Why are you leaving?"


    Noelle eyed Jessica. She was probably behaving under the drug''s influence. Noelle red at the supervisor. "This is the truth. Call the police!"


    However, the supervisor cut in and said, "No, you mustn''t do that. It''s a mistake!"


    She was anxious as well. If this was submitted to the police, she would lose her job.


    Jessica said, "It isn''t a misunderstanding. Samuel wants Noelle, that''s why he came in. it''s not like he''s never done this before. Haven''t you always turned a blind eye to his behavior?"


    She wasn''t in control of her mental faculties and was saying whatever came to mind.


    The supervisor paled. "D-don''t make stuff up. I have no idea what you''re talking about."


    "What nonsense are you talking about? Fuck off!"


    Samuel pushed Jessica out of his way and said, "I won''t let you off the hook!"


    Noelle smirked. "Save it for the police."


    He wouldn''t have a future.


    The policemen had pulled up at the dorms and subdued Samuel. "Come with us to the station."


    "Let me go. I was framed!"


    Noelle chuckled. "Do you mean to say that you had a dress and a wig on while pretending to be a girl in order to sneak into the girls dorm and you were framed?"


    "This was part of a safety rehearsal. I got the permission of the dorm supervisor."


    She denied it vehemently. "Don''t make stuff up. I never agreed to it!"


    She didn''t dare to admit to it.


    The policemen brought Samuel away, despite his denials.


    Upon seeing this, Noelle smirked. She''d done a good thing for the people.


    However, the dorm supervisor was terrified. She questioned Noelle, "You were dating him all along. Why are you making such a big deal out of this?" "I''ve got nothing to do with him."


    "If you''ve got nothing to do with him, why would he confess his love for you just now?"


    Noelle mocked, "Just because he confessed to me makes us a couple? Don''t use me of something like that. You better think about how you''ll exin epting bribes to sneak him into the girls'' dorms!"


    She copsed to the floor. She was done for.


    Grace began pping. "Noelle did well. She''s getting rid of a monster!"


    "Yeah, I''ve heard rumors that he wasn''t a good man and hurt a lot of girls."


    Noelle was surrounded by apuse.


    She knew that justice would always prevail!


    Noelle looked around and said, "Go back and get some rest. Remember to send


    the videos you took to the school as evidence. Today, all of us are witnesses.


    They can shut one person up, but they can''t shut all of us up!"


    All of the girls here today were heroes.


    Soon after, Grace helped Jessica, who was limp, back into their room.

 Chapter 282

    The effects of the drug were still lingering on Jessica, but when she saw Samuel being dragged away by the police, she sobered up.


    Jessica pretended to be unconscious and didn''t dare to face Noelle.


    Noelle turned back to Grace and said, "It was all thanks to you that we sessfully dealt with Samuel."


    If not, with the Merlocks supporting him, they would be threatened like how her senior was if they tried reporting him.


    Grace sighed and said, "I didn''t do anything much. It was you who helped everyone!"


    Jessica suddenly opened her eyes and pped Grace. "So it was you who spread the news!"


    Jessica had been wondering why Noelle didn''t drink the water she offered. It was because Grace had told her about this beforehand.


    Noelle pped Jessica and sshed water onto her face. Grabbing her chin, she said, "Don''t be ungrateful. Yes, Grace did tell me about your n. Did you think you''d get out of this scot-free?"


    "Yes, Samuel promised that he would delete the videos about me!"


    "Dumbass. Why would you believe what he says? While Grace was calling me to tell me about your n, she asked me to help delete Samuel''s videos about you. This was the only way to solve the problem forever."


    Jessica froze. She hadn''t considered that. After Noelle refused to help, hopelessness had taken over her.


    Noelle let go of her. "In addition, we don''t know whether he has backup copies. Only the involvement of the police will ensure that everything is deleted."


    Jessica burst out in tears. "I-I was just too scared."


    Noelle ignored her. She pulled out aptop. It was time to find evidence that Samuel had helped the Merlocks with their moneyundering pursuits. After all, this was a chance to ckmail them.


    The evidence that her senior had had been taken away because they threatened her family. However, Noelle wasn''t scared of that!.


    Noelle hacked into his phone, essing his email as well as his social media ounts. She saved all the data.


    After all, her actions weren''t exactly legal. She had even nearly gotten discovered by the cybersecurity police. She could only save everything for now andb through it to look for moneyundering evidence at ater date.


    After turning herptop off, she looked at the news.


    "A pervert was found in Yole University''s female dorms and was hunted down by all the girls!"


    "A cross-dressing pervert was found in Yole University''s female dorms, suspected to be the captain of Yole University''s esports team!"


    It was going viral. This level of attention was something that the Merlocks couldn''t suppress.


    She reposted it with the caption, "What goes aroundes around!"


    Alfred liked her post.


    Cedric called her. Noelle looked around her room and went to the balcony to pick out. "Are you feeling better now?"


    "Tomorrow, I''ll be discharged. Were you the one who identified the pervert?" "How did you know?"


    "There was a girl who looked skilled at beating him up. I knew it was you."


    Cedric had seen the video making its rounds online. However, he recognised Noelle.


    She chuckled and said, "Everyone''s responsible for beating a pervert up." "He didn''t hurt you, did he?"


    "Nah, everyone beat him till he was ck and blue. He''s been arrested."


    Cedric''s gaze darkened. He asked calmly, "Is that it?"


    He guessed that there was something she wasn''t telling him.


    Noelle looked up at the night sky and answered, "Yeah, that''s all."


    He nearly died in the ident. She didn''t want to drag him into this, so Noelle would keep her distance.

 Chapter 283

    Noelle didn''t want to tell Cedric too much. The video nearly killed him.


    The Merlocks were behind this and Noelle didn''t want to bring him into this e picture. He should return to Aldoria and live a calm and peaceful life.


    Noelle needed to deal with the Liddells in the future. Her life wouldn''t be anywhere near calm.


    Cedric didn''t ask any further questions. "It''s gettingte. Get some rest."


    After hanging up, Cedric''s expression turned cold. He threw his phone aside. "Look into what happened between Samuel and Noelle."


    "She didn''t tell you about it?"


    "No."


    "That''s odd. She used to be quite dependent on you and would tell you everything that happened to her. Why has she kept it from you this time?"


    Cedric had also picked up on it, but he could guess why her attitude had shifted. He turned to Alfred and said, "Shut it. Go look into it!"


    "I don''t think that will be necessary. I looked through the Yole University forum. Samuel was the Captain of the Yole Team base. He''s a pervert who selects his victims from freshmen. Noelle is pretty and a great gamer. He took her to be his new target and confessed to her outside her dorms today."


    Alfred watched Cedric''s expression darken. He exined, "She turned him down. It was probably Samuel who resented her for it and bribed their dorm supervisor to let him in with the intent of causing trouble."


    Cedric''s gaze sharpened. He smirked. It made goosebumps prickle over Alfred. Cedric said, "Deal with Samuel."


    After a moment of hesitation, Alfred suggested, "Noelle has helped herself grow stronger. Shouldn''t you learn to let go? He''ll be punished even if you didn''t take action."


    Cedric looked down and replied, "I know."


    "If not for my quick thinking, Noelle would''ve been discovered. Laura''s asking your mom for the identity of the girl who you got into the crash with."


    He fell silent.


    Outside the room, Emma''s expression turned cold as she listened to their conversation. Then, she pushed the door open and walked in with a smile. "Are you feeling better, Cedric?"


    "Mom, I''ve been cleared to be discharged today."


    "Great. I''ve spoken to Mrs. Merlock. We''ll have a meal together and talk about you and Laura."


    Cedric replied expressionlessly, "Mom, I never agreed to get engaged to her."


    "You''re not a kid anymore. The Merlocks are of a good background. You two would be a great match. Why are you dissatisfied?"


    "Mom, I know what I''m doing. Don''t get too close to the Merlocks. If not, you''llnd yourself in a difficult situation!"


    Cedric was firm.


    Emma was enraged. "Is this because of the girl you were in the ident with? Is that why you don''t want to get engaged to Laura?"


    "Even if she never existed, I wouldn''t have gotten engaged with her and the Merlocks. Give it up."


    "Cedric, you''re growing more disobedient. This isn''t up to you to decide."


    Emma stormed out.


    She told her secretary, "Investigate who Noelle is and where shees from."


    How could a bitch like her deserve Cedric? She had to be disposed of immediately.


    The next day, the news about the cross-dressing pervert in the female dorms of


    Yole University had be public knowledge.

 Chapter 284

    Parents of students in the building questioned the school.


    Thendline to the school''s office rang off the hook as they demanded an


    exnation for theck of guarantee of their daughter''s safety. They demanded to know why the dorm supervisor had been so negligent.


    Noelle was soundly asleep that morning when she was woken up by the incessant ringing of her phone. She nced at the seemingly familiar number. Was it thewyer from the Merlock family?


    After getting out of bed, she walked to the balcony to answer the call.


    "Noelle, you orchestrated Samuel''s incident, didn''t you? Openly going against the Merlock family won''t end well for you. You might drag your family into this mess!"


    Family? Noelle responded calmly, "I didn''t force Samuel to disguise himself as a woman and sneak into the female dorm. Also, he gave me some interesting insights into the Merlock family when he begged for mercyst night."


    Thewyer''s tone grew noticeably anxious. "You think I''d believe what you''re saying?"


    "It''s up to you to believe it or not." Noelle hung up the phone and chuckled.


    She''d said that on purpose to stir things up, knowing the Merlocks would cause Samuel trouble. She wouldn''t let that scumbag off easily.


    As she checked her phone, she noticed thatst night''s incident at the dorm had gone viral and was widely discussed on the Inte.


    Since Samuel was the captain of Team Yole, the controversy had reached the gamingmunity. Samuel was thoroughly criticized.


    Noelle decided to turn on herptop and filter the data she''d saved from Samuelst night. She had to find solid evidence of the Merlock family''s moneyundering to ensure they wouldn''t harm her recklessly.


    Soon, there was a knock on the door. After Grace opened it, several female teachers walked in. "Last night''s incident happened in your dorm, right? We''d like to hear your ount of what happened."


    Noelle shut off herptop and noticed Jessica hiding in bed. She was probably too guilty to speak.


    Grace was the first to respond. "We never expected someone to be hiding in the restroom. He hopped out of nowhere, and it turned out he''d bribed the dorm supervisor to sneak in."


    The teachers turned to Noelle and asked, "Is this what happened?"


    Noelle''s expression was calm. Just as she was about to respond, Jessica abruptly popped out of bed. Her eyes were red, and she looked almost as pale as a ghost.


    With a hoarse voice, Jessica said, "Yes, that''s what happened. And Samuel only did it because Noelle rejected his confession. He held a grudge and sneaked into our dorm, and it has nothing to do with us.''


    Grace''s expression darkened. "Jessica, do you even know what you''re saying?"


    Jessica shrank back. "I said nothing wrong, did I?"


    Grace turned her head and closed her eyes. There was no saving Jessica.


    Noelle''s lips curled into a cold smile as she listened to Jessica''s exnation. She hadn''t intended to refute Grace''s words or say much, but some people were ungrateful and would never change.


    A teacher spoke up. "Noelle, did Samuele to the female dorm because of a personal grudge between you two?"


    "Of course not. There was a water shortage when I returned to the dormst night. Jessica handed me a bottle of tempered water, and Samuel was already hiding in the restroom back then," Noelle protested.


    Jessica screamed, "Noelle, didn''t you promise Grace not to expose me?"


    "I wasn''t nning to, but you''re heartless, so I have no reason to stay true to my word. I''m not forgiving either, so why should I tolerate you?"


    Noelle recountedst night''s events in detail but omitted the part where Grace had tipped her off, and the two had set a trap.


    Jessicapletely broke down. "Noelle, you traitor! You sold me out! You''ll suffer for what you did!''


    Noelle grabbed a ss of water and sshed it at her. "Wake up, you shameless roommate!"

 Chapter 285

    Noelle''s expression remained icy. "Get it straight. You and Samuel nned to harm me, and you''re the real culprit here. If anyone deserves to suffer, it''s you, not me!"


    "This has been your fault from the beginning, Noelle. Why didn''t you help me in the first ce?"


    "Why should I? Now that Samuel is caught, all the videos and pictures will be deleted. They never leaked. If you''re too stupid to see that, who else is to me?"


    Jessica was on the verge of breaking down as she realized she had misspoken. She shouldn''t have tried to pin the me on Noelle. If she hadn''t, thetter wouldn''t have exposed the truth.


    A teacher turned to Jessica and instructed, "Now exin!"


    Jessica started trembling in fright. "It wasn''t me! It has nothing to do with me!"


    "But many students overheard your conversation with Samuelst night, and it was clear you two nned this together.


    "Come with us to clear this up. Otherwise, we''re gonna have to send you to the police."


    Jessica burst into tears as she curled up on her bed and refused to leave. Her defiance left the teachers speechless as they exchanged a nce, but they hesitated to use force.


    Noelle sneered. "The police will take her statement anyway. Jessica and Samuel being aplices is a fact, and I''ll make sure to get to the bottom of this. They both have to face legal consequences!"


    Jessica burst into tears. "I''m a victim too! Why should I be penalized?"


    A teacher tried to reason with her. "If you''re a victim, exin everything clearly so we can help you when the police get involved. Otherwise, we''ll have to call your parents to bail you out."


    "No! My parents can''t know about this, or they''ll kill me!"


    Jessica panicked after learning the school might involve her parents. In the end, she left with the teachers, though unwillingly.


    Soon, only Noelle and Grace remained in the dorm. Noelle turned to Grace and exined, "Some people are beyond saving. Jessica was the first to nder my name."


    "I get it. She brought this upon herself."


    Grace sighed. She had no desire to intervene further. Jessica''s downfall was entirely her own doing.


    Plus, there hadd been so many witnesses in the dormst night hearing Jessica and Samuel''s exchange. Jessica might''ve had a chance to slip through if she''d stayed quiet earlier.


    If Noelle didn''t press charges, the school would''ve likely brushed the incident under the rug, but Jessica''s foolishness and selfishness sealed her fate. No one could help her now.


    With no sses in the morning, Nancy opened herptop and organized the evidence she''d obtained from Samuel.


    The files included detailed records of Samuel taking kickbacks and misappropriating club funds. There was even evidence of bribery during matches and evaluations.


    But there was no direct evidence of the Merlock familyundering money.


    It seemed Samuel had caught wind of Tianna''s whistleblowing and cleaned up the evidence beforehand. The only thing Noelle found was a financial statement linking the Merlock family''s investment to the gaming team, but that wasn''t strong enough to serve as concrete evidence.


    Still, her im of holding evidence was enough to make Samuel sweat.


    The Merlock family wanted to eliminate any loose ends and would likely ensure Samuel kept quiet for good.


    Noelle submitted the evidence she had and filed an officialint about Samuel''s misuse of his position as the team captain.


    In the afternoon, Noelle and Grace headed to ss together. Along the way, they overheard students discussing the dorm incident fromst night.


    As Noelle entered ss, curious gazes followed her, but she was already used to


    it.


    After ss, Morgan sent her a text. "Come to the office after ss."


    Noelle guessed it was about herint against Samuel. She''d filed it under


    her real name without any attempt to hide.


    Grace looked at her and asked, "Shall Ie with you as a witness?"

 Chapter 286

    "No need. The evidence is sufficient anyway. Could you take my books back for me?"


    Grace nodded. "Alright, I''ll head back then."


    Noelle made her way to the office alone. As she entered, both Lionel and Morgan were waiting.


    Lionel''s tone was less than weing. "Noelle, I understand you''ve filed aint against Samuel. is this because of a lover''s dispute that he sneaked into your dorm?"


    "Even if we had a dispute, the fact remains that Samuel bribed the dorm supervisor and sneaked into the dorm to attempt a sexual assault. Plus, it isn''t the first time this has happened! The school should investigate instead of twisting this crime into some trivial lovers'' spat!"


    Lionel raised his voice. "Watch your tone, Noelle! We''re just asking questions here!"


    But Noelle stood her ground. She had no intention topromise now that she was armed with evidence.


    Lucas burst into the room. "You''re the one who should watch your tone! Noelle did nothing wrong, so why are you twisting facts and misleading her?"


    Noelle turned and frowned to see him. Why was he here?


    Then, shemanded in an icy voice, "Please leave the office."


    Lionel pointed Lucas toward the door. "Unrted individuals are not permitted in the office. Not everyone is allowed here."


    Lucas mmed his hand on the table. "I''m her brother and guardian. Why shouldn''t I be here?"


    Lionel faltered. "Noelle is an orphan, isn''t she?"


    Morgan interjected, "Mr. Kramer, I did tell you she isn''t an orphan."


    Lionel hadn''t been present during the previous scandal on the school forum, but both he and Bruce had suffered in the face of the truth.


    "Who said she''s an orphan? Our parents may have passed on early, but she has her brother!"


    Morgan mumbled, "But you weren''t the one who came..."


    "That was my second brother, Frank. We''re seven siblings!"


    Lionel''s demeanor shifted instantly as he put on a more respectful attitude. "We''re actively investigating this matter, Mr. Liddell."


    Lucas red at Morgan and snapped, "The school must give us an exnation for what happened in the Dorm. If Noelle hadn''t been quick-witted,st night could''ve ended in tragedy. Is this how your school ensures student safety?"


    Lionel faltered under the verbal onught and apologized profusely, "You''re right. This is a failure on our part. Noelle is indeed a victim, and we''ll look into it. Noelle, you may leave."


    "No way! The Liddell family demands action to be taken!"


    Noelle frowned, and her patience was wearing thin. "What''s wrong with you, Lucas? Why are you here iming to be my family? I have nothing to do with the Liddells!"


    She turned to Lionel and continued, ''I have all the evidence I need, and if the school tries to protect Samuel, I''ll sue!"


    Lionel wiped nervous sweat off his forehead. "When have we ever said anything about protecting Samuel? We''re just trying to understand the situation better, and you must''ve misunderstood!"


    Noelle was clearly not someone who could be easily appeased. It seemed that there was nothing they could do to get her to drop the charges.


    Noelle left the office after having achieved her goal. Lucas cautiously caught up to her and said, "Frank told me toe back you up after he learned about everything that happened. He said you won''t be able to handle it yourself."


    "I would''ve done fine even without you. You''re just meddling. Don''t ever try to im to be my family again!" Noelle''s voice was firm and resolute.


    "You think you could''ve handled this alone?"


    At that moment, Noelle noticed Donovan and Xenia approaching from the stairs. She smirked.


    Reeking of alcohol, Donovan wore a stern expression. "Samuel has the Merlock family to back him up! Do you even realize what kind of trouble you''ve stirred up?''


    So they were all here to confront her huh?

 Chapter 287

    Noelle thought of how the Merlocks had threatened to involve her family, and it seemed they had gone after the Liddells.


    For some reason, she felt quite pleased. And she calmly answered, "I''ve severed ties with the Liddells anyway. This is my business."


    "So you''re saying you can handle it on your own? The Merlock family hase to me and warned me to rein in my disobedient sister. They warned that they''d show no mercy the next time this happens."


    Noelle replied in a cold voice, "The Merlock family arranged a car ident that almost killed me. How much more lenient can they get?"


    Standing nearby, Xenia''s expression flickered briefly at her words. It seemed everyone believed the Merlock family had orchestrated Noelle''s ident. That worked just fine for her.


    Then, she feigned concern and chimed in, "Noelle, Donovan is doing this for your good. Though you''ve cut ties with the Liddells, you''ll always be one of us. That''s not something you can change."


    Lucas exined, "Donovan spent the afternoon drinking with the Merlocks. He''s had it tough."


    Donovan red at Noelle and was furious at her unbothered expression. "Noelle, remember it was the Lidells who dealt with the Merlocks for you!"


    Noelle scoffed. What an impressive im.


    "I didn''t ask for your help, did I? You could''ve just told the Merlocks that I''m no longer part of the Liddells and left me to fend for myself. Wouldn''t that have been easier?"


    Noelle''s gaze was steady, and her demeanor exuded strength.


    Donovan was livid. "You ungrateful brat! I cleaned up your mess, and is this how you thank me?"


    Xenia hurriedly calmed him down. "Don''t get too worked up, Donovan. She''s just stubborn, and she doesn''t mean what she says. She''lle to understand your kindness."


    "Donovan, let''s talk this through." Lucas stepped in to block Donovan, who seemed ready to explode.


    "Why are you stopping me? I said back then she shouldn''t havee to Yasnia for school. We know she might offend those she isn''t supposed to, and the Liddells can''t keep covering for her. Look at what came out of her insistence!"


    He pointed at Noelle and continued, "Do you know how much effort I put in to resolve this with the Merlocks? And not a single word of gratitude from you!"


    Noelle looked up and smiled faintly. They''d always been like this-full of condescension, scolding, and me.


    She raised an eyebrow and replied, "I never asked you to, and I certainly don''t care for your efforts!"


    Turning around, she started walking down the stairs and refused to say another word.


    "Noelle, stop right there! Lucas, grab her and bring her back! I''m taking her to meet the Merlocks in person!"


    Donovan was furious. He''d expected Noelle to learn her lesson, but she was acting more defiant instead.


    Lucas hurried over to grab her. "Don''t leave just yet."


    "Don''t touch me!" Noelle pulled her arm back and turned to face Donovan. "You think one casual drink with the Merlocks will stop them from holding a grudge?"


    "Then what? Do you think you can handle it alone? Laura is engaged to one of the most rich and powerful men in Yasnia. With a flick of his finger, he can erase the Liddells from the map of Yasnia!"


    Noelle had always known Laura was engaged to some influential man in Yasnia, but were they expecting her to just await her death?


    She snapped back in a cold voice, "I have evidence of the Merlock family using Samuel as a tool tounder money in esports. The Merlocks would never have the guts to act that recklessly."


    Leverage was the key to negotiation no matter who the opponent was.


    Donovan froze and was stunned, while Xenia eximed, "But doing this willpletely offend the Merlocks!"


    "So what''s your n? Should I sit here and let you lecture me about how I survived only because of the Liddell family''s support? Spare me!"


    Xenia chimed in, "But Donovan did make an effort. The Merlock family only backed off because they respected him."


    "Stop ttering yourselves. The Merlock was just trying to probe you and see if you had the evidence." Noelle snapped.


    She gave Xenia a pointed look. "I have the evidence and leverage, after all. How could they dare make a move?"


    Xenia remembered Noelle''s earlier threat and guiltily avoided her gaze. Noelle held her weakness, so she couldn''t afford to act recklessly. Thetter''s words were clearly a warning.


    Donovan''s face darkened as he realized Noelle was right. He did find the Merlock family''s sudden retreat off, and it seemed that was the reason.


    He felt his pride crumble. "Maybe you got lucky this time, but don''t think you''ll always be this lucky!"

 Chapter 288

    "Being lucky counts," Noelle remarked before turning to leave.


    Donovan seethed. "I shouldn''t have been here today!"


    Xenia, however, felt a flicker of joy. "It''s my fault for telling you this, Donovan. I thought bying to school, you could make up with Noelle, and we could all live together as a family again like before. But who would''ve thought Noelle wouldn''t appreciate what you did for her?"


    "How can you say that? It''s not that Noelle is ungrateful, but she clearly would''ve done well even without us." Lucas frowned. There was a subtle undertone in Xenia''s words that made him oddly ufortable.


    Xenia carefully asked, "Did I perhaps say the wrong thing again, Lucas?"


    Dono interjected, "It''s not your fault, Xeiva. Noelle''s bad temper will catch up to her one day, and I''ll wait to see how she handles it then!"


    Xenia lowered her head pitifully. "I shouldn''t meddle from now on, or others might take me as scheming."


    Donovan turned to shoot Lucas a look. "What''s with you? Stop acting like Frank."


    Lucas felt utterly wronged. He hadn''t said anything wrong about Xenia''s words being inappropriate either. Why did everything suddenly feel like his fault?


    As he watched Xenia help Donovan leave, his mood soured.


    For some reason, he felt oddly conflictedtely. There was a subtle jab that Xenia seemed to have changed.


    ...


    After leaving the ssroom building, Noelle headed to the gym to practice boxing.


    She changed into her workout clothes as a thought crossed her mind. Then, she pulled out her phone and texted Xenia. "Don''t forget what you promised me!"


    It wasn''t over yet.


    Xenia had just gotten into the car when she received the text. Her heart skipped a beat at the message, and she hastily deleted it. Her heart thumped in guilt.


    After thinking briefly, she turned to Donovan and asked, "Donovan, you invested in Frank''s Al project, didn''t you? Can I learn more about it?"


    "Why would you want to learn about that?"


    "I''m in business, after all. I don''t want to be clueless and know nothing; I want to help you."


    Donovan nodded in approval. "You''re much more sensible and better than that ungrateful child."


    Xenia''s smile stiffened slightly, and she said nothing more.


    After sending the text, Noelle threw herself into her boxing practice.


    She took quite a beating during her session and returned to her apartment afterward. It was the weekend, and she didn''t have sses.


    She had to prepare for her livestream, which she''d skippedst week. But when she started the livestream, she immediately noticed something off about thements in her chat.


    "Are you dating the captain of the Yole University gaming team?"


    "Did you set Samuel up to take the fall after getting caught doing scandalous stuff in your dorm?"


    "How could you be so evil? You toyed with Samuel''s feelings and dumped him afterward."


    "Samuel confessed to you in the afternoon, and he was already in your dorm by the evening. That''s fast progress!"


    Readingments from trolls, Noelle figured this might be the Merlock family''s artwork in trying to smear her name and slut-shame her.


    She turned on the microphone and said, "Samuel is just a piece of trash who uses his position as captain to prey on young women. He''s filmed and taken pictures of countless of them for ckmail, and I''m not that blind to fall for someone like him!"


    Thements fought back. "You''re using Samuel of all this, but there hasn''t been any evidence or videos and pictures of any sort. You''re just trying to smear his name!"


    "Exactly! If he did that, where''s the proof? Show us!"


    "A typical streamer like you makes money by sleeping with men. I''m guessing you couldn''t agree on a price with Samuel."


    Noelle''s tone turned icy. "Listen up, trolls. You can criticize me all you want, but those videos and pictures are a death sentence for the victims. They''re weapons to destroy lives.


    "And who the hell do you think you are, demanding to see evidence? How did your moms give birth to brainless creatures like you?"


    Another troll snapped. "You''re all talk. If you can''t show evidence, you''re lying!"

 Chapter 289

    Fine! That was how the trolls wanted to y the game, huh?


    Noelle sneered. "You want evidence? Go home and ask your moms for a refund on your missing brain beforeing back here. Ask them how they got pregnant to havee up with pure stupidity as rare as you guys!


    "What a bunch of utterly useless blockheads! I want to give y''all a beating honestly, but I''m afraid you''ll enjoy it too much!"


    Noelle dove headfirst into a battle with the trolls and engaged in a battle of words. Her cutting remarks had the trolls reeling.


    Her livestream exploded in poprity, and the number of viewers skyrocketed.


    One of the tolls retorted, "Don''t you care about your image with the way you''re acting? Aren''t you afraid of losing your reputation and fans?"


    Noelle took a sip of water and calmly replied, "My motto starting today shall be- Fuck It, I Decide to Live Life However I Want!


    "And I identify as the morally wicked!"


    Since the trolls wanted to shame her, she''d start by doing the same thing to herself. If she stopped caring, what could they do about it?


    There was no way she''d fall into their traps, and she''d never expose Samuel''s evidence just to prove her point.


    Her fans immediately flooded the chat.


    "From today onward, my motto''s gonna be-Fan of the Morally Wicked!"


    "Our queen is bold and fearless. Don''t let the trolls get to you!"


    "Yourebacks are savage. I''m obsessed!"


    The trolls were utterly baffled. They''d prepared for tonight by holding meetings to anticipate Noelle''s likely responses and strategies, but they hadn''t expected her to be more unpredictable than they''d thought.


    The way she dered morally wicked rendered their attacks weak and irrelevant. Though they''d seen defenses and confessions, this was their first time seeing someone resort to self-mockery.


    After roasting her trolls, Noelle casually moved on to her usual yer Kill livestreams.


    Several challengers brought up Samuel''s controversy during the games, but Noelle crushed each one with ease. She left them no chance for retaliation and took them out in seconds.


    But yer Kill matches had a limit of ten yers.


    Feeling unsatisfied, Noelle decided to take the battle to the wilderness zone. She boldly dered, "Trolls, quit yapping online! Fight me one on one if you''ve got the guts! I''ll smash your brain matter into pixels!"


    Her taunt soon attracted challengers, and Noelle activated her killing mode in the wilderness zone. Bodies soon littered the virtual battlefield.


    The chat in her livestream blew up.


    "She''s so quick today! Everyone''s dropping like flies!"


    "Now I get it. She used to go easy on her PK opponents."


    "She''s number one because there''s literally nopetition for her spot!"


    Noelle''s spree in the wilderness zone caused the game to g her with a red name, and she received an official warning for her actions.


    She looked at the screen and announced, "Well, that''s it for today. As for mymentary... can I swear?"


    Her fans responded. "Don''t! The mods gave you a warning earlier."


    Noelle sighed. "Alright then, I have nothing more to say. As for the creep, I''m sure the police will handle him soon. Bye, see you next week!"


    After logging off, she noticed her follower count had surged, and the concurrent viewers had hit a new peak.


    Ironically, she owed her newfound traffic to the Merlock family.


    Meanwhile, Samantha fumed as she watched Noelle''s livestream. She had orchestrated the troll attack and had expected to ruin Noelle''s reputation, but thetter had outmaneuvered her instead.


    She smashed a vase on her desk in frustration. "Damn it! What a bitch!"


    Her mother, Ruth Summers, overheard and asked, "Samantha, did you send trolls to Noelle''s livestream?"


    "Mom, she''s the reason for all the suffering I''m going through right now! My phone was hacked, and it has to be her doing!"

 Chapter 290

    If Noelle could hack into so many phones, Samantha was certain that the former had the skills to do the same to hers. The misery she suffered was all because Noelle exposed those videos and pictures as evidence.


    "You''re currently on bail, Samantha. Stop causing trouble. Laura is in talks with the Greenes about an engagement. It''ll be called off if you create a scandal or end up in jail," Ruth warned.


    "So you care only about Laura and not me? If she''s engaged to the Greenes, dealing with Noelle should be a piece of cake."


    Yet why was Noelle still unting herself in front of her?


    Ruth sighed. "That''s not what I mean. Once Laura''s engagement is finalized, you can deal with anyone you want, and no one can stop you."


    "How dare a bitchy country bumpkin like hering from nowhere act so arrogantly? I''ll make sure she suffers terribly!" Noelle hissed through gritted teeth.


    Samantha couldn''t bring herself to swallow the humiliation. She''d always lived a smooth and privileged life, and now that she was being brought down by a country bumpkin, she''d never let it slide.


    ...


    Noelle woke up the next day feeling refreshed.


    After getting up, she decided to head to the gym to practice boxing. She had grown more enthusiastic about it ever since she''d beaten Samuel up.


    Just as she was about to leave, she received a text from Cedric. "Any ns for the weekend?"


    Walking out the door, she typed her reply. "I recently joined a gym. Heading there for a workout soon!"


    Her apartment wasn''t far from Yole University, so she rented a bike for the short trip.


    Her trainer had mentioned that her stamina wascking, her muscles were underdeveloped, and she had insufficient strength. She needed extra training.


    Before setting off, Noelle nced at her phone. Cedric hadn''t replied. She tucked her phone away and rode off to the gym.


    A luxury car sat parked on the opposite side of the road. Cedric watched silently as Noelle rode away and decided against sending another text.


    He''d intended to ask her about the troll incident duringst night''s livestream, but she''d handled it perfectly. Seeing her in good spirits that morning seemed to imply she hadn''t been affected.


    Noelle no longer seemed to need his help. She''d grown at an amazing speed and was now incredibly sharp. And somehow, that realization left him feeling a little empty.


    Alfred broke the silence. "We''ve handled the situation with Samuel, and we''ve made sure the Merlock family won''t have a chance to interfere."


    Cedric withdrew his gaze, and his expression returned to its usual calm. "Let''s go."


    Noelle spent almost the entire weekend in the gym, and she felt more energized than ever.


    When she returned to her dome, a new dorm supervisor had reced the former. Noelle noticed Jessica hadn''t returned, and Grace was the only one in the room. The school had issued a notice about Samuel''s case stating that the police would continue their investigation.


    Grace sighed. "Jessica was taken in by the police for questioning. Samuel confessed everything, including how Jessica called him to suggest setting you up. There was solid evidence."


    The school might''ve been able to protect Jessica and perhaps just give her a warning, but Samuel turned against her at thest minute.


    Noelle said nothing much to that. Jessica''s current predicament was entirely her own doing.


    There were sses on Monday morning as usual. As Noelle approached the ss, she was stopped by a middle-aged couple. "You''re Noelle, aren''t you?"


    She remembered they were Jessica''s parents. She''d met them at the start of the


    semester.


    She nodded. "Yes, I am."


    The middle-aged woman, Teresa Brewer, raised her hand and pped Noelle. "It''s all your fault that my daughter ended up in such a state!"

 Chapter 291

    Noelle''s expression remained cold as she grabbed Teresa''s wrist. She questioned in an icy voice, "And what does it have to do with me?"


    "What do you mean it has nothing to do with you? You got so tangled up with Samuel and let that scumbag sneak into the dorm. You two were fooling around and dragged my daughter into this mess." Teresa snapped.


    "That''s right! She''s always been obedient and well-behaved. There''s no way she''d do something like this. The whole Inte is saying you and Samuel engaged in inappropriate behavior in the dorm!"


    Noelle shoved Teresa''s hand aside. "Everyone in the gaming club knows that Jessica is head over heels for Samuel. She went as far as to book hotel rooms and spend the night with him. Your well-behaved daughter has been lying to you all along."


    She couldn''t believe Jessica would even lie to her parents.


    "That''s still your fault! You knew my daughter was being led astray by that scumbag and ckmailed with videos. Why didn''t you help her when she begged you for help?"


    Noelle thought Jessica had been lying just a moment ago. Now it seemed clear that Jessica''s parents had shaped her personality.


    Noelle raised her voice and retorted, "Your daughter was tricked by a scumbag into sleeping with him and hadpromising pictures and videos taken of her. She begged me for help, and I didn''t help her. And what? Why don''t you finish your story?"


    The look in Teresa''s eyes flickered.


    "You won''t say it? Fine, I''ll help you. Jessica then contacted Samuel and nned to sneak him into the dorm. Plus, she tampered with the water she gave me. That''s the real reason she got caught!"


    The surrounding students began murmuring among themselves.


    "So that''s what happened. Jessica is just stupid. Sean has always had a terrible reputation, and she still went after him."


    "It was no wonder Jessica hugged Samuel in the dorm and admitted to the whole thing herself."


    Now furious and embarrassed, Teresashed out. "If you''d just agreed to help my daughter from the start, none of this would''ve happened!"


    Noelle fought back. "First, your daughter being tricked by a scumbag has nothing to do with me. Second, if she was victimized, she could''ve gone to the police. I had no obligation to help her."


    Teresa broke down and started crying. "But you were her dormmate! How could you be this heartless?"


    Noelle said in a mocking tone, "I didn''t n to press charges either, but since you put it this way, I''ll file awsuit for everything that happened!"


    The couple soon realized they were at a disadvantage and left in humiliation.


    Grace walked over. "Jessica''s parents went out of line. How can they me you for this?"


    "Some people will turn hostile when you reject their request for help. They think you''re at fault for their problems because you didn''t help solve them," Noelle replied tly.


    Someone nearby chimed in with agreement. "That''s exactly what''s happening here."


    With that, Noelle turned and walked into the room.


    At the far end of the crowd, Samantha had witnessed the entire scene. She turned to Xenia and scowled, "This is your n? Noelle ispletely fine!"


    "I didn''t expect Jessica''s parents to be so cowardly either, Ms. Merlock. They couldn''t harm her at all," Xenia replied in a fawning tone.


    Xenia hadn''t anticipated Samatha to be released on bail in such a short time.


    "Hmph. Noelle thinks being a smiling, money-grubbing streamer makes her something special. She''s just despicable!" Samantha spat. Her hatred for Noelle was evident.


    Xenia noticed the resentment on her face and slyly added, "I heard that after Noelle reported Samuel, she''s now nning to run for the position of the team captain."


    "She must be dreaming. The Merlock team is thergest investor of the team, and there''s no way she''ll be captain!"


    "But team captain elections are based on skill. Noelle is pretty good at games, and if you''re looking to deal with her, why not let her win? It''ll be easier to control her as captain."


    "You''re right. The team captain is nothing more than a lowlyckey serving the Merlocks, after all."


    With that, Samantha sneered and turned to head upstairs.

 Chapter 292

    Xenia turned to look at Noelle''s ss with a sh of triumph in her eyes. She had to use Samantha to get rid of Noelle, or thetter could use that evidence to hold her hostage for the rest of her life.


    She had worked hard to appease Justin and was determined to marry him. She couldn''t afford to have any dirt out in the open.


    Xenia checked her phone and saw another text from her so-called father demanding money. He was like a leech that clung on relentlessly!


    She wanted to investigate if the man was her father as imed, but she dared not for fear that her brothers in the Liddell family might spot something. All she could do was turn a cold shoulder to him for now.


    The situation was driving her insane.


    ...


    After ss, Noelle received a text from Tianna. "The school has revoked Samuel''s position as captain. The voting for a new captain will take ce tomorrow night. I hope you''ll sign up."


    "Got it."


    After Noelle replied, she sent a text to Michael, captain of Team Celestial. "I''m sorry, but after some thought, I''ve decided to join my school''s gaming team instead."


    Michael immediately called her. "Why?"


    "Because King was once part of Team Yole, and I want to follow in his footsteps." This had been Noelle''s dream in her past life, but she hadn''t been able to achieve


    it.


    Now that she''d made it into Yole Unversity in this life, she wanted to fulfill that regret.


    Michael sighed over the phone. "Fine, but this weekend is this year''s team finals. Are you free to check it out?


    "There will be a celebration party and gathering for people in the gamingmunity after the match. If you n to run for Team Yole''s captain, it''ll be a good chance to meet more people."


    "Alright, thank you. I''ll definitely show up," Noelle responded politely. Though she had turned down Michael''s offer, there was no harm in making connections since they might face each other in next year''s matches.


    She headed to the restroom after ss. As she stepped out, she noticed a few girls from the business school standing around.


    Samantha walked in, and her face was filled with resentment. "I''ve finally caught you, Noelle. Did you hack my phone and post those videos and pictures from my ount after I was taken in by the police?"


    If not for that, none of this would''ve happened. She wouldn''t have been ced on bail, facedwsuits, or faced the dreadful possibility of getting locked behind bars!


    This was all Noelle''s fault!


    Noelle stood calmly and asked, "Do you have any proof?"


    "Who else could be besides you?" Samantha snapped.


    She fumed, and her anger grew as she thought about it more. "Hold her down and strip her! Throw her out! How dare a lowlife like her attend the same school as me? How shameless!"


    As students around her started closing in on Noelle, thetter rolled her sleeves and delivered a sharp p to each of them.


    Her strength had increased significantly thanks to her recent boxing training. She made quick work of the group and left them dazed and disoriented.


    Only Samantha remained standing. Noelle''s expression was icy as she stepped closer with an intimidating chill.


    Samantha shuddered. "What are you doing? I''m the daughter of the Merlocks! My sister, Laura, is engaged to a powerful man in Yasnia!"


    "And so?" Noelle''s gaze was cold as she rubbed her wrist. A sneer crept up her lips.

 Chapter 293

    "You''ll regret it if youy a hand on me," Samantha screamed.


    Frightened by Noelle''s approach, she backed up until she slipped and fell into the mop sink. To make matters worse, a broom bounced off and hit her on the head.


    Noelle had yet to make a move before Samantha managed to humiliate herself. She struggled to get up from the sink, but Noelle pressed her shoulder down and held her in ce. After pulling out her phone, she began recording.


    "Look at this! The Merlocks'' pampered daughter has fallen into the smelly mop sink!"


    Samantha was furious. "Stop filming! You''re done for!"


    But no matter how hard she struggled, she couldn''t escape Noelle''s grip, who held her firmly in the sink. Samantha burst into helpless and humiliated tears.


    Noelle kept filming and taunted, "Go on. Cry louder!"


    "I''m telling my parents! They''ll destroy you! You filthy wrench!" Samantha was on the verge of aplete meltdown.


    The others were still scared from the earlier confrontation and dared not step forward to intervene.


    Xenia stepped into the restroom and said, "Enough is enough, Noelle. She''s the daughter of the Merlocks. To film her like this a little over the line."


    "Over the line?" Noelle turned over to shoot her a cold look. "Samantha did the same to her ssmates. She looked pretty happy in those videos. I thought this was her idea of fun, or does she enjoy bullying others?"


    Noelle had seen firsthand just how cruel Samantha''s methods were in those earlier videos.


    Xenia braced herself and tried to reason. "Still, you should stop. You''re the only one who''ll get hurt if this gets blown out of proportion."


    Noelle scoffed. "This is self-defense, and I''ve recorded everything from the moment they walked in. I''ve got all the evidence."


    Noelle leaned closer to pat Samantha''s face. "If anyone tries to bother me again, I won''t hesitate to release this footage. Given the number of my followers, it won''t be long before you''re under investigation again."


    She knew Samantha had been released on bail, but if shemitted another offense, the consequences would be severe.


    Samantha''s face turned pale. She hadn''t expected Noelle to be secretly recording, and it was only now she realized she''d been outmaneuvered.


    With that, Noelle released Samatha and put away her phone. Then, she left the restroom.


    A small crowd had gathered outside to watch the drama unfold. They were surprised to see Noelle walk away unarmed.


    After she left, Xenia hurried over to help Samantha up. "Ms. Merlock, are you okay?"


    "Get lost!"


    Samantha steadied herself and pped Xenia across the face. "Where were you hiding? You''re just worthless trash and a country bumpkin like Noelle! Make her delete that video, or I''ll deal with you too!"


    Xenia dared not protest against the p. She needed Samantha''s help to break into the elite social circles.


    But deep down, she vowed that once she married the Parhams, she''d make everyone who looked down on her pay.


    Noelle returned to her dorm and found a group of students gathered outside. It seemed as if they were watching something.


    She walked in and was greeted by the room in chaos. It looked like someone had trashed it on purpose.


    Grace''s bed and hers were soaked, and their clothes were thrown all over the floor. Noelle noticed that Jessica''s belongings were gone.


    She asked, "Jessica''s parents?"


    Grace replied somewhat helplessly, "Most likely. But they''ve left. I heard Jessica has withdrawn from school."


    Noelle took out her phone. "Let''s call the police then. Intentional damage to private property is enough to get her parents locked up too."


    "Forget it. Let''s not call the police."


    The new dorm supervisor approached and interjected, "There''s been enough drama in your dormtely. Can''t you tone it down? Jessica has faced the consequences and suffered enough."


    Noelle raised an eyebrow. "If you feel bad for her, why don''t youpensate on her behalf?"


    The dorm supervisor froze. "Me? Compensate?"

 Chapter 294

    "That''s right. Aren''t you feeling bad for her? And if you''re that kind-hearted, why don''t youpensate on her behalf? What''s stopping you?"


    The dorm supervisor mumbled, "I just meant¡ª"


    Noelle cut her off sharply. "Wow, that''s stingy. You''re just trying to guilt-trip others and do nothing else, huh?"


    Her sharp retorts left the dorm supervisor flustered. Thetter retreated in embarrassment.


    Noelle sneered as she watched her leave. "Some people these days want to y the hero without paying any price themselves. All they want to do is talk and guilt- trip."


    After Noelle''s blunt words, the students outside the door chimed in. "Exactly! Jessica''s parents caused this mess, so why should they get away with it while others bear the cost?"


    "Noelle, report this to the police! We''re here to back you up!"


    Noelle nced at the crowd. "Thanks for your concern, everyone. You may all leave."


    Once the crowd scattered away, Grace hesitated briefly before saying, "I''ll clean the bedding and clothes, Noelle. Can we let Jessica''s parents off just this once? I''m not trying to be sweet, but she only has her parents now."


    Noelle gave her a nce. "No indeed to clean up since we can''t spend the night here anyway. Come stay at my ce instead."


    "You have a ce nearby?"


    "Yes. Not far from school."


    After informing Morgan about the situation in the form, Noelle took Grace to her apartment.


    When Grace looked up the price of the apartment, she gasped in shock. It was ridiculously expensive! So Noelle had kept a low profile all this time while being so wealthy!


    Noelle and Grace returned to campus for ss the next day and saw Xenia waiting outside the ss.


    When she saw Noelle, she stepped forward. "Noelle, can we have a moment to talk in private?"


    Noelle followed her to the side and coldly asked, "What''s up?"


    "Could you delete the video you recorded yesterday?"


    "Where did you get the confidence to make such a request? We aren''t that close, don''t you think?" Noelle mocked.


    Though Xenia was clearly ufortable, she pressed on. "Don''t forget our deal. I''m helping you get what you need, and you need to help me now."


    "Xenia, you''d better not forget that it was a threat from me. You have no bargaining power here, understand?"


    With that, Noelle turned and walked away without waiting for a response.


    Xenia''s eyes burned with resentment as she muttered under her breath, "Watch out, Xenia! I''m not letting you have it your way!"


    ...


    Noelle and Grace went to the gaming baseter that day.


    Now that Samuel was arrested, and his captaincy was revoked, a new captain would be elected.


    When Noelle arrived, she noticed someone holding up glowing signs that read. "SweetNelly!"


    What was going on?


    Tianna approached her with a smile. "Those are your fan club supporters. They''re here to cheer you on."


    She dragged Noelle onto the stage and announced, "Today''s election day for the captain of the gaming team. We all know Noelle''s skills are unmatched. She''s the obvious choice!"


    Thunderous apuse erupted from the audience, but Samantha stormed in and silenced them. Her head was still bandaged. "And no one decided Noelle should be captain!"


    She sneered. "If she''s chosen as captain, my family will cut all funding to the team! Let''s see how youpete without equipment or travel expenses!"


    The room fell silent.


    Samantha climbed onto the stage with a smug expression. She pointed at Noelle and continued, "You''re just a country bumpkin who reeks of poverty. You rely on livestreams and cheapughs to make a living, and yet you think you''re worthy of being captain.


    "Dream on! This isn''t a game for the poor like you!"


    She had nned to wait until Noelle became captain to start humiliating, but she couldn''t hold back any longer.


    Noelle calmly reached out and began bending Samantha''s fingers back. Thetter started screaming and thrashing.


    Noellemented, "Seems like thest lesson didn''t sink in, huh?"

 Chapter 295

    "It hurts! My fingers are gonna snap!" Samantha cried in agony as Noelle continued bending her fingers.


    Xenia rushed over and urged, "Let go, Xenia! So many people are watching!"


    Noelle released her grip and dropped Samantha to the ground in an ungraceful heap.


    Xenia quickly helped Samantha up. "Are you okay?"


    Samantha''s face was twisted with rage as she screamed hysterically, "What are you standing there for! Hurry up and snap the fingers of that country bumpkin!"


    "Let''s see who dares touch her!"


    Frank strode onto the stage and turned to Samantha with an icy gaze. "Ms. Merlock, are you trying to assault in broad daylight? Do you want another trip to detention?"


    Frank''s emergence made Xenia visibly uneasy.


    Samantha scoffed. "Who are you? Are you another one of Noelle''s lovers?"


    "You better watch your mouth. Noelle is my sister," Frank said.


    "Isn''t she an orphan? Where would she get a brother from?"


    "She''s not. Noelle is the daughter of the Liddells in Aldoria. She''s just been keeping a low profile and has never shown it off," Frank solemnly stated.


    Samantha seemed surprised. She blurted out, "But isn''t Xenia the daughter of the Liddells? How did it turn into Noelle?"


    Her eyes darted to Xenia, who''d always paraded herself as the daughter of the Liddells.


    Xenia''s carefully maintained facade began to crack. She turned to Frank and desperately pleaded, "People are watching, Frank. Let''s talk about this in private, shall we?"


    She couldn''t expose the truth that she was just an adopted daughter. If word got out, her social standing in the elite circle would crumble.


    "Xenia is just an adopted daughter of the Liddells. She''s the daughter of our chauffeur, and Noelle is my biological sister!" Frank''s voice rang out to announce Noelle''s identity.


    Xenia''s face turned ghostly pale at his words. She was doomed. How would she ever show herself in the business school again?


    Even Samantha was shocked by the fact that Noelle was not a country bumpkin but a proud heiress instead.


    She tried to mask her difort and sneered, "If Noelle is the true daughter of the Liddells, why was it the chauffeur''s daughter who enrolled in the business school, not her?"


    "The spot at the business school has always been reserved for Noelle, but she''s talented and got into Yole University on her own merit." Frank''s voice rang out loud and clear.


    His words sent a ripple through the crowd.


    "Oh gosh, so Noelle is the true daughter. She''s even a business school student on top of that."


    "She''s so low-key, while the chauffeur''s daughter has always been pretending to be the true daughter of the Liddells and unts everywhere. What a joke."


    Whispers from the crowd jabbed at Xenia. She felt utterly humiliated, and her eyes welled up with tears.


    She looked at Frank and stammered, "F-Frank, you..."


    Why would he humiliate her like that in front of everyone? Why?


    But Frank didn''t bother to spare her a single nce. Instead, he turned to Noelle and carefully said, "I''ve made plenty of mistakes, Noelle. Now that I''ve reflected on them, I know I''ve hurt you deeply.


    "I don''t ask for your forgiveness, and I just want to make amends. I won''t allow anyone to pick on you again."


    Noelle indifferently responded, "Did you ever ask if I needed your help in any of this?"


    "I saw you being mistreated and wanted to rify your identity," Frank earnestly replied.


    "See? You never asked what I wanted, and you assumed that everything you did was a way to make amends. In the end, you''re the only one who ends up feeling touched."


    Noelle had no intention of revealing her connection to the Liddells. But now thanks to Frank''s self-proimed effort to protect her, her identity as the true daughter of the Liddells was known to all.

 Chapter 296

    Frank panicked. "That''s not what I meant." He had genuinely meant to do something for Noelle.


    Noelle grabbed the microphone and addressed everyone present. "I was once part of the Liddells, but not anymore. My old fans should know I don''t get along with my family.


    "Now let me rify-I have no ties to the Liddells!"


    Frank felt deeply hurt by Noelle''s words, but there was nothing he could say.


    Xenia seized the opportunity to interject, "Frank meant well, Noelle. Why are you putting him in such a difficult ce? You don''t know how much I envy you."


    Tianna sneered. "You''re just the daughter of the chauffeur, Xenia. You took someone else''s spot at the business school. Don''t you have any shame?"


    "Exactly. The fact that a chauffeur''s daughter gets to attend the business school shows who''s favored in the family."


    "Such favoritism. It''s no wonder Nelly cut ties with them. I would''ve done the same if it were me."


    The criticisms left Xenia speechless. She looked to Frank for help and exined, "That''s not what I meant, Frank. I was just trying to help you persuade Noelle!"


    "I don''t need your persuasion. Shut your meddlesome mouth!" Frank snapped. He no longer fell for Xenia''s tricks. "If Noelle isn''t cooperating, that''s on me. No one else is to me."


    Xenia was stunned by her response. Her eyes filled with disbelief.


    Strange. Her usual tactics had always worked, but why did Frank not hold any grudge against Noelle even after being so publicly humiliated?


    Frank turned to step off the stage, and Xenia panickedly ran after him. Samantha was left standing on the stage alone.


    Noelle raised an eyebrow at her, and Samantha fled off as if for fear of being dealt with again.


    Tianna stepped up to Noelle''s side and announced, "Well, the voting continues despite the minor conflict."


    In the end, Noelle won the vote by andslide and was elected the new captain. She was surrounded by cheers and celebrations, and her poprity soared.


    But soon, the Merlocks came knocking on her door.


    In the captain''s office, Noelle found herself face-to-face with a bespectacledwyer and Samantha. Thetter smugly sneered. "This is mywyer, Noelle. You''re done for. It''s your turn to go to jail."


    Thewyer adjusted his sses and said, "It''s a pleasure to finally meet you, Ms. Liddell. We''ve spoken on the phone."


    "Oh, it''s you," Noelle replied as she settled in her chair and pulled out her phone. "Here''s the footage fromst time in the restroom. I assume Samantha hasn''t mentioned this to you, has she?"


    Samantha grew instantly nervous. It was true she hadn''t told them for fear of receiving a scolding. Ruth had warned her to keep a low profile and avoid getting leveraged over.


    Thewyer''s expression changed after watching the video. He got up and made a phone call to report the situation to Ruth.


    Momentster, Samantha received a call from Ruth and received a thorough scolding.


    Thewyer turned back to Noelle. "How do you propose to solve this, Ms. Liddell?"


    "Simple. Have Samantha apologize to me, and I''ll delete the video."


    "Never! I''d rather die than apologize to you!" Samantha shot up from her seat and stormed off.


    Noelle smirked at thewyer. "You have only one day to think it over. I''m pretty easy-going, after all."


    "I''ll need to report this, Ms. Liddell. But if you insist on going against the Merlocks, we''ll pull our funding from the team. You''d better consider your options carefully," thewyer warned.


    After he left, Noelle pondered his words. His words piqued her attention.


    As of now, the onlypany she knew of that could sponsor the team was Maple Enterprise. She sent Alfred a text after some thought. "Mr. Parham, would you be free for dinner this evening?"


    Alfred was shocked to see the text. He looked up at Cedric and asked, "Have you been in touch with Nelly recently?"


    Cedric, who''d been reviewing documents, recalled and replied, "No."


    "But she just texted me to ask me out for a meal!"

 Chapter 297

    Cedric nced at Alfred''s phone. Sure enough, there was a text from Noelle.


    A sudden wave of irritation welled up inside him as he nced at his phone. Hisst text with Noelle was from the day he was discharged from the hospital.


    It was clear she wanted to maintain her distance.


    Cedric had noticed Noelle had grown much stronger. He had decided to respect her wishes and refrain from contacting her.


    He assumed this was the right thing to do, but he knew something had changed.


    With a hint of weariness in his eyes, he asked, "What''s your n?"


    "Of course, I''ll go. Nelly''s my friend, and what''s the harm in having a meal together?" Alfred replied matter-of-factly.


    Cedric tapped his fingers on the desk. "Go to L Bistro and put it on my tab."


    Alfred was shocked. "Nelly invited me to dinner, so why should the bill go on your tab? Do I look like I can''t afford it?"


    "Just do as I say!"


    "Aren''t youing?"


    Cedric appeared slightly irked as he replied, "No. She invited you out, not me."


    Alfred got up and donned his coat. Then, he spent a while adjusting his look in the mirror.


    Cedric couldn''t bear it any longer and snapped, "Will you get going already? What''s with the mirror obsession?"


    He turned back to the document yet couldn''t read a single word.


    Alfred cleared his throat and asked, "Are you sure you''re noting? We''re all friends, and it''s just a meal. I''ll just tell her you happened to be nearby."


    "Fine. Let''s go with that." Cedric promptly set down the papers and got up to grab his coat. Then, he joined Alfred in the mirror.


    Being shoved to one side, Alfred rolled his eyes. "But honestly speaking, the car ident back then was the driver''s fault and not yours. Just exin it to Nelly when you see her."


    Alfred had recently learned the truth about the incident from Cedric. It turned out Cedric wasn''t at fault at all.


    Cedric adjusted his clothes and replied, "It''s easy for you to say that I have nothing to do with it when you''re seeing it from my standpoint, but what about Noelle? She lost her parents because of that ident."


    Alfred fell silent. "You''re right about that."


    Noelle was the biggest victim of the entire ident.


    At L Bistro, Noelle stepped out of the car and approached the entrance. The


    unassuming courtyard didn''t look like a restaurant at first nce.


    An attendant approached her and asked, "Are you Ms. Liddell?"


    "Yes, that''s me."


    "Pleasee with me."


    As Noelle followed the attendant, she took in the beautifully traditional interior. The decor was elegant and steeped in ssical charm.


    When they arrived at a private room on the second floor, the attendant brought fruits and snacks.


    Though she''d invited Alfred out for dinner, she wasn''t familiar with the ce. Alfred had rmended the restaurant, and it did have a pleasant ambiance.


    She stood by the window and pulled out her phone to snap a picture of the scenery.


    "What are you taking a picture of, Nelly?"


    Noelle turned around to see Cedric entering with Alfred. She paused briefly and said, "The view''s nice. Maybe we cane here for a team-building dinner sometime."


    "Team-building? Sounds great. Just put it on my tab!" Alfred replied as he nced at Cedric. Footing the bill was given with thetter around.


    L Bistro wasn''t a ce for just anyone to visit, but with Cedric, this might as well be Noelle''s private garden.


    Noelle eyed Cedric. He was dressed casually and carried a distant air on his face.


    She took the initiative to exin. "I thought you left, so I didn''t get to invite you along."


    Alfred interjected before Cedric could respond, "No big deal. Ced happened to be nearby, so I brought him along. You don''t mind, do you?"


    Noelle shook her head. "Of course not. We''re friends, after all."


    The manager of L Bistro approached and stood respectfully beside Cedric. "Shall


    we go with the usual menu, Mr. Greene?"


    Cedric turned to Noelle. "What would you like to eat?"

 Chapter 298

    "Let''s stick with your usual choices. They can never go wrong," Noelle replied. Cedric handed the menu back to the manager. "Go with what she suggested."


    The manager nced curiously at Noelle. She seemed unfamiliar, and his rtionship with Cedric intrigued him.


    But he soon snapped out of it and asked, "As for drinks, the usual wine?"


    Cedric rejected the suggestion without hesitation. "No alcohol. Just bring some fruit juices or soft drinks."


    The manager nodded and left cautiously with the menu.


    Cedric turned his gaze to Noelle. "Why did you ask to meet Alfred?" He knew her well enough to understand she wouldn''t invite Alfred out for a casual meal without a good reason.


    After a brief pause, Noelle answered, "I''ve been appointed captain of Team Yole." "Congrattions, Nelly! That''s great news, definitely worth celebrating."


    Noelle nodded. "Yeah. it''s something to celebrate."


    Cedric''s eyes remained fixed on her as he asked, "Is that all? Nothing else to it?"


    "Nope. It''s just dinner. Right now you''re the only two friends I have."


    Noelle subconsciously avoided mentioning the investment.


    Halfway through the meal, Alfred stepped out to take a phone call. Noelle nibbled at her food and sneaked a nce at Cedric, only to catch him watching her.


    Cedric''s tone was light but direct. "You have another reason for meeting Alfred, don''t you?"


    "Fine, you''re right. I wanted to discuss the Al project. I think Donovan ns to take action against Maple Enterprise, so I thought it''d be good to strategize in advance."


    "Don''t worry about that. Alfred isn''t a fool."


    Noelle guiltily lowered her head to sip her water.


    "How are you adjusting to school life?" Cedric asked.


    "Pretty well. I''ve made new friends and settled into a new routine. Like you said before, college life is vibrant and exciting." A genuine smile lit up Noelle''s face as she spoke about university.


    But Cedric suddenly didn''t want to hear any more about it. He got up. "I noticed you seemed interested in the courtyard earlier. Do you wanna take a look?"


    "Sure!" Noelle readily agreed. She was eager for some distraction.


    They walked downstairs to the yard and strolled side by side but kept a deliberate distance. They were not too close or far; just the right distance.


    Noelle quickened her pace and intentionally widened the gap between them. She admired the surroundings and remarked, "The atmosphere is so unique. It feels like any random picture would make for a greatposition."


    Cedric trailed a few steps behind and described the scenery.


    When Noelle arrived at a small arched bridge, she noticed a pond below where bright red goldfish swam gracefully.


    "Be careful. There''s moss around here. Watch your step."


    Noelle nodded, but before she could respond, her foot slipped. Cedric instinctively grabbed her wrist and steadied her.


    "Thanks," Noelle murmured. Her cheeks were slightly flushed.


    Cedric quickly let go. "No need to thank me. I was just worried you''d scare the goldfish if you fell in."


    Noelle rolled her eyes yfully. "Thanks a lot for going out of your way to insult me!" She rubbed her wrist and decided that she felt morefortable getting along with the sharp-tongued Cedric.


    After circling the courtyard, they returned to the starting point.


    A young man approached from the hallway and walked straight toward Cedric. "Ced, what are you doing here?"


    Noelle looked up and found the young man familiar. She blurted out, "Aren''t you Magnus, captain of Team Celestial?"


    But why did he seem so close to Cedric from the way he addressed thetter?


    Magnus froze when he saw Noelle and dramatically covered his mouth in shock. "Aren''t you SweetNelly, the livestreamer?"


    But what was she doing at L Bistro with Cedric? Were they on a date? Or perhaps, did this mean they were about to get married?


    Noelle seemed surprised. "You know me?"


    "It''s tough not to!" Magnus blurted out. Noelle was his future sister-inw, after all!

 Chapter 299

    Noelle found it hard to believe she was this well-known.


    Cedric felt an ominous feeling strike him. He stepped in to grab Magnus by the arm. "This kid here publicly confronted Lucas and tried to recruit you to his team."


    "Oh right, I remember now. They fought back and forth online."


    Noelle looked at Cedric and seemed puzzled. "By the way, he called you Ced. Are you two close friends or perhaps rted?"


    "Yeah, we''re... Ouch!" Magnus felt a sharp pinch in his back before he could finish. Grimacing in pain, he turned to Cedric and snapped. "What was that for!"


    He had been trying to make a good impression on Noelle, but why would Cedric pinch him for that? What the fuck was wrong with him?


    Noelle pointed at the two andmented, "You''re definitely rted, aren''t you? You share the samest name."


    Then, a thought struck her. Were Magnus and Cedric rted? But Magnus was from the prominent Greene family in Yasnia!


    She turned to Cedric with a serious expression. "Why have you never mentioned your connection to the Greenes?"


    Cedric nervously exined, "We just happen to share the samest name."


    ''Yeah, they''re distant rtives," Alfred chimed in as he ran over from afar. "This guy is like my little brother. We met through gaming, and heter got close to Ced too."


    Alfred slung an arm around Magnus'' shoulders and shot him a hinting look.


    Magnus was briefly confused before realizing Noelle probably didn''t know Cedric''s true identity. He caught on and added, "Right, exactly! Alfred and Ced are both like brothers to me!"


    Noelle nced at the three of them without saying a word. All three held their breath and dared not make a sound.


    Shortly after, Noelle nodded. "I didn''t realize you all get along so well in real life. You''ve never mentioned anything."


    "We talked before. Ced used my ount," Magnus exined.


    Noelle briefly recalled what had happened. She''d thought Cedric had been


    hacked. Someone had imed to be rted to Cedric, right?


    It had been too long ago, and she could barely remember.


    Noelle turned to Magnus and asked, "So was that ount yours?"


    "Yeah. 100% sure!"


    A wave of emotion washed over Noelle as she wondered if it had been Magnus she encountered in her past life, not Cedric.


    Magnus noticed her strange expression and asked, "What''s wrong? I logged in that one time, and Ced was the one using it after that."


    "It''s nothing," Noelle said and lowered her head. "I''m going to the restroom for a moment."


    She left in a hurry, and her mind was filled with memories of her past life and the person she''d encountered then.


    She''d always assumed it was Cedric based on his demeanor and the way he spoke. Though she''d never met that man in her past life, she imagined he must be like Cedric.


    But now that she knew the ount belonged to Magnus, she felt uncertain. Who would''ve been behind that alternate ount if she hadn''t met Cedric?


    She shook off the thought and stopped herself from delving deeper.


    Magnus stood under the pir with both hands raised like a child caught misbehaving. He eyed Cedric cautiously. "Ced..."


    Cedric raised an eyebrow. "Shut up!"


    "I had no idea she didn''t know! I''m innocent!"


    Alfred chimed in. "Luckily I arrived in time. Nelly probably doesn''t suspect anything."


    Magnus added, "Did you get into an ident with Noelle recently? I noticed she has a scar on her forehead."


    Cedric shot him a warning re and pointed at him sharply.


    Magnus mped a hand over his mouth. "I swear I won''t slip up! I''ve always been careful since I was a kid!"


    "Careful? You''re the reason every single one of my secrets got out!"


    Cedric''s temper red at the sight of Magnus, and he turned to Alfred. "Make sure he doesn''t slip anythingter."


    Alfred gave him a reassuring nod. "Don''t worry. I''ve got it under control."


    Magnus cautiously poked his head out. "Are you scared, Ced? You need confidence! Let me exin to her..."


    Cedric''s temples throbbed as his patience reached its limit.


    Alfred quickly grabbed Magnus back. "Hey, little troublemaker, how about you head out? You''re not helping by sticking around."

 Chapter 300

    Alfred figured they had better send the troublemaking Magnus off before thetter could cause more trouble.


    "I didn''t get to say goodbye to Noelle! I want to leave a good impression!"


    Cedric kicked him. "Now get lost!"


    "Missed me! You''re getting so worked up!" Magnus yelped. He clutched his backside and ran off with a grin.


    Cedric sighed helplessly.


    Alfred patted him on the shoulder. "Why is Magnus back? Oh right, the finals are being held at the city stadium this weekend."


    It was no wonder Magnus had returned.


    Noelle soon came out of the restroom. She spotted the two men waiting outside and asked, "Where''s Magnus?"


    Cedric''s eyelid twitched slightly at her mention of Magnus. "He had dinner ns with some friends."


    ''Oh, I see. I''m surprised you know someone this talented. Why didn''t you mention anything about him logging into your ount back then?"


    In the face of her questioning, Cedric felt like he was walking into an interrogation room. He feigned calmness and replied, "Talented? I don''t see it."


    His tone carried a hint of arrogance.


    Magnus was a rising star with great potential to join the national team. He was a talented yer with a strong family background and no obstacles in his way.


    Noelle met Cedric''s deep gaze. "Right. You''re pretty good at gaming too."


    Alfred quickly changed the subject. "Oh right. There''s an Al conference tomorrow afternoon, Nelly. Maple Enterprise received an invitation. You should join us; I just got the notice."


    "Sure, I''ll definitely be there."


    Cedric interjected, "I''ll take you home."


    "No need. I grabbed a cab earlier. It should be here now. See you tomorrow!"


    Cedric stood there and watched as Noelle got in the car and drove away.


    Alfred clicked his tongue and remarked, "Do you think Nelly suspects something?" Cedric stared at the cab that drove away. His face was partly obscured by the shadows, and his expression was unreadable.


    Back in the dorm, Noelley in bed and mulled over the situation with Magnus'' ount. Her thoughts were in a chaotic mess.


    Many gamers shared the same usernames in games. Perhaps that wasn''t the ount, and she''d just assumed it was.


    She barely slept that night, and her mind spun with unanswered questions.


    The next day, she arrived at the location Alfred mentioned with herptop. She was the technical lead on the Al project.


    Therge conference room was nearly empty when she got there early.


    After taking a seat, she turned on herptop and began preparing her materials. The confusion from pondering over the ountst night had dyed her progress and left her documentation iplete.


    "Why are you here alone, Noelle? Where''s the team from Maple Enterprise?"


    Noelle looked up to see Xenia entering the room. Her expression remained calm as she replied, "They''re not here yet. Did you bring what I asked for?"


    Xenia lowered her voice. "I''m still working on it. I''m joining the project today just to create an opportunity to ess the data you want."


    "You need to speed up. If I don''t get the data before the bidding, I''ll have no choice but to release the video."


    Xenia''s expression turned grim as Lucas entered the room. She tried to change the subject. "By the way, the finals are at the stadium this weekend. Are you going? Lucas has plenty of tickets!"


    Noelle noticed Lucas and yed along with her. "Of course, but I have tickets. The captain of Team Celestial reserved a VIP seat for me."


    "Are you seriously thinking about joining Team Celestial?"


    Lucas''s expression soured at the mention of his rival team. "That has nothing to do with you."


    When Noelle noticed the team from Maple Enterprise arriving, she got up and left the room.


    Lucas gritted his teeth and ran after her. "Noelle, we need to talk!"


    Xenia was about to leave too but paused when she noticed Noelle had left herptop on the table. The screen was still on.


    Her steps faltered briefly as she stared at theptop.


    Without a second thought, she plopped into Noelle''s seat and pulled out her phone. Then, she began taking pictures of Noelle''s files.


    "What are you doing?"


    Xenia froze and looked up to see Lucas. Fear washed over her and left her face ashen.

 Chapter 301

    Xenia broke out in a cold sweat, her hands trembling so badly she could barely hold onto her phone. Panicking, she stepped away from Noelle''s desk.


    Lucas blocked her path. "You haven''t answered my question. What were you doing just now?"


    Xenia''s hands were shaking, and she didn''t dare look Lucas in the eye. She stammered, "I... I was just trying to help with Donovan''s project. After all, Maple Enterprise is Donovan''spetitor right now, and I wanted to help."


    "You can help, but do you realize what you just did is illegal? Your actions will hurt Noelle!" Lucas said sharply.


    He couldn''t believe Xenia would go so far as to do something like this.


    Then, he suddenly recalled something Frank had mentioned. "Could the surveince footage from the coffee shop be real after all?"


    "No, Lucas, it''s not like that," Xenia quickly denied.


    Lucas didn''t want to hear her exnation. He grabbed her and said, "Go apologize to Noelle right now!"


    Although Lucas had his differences with Noelle and had even been trying to dissuade her from joining Team Celestial earlier, he would never stoop to something so underhanded.


    Xenia''s face drained of color, and she pleaded, "Lucas, I''m just doing this for Donovan. Please don''t tell anyone."


    If Noelle found out, she would be finished. With Noelle''s personality, she would never forgive such a betrayal.


    Lucas looked at her in disbelief. "Are you saying Donovan told you to steal Noelle''s data?"


    "Yes! Why else would I take such a risk? It doesn''t benefit me at all." In her panic, Xenia dragged Donovan into the mess to shield herself.


    Lucas stood frozen, stunned by the revtion. He never imagined Donovan would go this far. Given Donovan''s character, it wasn''t surprising, especially now that he had such strong negative feelings toward Noelle. He had even talked about ruining Maple Enterprise.


    Sensing Lucas''s hesitation, Xenia pressed on. "Frank has invested half his fortune into this project just to gain a foothold in Yasnia. If it fails, it''ll be a devastating blow for him!"


    "How could you resort to such underhanded methods? Can''t peoplepete fairly anymore? Does Donovan really have to go as far as destroying Noelle?" Lucas felt something was off, though he couldn''t pinpoint what.


    "Lucas, Donovan isn''t trying to ruin her. He just thinks Noelle isn''t suited for business or being in the spotlight. Besides, she''s already offended the Merlocks. Her future path won''t be easy. If Noelle fails this time, she''ll return to her studies and stop causing trouble."


    Lucas fell silent.


    Xenia continued, "Noelle''s getting so much attention, and she doesn''t care about the Liddell family anymore. She even thought about joining your rivals, Team Celestial.


    "Donovan just wants her to face some setbacks so she''ll realize how good the Liddell family is. Maybe then she''ll stay on your team instead of joining them. After all, we''re family!"


    Lucas faltered. Could Noelle really end up staying on his team?


    "What are you two sneaking around about?" Noelle''s sudden appearance startled them both.


    Xenia jumped in fright and quickly exined, "Nothing, we were just discussing the team. Now that you''re the captain of Team Yole, do you really need to join Team Celestial?"


    "Well, it''s possible. Team Celestial is strong, has great benefits, and a bright future!" Noelle said.


    She returned to her seat, nced at herputer, and smirked. "You two have been messing with myputer, haven''t you?"


    "No, we''ve been chatting here the whole time! Maybe someone else did," Xenia stammered, looking at Lucas.


    She desperately hoped Lucas wouldn''t say anything.


    Lucas nodded vaguely, then turned to Noelle. "Donovan is determined to win this project. He''ll use every method he can. After all, you''re just an employee. You should leave while you still can."


    "Who says I''m just an employee? If this project wins the bid, I''ll get stock options and shares in Maple Enterprise," Noelle said.

 Chapter 302

    At Noelle''s words, Xenia was astonished. She wondered if Maple Enterprise was really this generous.


    It was then that she finally understood why Noelle was so determined to get her hands on the data Donovan held. It was no wonder why Noelle was so determined to get her hands on the data Donovan held.


    Bitterness welled up in Xenia''s heart as she thought about the photos she had just taken. She wouldn''t let Noelle live so gloriously.


    Lucas'' expression wasplicated. Xenia was right-Noelle was bing increasingly sessful and seemed to no longer care about the Liddell family. If she faced a setback or encountered difficulties, she might finally realize the value of the Liddells.


    When that happened, he could step in to help her. Then, perhaps Noelle would stay with the Liddells and even rejoin his team.


    Lucas regretted so much and longed for a chance to reset everything. He thought this might be that opportunity.


    Since Lucas didn''t expose her, Xenia quickly seized the moment. "Lucas, let''s go. Donovan should be here soon."


    Lucas stayed quiet and followed her out of the room. Meanwhile, Noelle sat at herputer, ncing at the open PPT on the screen. Without hesitation, she shut it down.


    Soon, the Maple Enterprise team arrived. The team leader walked up to Noelle and said, "Mr. Parham mentioned he''s busy and won''t be able to make it. He asked us to handle everything ourselves."


    She couldn''t help but wonder why Alfred was absent, especially since he was the one who had invited her to join just yesterday. However, she figured it must have been ast-minute work emergency and didn''t overthink it.


    Before long, the room began to fill as attendees arrived one after another. Donovan entered the venue with arge entourage, exuding an air of confidence that clearly showed he was determined to win.


    Noelle''s gaze shifted to Xenia, but Xenia avoided her eyes.


    Donovan strode up to Noelle and said, "I heard the Merlocks pulled their sponsorship from your base team. Now that you''re the captain, the expenses fall on you. How much money do you even have to burn?"


    "Whether I have money or not is none of your concern," Noelle replied coldly.


    Donovan leaned over her desk and firmly said, "Here''s an opportunity for you. Admit your mistakes now, and I''ll cover all the expenses your team needs. How about that?"


    Noelle lifted her gaze and sneered, "Keep your pathetic offer to yourself. Don''t embarrass me with pocket change."


    Her icy confidence left Donovan ring at her intensely. "Fine. You''re asking for it. I''ll make sure you lose so badly you''ll have no choice but to admit defeat."


    Noelle remained unshaken. "We''ll see whoes out on top," she retorted.


    Donovan stormed back to his seat in frustration. His expression was so hostile that it seemed as if he were ready to devour her.


    Noelle sat poised and unaffected. However, the Maple Enterprise team appeared visibly uneasy.


    They were well aware that the Liddells wielded considerable power in Yasnia, far surpassing Maple Enterprise in both strength and resources. They were all surprised that Noelle could maintain suchposure in front of Donovan.


    The team leader leaned closer and whispered, "Noelle, don''t you think you were a little too bold? They''re a bigpany with real power."


    Another colleague hesitated before asking softly, "Do you know Donovan personally, or do you have some kind of history with him?"


    Noelle gave a brief nod. "Yes, we have some history."


    There was no way she would bow down to Donovan.


    The officials soon arrived, announcing the start of the presentations. Eachpany prepared to showcase their artificial intelligence projects.


    The Liddell Corporation was up first. Donovan took the stage,manding attention with his strong presence. His presentation was polished, professional, and highly engaging.


    As the Maple Enterprise team watched the slides, their expressions shifted dramatically.


    "Noelle, why is their presentation almost identical to ours?" someone whispered urgently.


    Noelle stood abruptly and stated firmly, "That''s because they stole our ideas!"

 Chapter 303

    A stir rippled through the room at Noelle''s words. Donovan remained calm and replied, "Noelle, iming we stole your content is absurd! We have plenty of talent at ourpany. Why would we steal from a smallpany like yours?"


    "Why is it impossible?" Noelle retorted.


    Her team leader angrily added, "That''s right! We worked hard to create all of this."


    Donovan smirked. "So you''re saying our presentation is so impressive that you had to resort to ndering us, right?"


    Noelle sneered. "Do I really need to nder you?"


    "Well, if you''re so confident, do you have any proof?" Donovan challenged.


    Her team leader said, "We do. The content we prepared is proof."


    Donovan raised an eyebrow. "That only proves that your content was copied from ours, doesn''t it? Stop embarrassing yourself. If you want to win, do it with skill, not cheap tricks."


    Noelle gritted her teeth. "As expected of you business war veterans, you really know how to y dirty."


    Donovan felt a bit pleased when he saw the frustration on her face. "I warned you earlier. If you had just apologized ande back to me, things would''ve been different. You''ve made your choice."


    The team leader looked puzzled. "What''s going on here?"


    "Isn''t it obvious? Noelle must have some connection with Mr. Liddell and leaked our ideas to get ahead," a colleague said.


    The team leader frowned. "Noelle doesn''t strike me as that kind of person."


    "Maybe she let something slip while spending time with Mr. Liddell," the colleague added.


    Noelle turned to the colleague, who was known for spreading rumors. "Watch your mouth. I have no rtionship with him."


    "Then, how do you exin our ideas appearing in their presentation?" the colleague pressed.


    Noelle looked over at Xenia and Lucas. "You two sure know how to fuck around."


    Xenia and Lucas both avoided her gaze.


    Donovan snapped, "Noelle, business is all about survival of the fittest. That''s the first lesson I taught you."


    One of the Maple Enterprise colleagues stood up and said to the officials, "I''m not convinced. I want to report Noelle and Mr. Liddell''s illegal rtionship, which led to ourpany''s secrets being leaked!"


    Donovan red at him. "Watch your mouth. I''ll sue you for defamation!"


    "Isn''t that the truth?" the colleague retorted.


    Donovan sighed. "Although I hate to admit it, Noelle is my disowned sister. She''s always beenpetitive and will use any means to get what she wants."


    The colleague''s face turned pale when he realized Noelle was really a high- society heiress. However, Noelle had never mentioned it. She didn''t wear designer clothes, so no one had any idea.


    The team leader looked at Noelle. "Is he really your brother?"


    "I hate to admit it, but yes, he was my brother. Now, we''ve severed all ties. We have nothing to do with each other," Noelle responded.


    "Alright, I understand now. In that case, Noelle, you''ll be hearing from ourwyers for defaming ourpany," Donovan said. He was determined to make Noelle back down.


    Noelle pped mockingly. "That was impressive, but you''re the one who will be hearing from ourwyers instead."


    She turned to the official. "Sir, do you believe me now?"


    The middle-aged official nodded. "I understand."


    Donovan turned to the official and said, "Sir, my sister has always been a liar. She


    gave up the life of a wealthy heiress just to rebel against the family."


    The official adjusted his sses. "Your sister showed me herpany''s ideas before the meeting started."


    Donovan''s smile faltered. "What?"


    How could he not have known that Noelle had shown the officials their ideas in advance? He nced at Xenia and Lucas, wondering if they were also left in the dark.


    Noelle smirked. "Stop looking at them. If they knew, the little act from earlier wouldn''t have worked."


    She wasn''t careless enough to leave herputer open and unattended, but two fools still fell for it. At that moment, Xenia realized she had been tricked.

 Chapter 304

    Noelle had deliberately left herputer there for Xenia to see. When Xenia


    understood what had happened, she slumped in her chair. Panic settled in as she realized she was doomed.


    The situation had flipped quickly.


    Noelle gave a half-smile. "I remember there''s a rule in our event. If anyone engages in misleading promotion, hical tactics or unfairpetition, their qualification will be revoked."


    It was then that Donovan realized he had been outyed by Noelle. She had acted so convincingly earlier to trap him. No matter how hard he tried to exin, he couldn''t clear his name.


    He hade in full of confidence, determined to teach Noelle a lesson. When Xenia stole Noelle''s impressive ideas, he was pleased. He used them to y it safe while also intending to give Noelle a harsh lesson.


    If their actions were exposed, theirpany would lose its eligibility for the project. Donovan couldn''t afford to lose.


    He could let the project go, but he could never allow Noelle to defeat him.


    Donovan turned to the official and said, "There''s more to this story. I can exin."


    "Mr. Liddell, please return to your seat. The presentations need to continue. We''ll address your matter after the event," the event official replied.


    With a look of frustration, Donovan reluctantly stepped down from the stage. Noelle walked past him, carrying herptop. She lightly remarked, "To the victor go the spoils. Thank you for demonstrating it firsthand."


    Donovan''s step faltered, and his face darkened. He shot a deadly re at Xenia.


    Xenia shrank back, drenched in cold sweat. She was trembling because she knew she was in deep trouble. Resentment burned in her eyes as she watched Noelle.


    Life felt unfair, especially since Noelle always seemed to win. Despite all her nning, Noelle hadn''t fallen into the trap.


    Noelle stood at the podium, confidently starting her presentation. The content waspletely different from what had been prepared earlier.


    She presented her ideas on artificial intelligence, which were both forward- thinking and innovative.


    Donovan''s face turned a shade darker as he watched her wless presentation. Noelle had already nned how to expose Xenia. He had been too careless to underestimate her.


    As he watched Noelle shine with confidence, a strange mix of emotions surged within him. She had truly grown. The once stubborn and headstrong Noelle was now so formidable that he could no longer ignore her strength.


    Xenia seethed with jealousy, while Lucas wore a regretful expression. He knew Noelle would never trust him again after all this. He med Xenia for everything.


    After half an hour, Noelle''s presentation came to an end, and the room fell silent once again. Then, the official stood up and apuded. "That''s impressive, Noelle. Your ideas are excellent, though we didn''t quite understand everything. We''ll need to discuss them further."


    "Sure, I''m happy to," Noelle replied, feeling a weight lift off her shoulders.


    After all, she hadn''t fully prepared this material. Everything she presented earlier was improvised at thest minute.


    The Maple Enterprise team was stunned by Noelle''s performance.


    One of her colleagues asked, "When did you create all of this?"


    Noelle smiled. "I put it togetherst night. It''s not perfect, so I didn''t have time to discuss it with you all. I never imagined I''d need it today."


    The leader then turned to the official and confidently said, "Sir, how do we address Liddell Corporation''s giarism issue?"


    Donovan''s face darkened as he stared at Noelle.

 Chapter 305

    Noelle met Donovan''s gaze and smiled faintly. "Let the event finish first. It''s not urgent. Besides, with so many people watching, that giarist can''t escape!"


    "Noelle, be careful with your words!" Donovan was furious. How dare she call him a giarist?


    Originally, using Noelle''s ideas wasn''t part of his n. It was ast-minute change.


    Noelle just smirked and returned to her seat with her colleagues. The otherpanies continued to present.


    Her response left the Maple Enterprise team stunned. The colleague who had earlier questioned Noelle now sat there with his head lowered in silence.


    The team leader cautiously spoke up. "Noelle, Mr. Liddell is still your brother. Are you really going to pursue this matter?"


    Noelle''s unexpected determination caught them off guard. She was a rich youngdy, but she was so sharp and relentless, giving no leeway to others.


    "I''ve already severed ties with him. He''s no longer my brother," Noelle replied coldly.


    The leader hesitated. "He''s still your brother."


    "Exactly! He''s so wealthy. Isn''t it a waste to sever ties?"" another chimed in. Most people would dream of having a rich sibling.


    Noelle''s patience wore thin. "I don''t need your advice. As the technical leader for this project, I will hold whoever giarized us ountable!"


    Her firm stance silenced the room.


    Just then, Noelle''s phone buzzed. She looked at the message from Lucas. "Noelle, this isn''t Donovan''s fault. Can you please let it go? Just consider it a favor."


    A sh of disdain crossed Noelle''s eyes. She looked up at Lucas with an icy expression. Without a second thought, she deleted the message. Lucas immediately knew Noelle wasn''t going to agree when he saw her cold expression.


    Donovan turned to Xenia and Lucas with a scowl. "You two better figure out how to exin this to me."


    He had worked so hard on this project, and now Noelle hadpletely crushed him. He couldn''t swallow his humiliation. If he hadn''t used the ideas Xenia brought back, none of this would have happened.


    After the meeting ended, the director made a brief closing statement, but everyone remained seated. After all, the giarism usation against Liddell Corporation still hadn''t been resolved. Everyone was waiting to see how it would unfold.


    Noelle watched as Donovan stood up and walked out with Xenia and Lucas behind him.


    Donovan said, "What are we going to do about this? Didn''t you two realize Noelle set us up?"


    Xenia began crying. "Donovan, I was tricked, too¡ªjust like you."


    Lucas red at Xenia. "No, you were the one who got tricked. I should''ve stopped you when I first noticed something was off, but instead, I let you convince me to go along with it."


    Xenia felt a chill down her spine. Sobbing, she said, "Donovan, I wasn''t thinking straight. You two have been working so hard dealing with the Merlocks because of Noelle.


    "I thought if Noelle failed, she''d realize how tough things are outside ande back to the Liddells. Sorry, Donovan. I didn''t mean for any of this to happen."


    Donovan yanked at his tie in frustration. "How am I supposed to exin that? Figure out how to fix this!"


    Lucas nced at Xenia, then turned to Donovan. "Donovan, this isn''t on me. It was Xenia who stole Noelle''s ideas from herputer!"

 Chapter 306

    "Yes, it''s all my fault. It was me, not Lucas," Xenia said pitifully, shrinking back in fear.


    Donovan nced at Xenia and then looked at Lucas with a hint of displeasure. "You''re the older brother, Lucas. How can you just leave Xenia to take the fall alone?"


    Lucas quickly protested, "No, Donovan. This really has nothing to do with me. It''s not my fault!"


    Donovan shot back, "You two came together earlier. Even though Xenia did most of the talking, you knew about it and were involved in the whole thing. Now that things havee to light, how can you act like it''s not your responsibility?"


    Lucas was shaken by Donovan''s words. He was feeling cornered because he really had nothing to do with it; it was all Xenia''s idea.


    He turned to Xenia. "Tell him, Xenia. Exin to Donovan that this was all your doing. I tried to stop you!"


    Xenia bit her lip and softly admitted, "Yes, it was me, Donovan. Everything was my decision."


    Donovan pulled Xenia closer, trying to calm her. "It''s okay, Xenia. Don''t worry. I''ve got your back. You don''t have to take the me alone."


    Xenia nodded obediently. "If Noelle insists on pursuing this, then let it fall on me. Don''t let this affect Lucas'' future."


    Lucas stared at her in disbelief. "Xenia, what are you saying?"


    How could she take the me for everything when he had nothing to do with it? To Donovan, he was just as guilty.


    Just then, Noelle walked over with a smile. "Have you two figured out how to handle this? Everyone''s waiting."


    Donovan tried to maintain hisposure and whispered, "Noelle, I really didn''t expect you to y dirty."


    "No, wasn''t that your lesson to me?" Noelle said with a smile. "Mr. Liddell, you might want to think carefully about how to handle this. I''m just following your lead, though I doubt I''ll need to."


    Donovan''s temper red. "You-"


    Xenia hid behind Donovan. She was afraid to face Noelle.


    Donovan forced himself to calm down, though the anger still burned in him. "Noelle, what do you want?"


    Noelle replied calmly, "Didn''t you say earlier that we should have thewyers look into this thoroughly? I''m just doing what you taught me. Let''s have thewyers sort it out."


    Donovan gritted his teeth. "I''ll offer you a sum of money aspensation. Let''s just forget about it."


    Noelle shook her head. "I don''t think so. I''d rather see you penalized and lose this bidding opportunity. That seems like a better oue to me."


    "Noelle, don''t go too far!" Donovan snapped.


    Noelle raised her hand to her mouth. "Go too far? I''m just following the rules. How is that too much?"


    "Xenia and Lucas didn''t do this on purpose, Noelle. They were just a little careless. You can''t seriously hold them ountable for something so small, can you?"


    Noelle raised an eyebrow. "Are you telling me they were careless when they sat in front of myputer, flipped through my ideas page by page, carefully photographed them, and went straight to you to offer up my work so you could fuse my ideas into a presentation and identally showcase it?"


    She coldly added, "I think what you''re really upset about is that they were careless enough to get caught, and now you have no way out."


    Donovan was seething in anger, but he couldn''t refute her. The evidence was undeniable.


    "Noelle, do you have to be so infuriating? I''ve been out there for years, but I never expected you to turn out like this."


    Donovan remembered how obedient Noelle had been as a child.


    Though Noelle appeared neutral, there was amanding aura about her. She had transformed into someone Donovan could no longer recognize.


    Donovan softened his tone, trying to sound conciliatory. "What will it take for us to settle this without pressing charges, Noelle? We''re family-can''t we work this out?"


    Noelle smirked. It was toote to bring up family ties now. "There''s nothing to discuss," she said.


    She knew Donovan''s tricks all too well. This wasn''t the first time something like this had happened.


    Noelle then turned to the official and said firmly, "I request that Liddell Corporation be disqualified from this bidding process."

 Chapter 307

    Donovan''s face turned ashen in an instant. He never expected Noelle to actually go through with it.


    Noelle smirked coldly. "The evidence is undeniable, and we have so many witnesses. I believe Liddell Corporation won''t have any way to justify this, right?"


    The middle-aged official walked over. "Everyone else, please disperse. We''ll handle this matter properly and issue a formal notice."


    He wanted to send the crowd away to avoid escting the situation and causing a negative impact.


    Once the area was cleared, the official turned to Donovan. "Mr. Liddell, I believe the truth of the matter is clear enough without me needing to spell it out. As per the rules, yourpany''s bidding qualifications will be revoked."


    Even though Liddell Corporation was influential, rules could not be arbitrarily broken.


    When Donovan heard the oue, he red at Noelle. "Are you satisfied now?" Noellezily raised an eyebrow. "I''m okay. Thanks for demonstrating it yourself." Fuming, Donovan pointed a trembling finger at her. "You..."


    Before he could finish, Noelle swatted his hand away. "This is called karma!"


    The team leader of Maple Enterprise stepped forward to block Donovan. "Mr. Liddell, Noelle didn''t force you to steal her ideas, nor did she make you use them! Everything that happened was your doing. How can you me her for this?"


    At first, he thought Noelle was being too harsh when she said she was cutting ties with her family. However, his perspective had nowpletely changed. It was a good thing to sever ties with such a family.


    Donovan was immediately speechless. "This is a family matter!"


    "Noelle has already severed ties with you. You''re no longer family."


    "Noelle will always carry the blood of the Liddell family. That will never change, not even in death!" Donovan snapped.


    Noelle nced at the leader. "I''m fine. Let''s go back and get awyer to handle this."


    The leader nodded. "Got it. The idea was yours to begin with. You have the final say!"


    He was equally enraged by the Liddell family''s behavior. He couldn''t understand how anyone could be so tantly biased. After all, Noelle was the victim.


    "Now that it''se to this, I have no choice but to tell the truth," Xenia suddenly interrupted.


    "Donovan, it was actually Noelle who intentionally gave me the document and asked me to pass it on to you. She wanted to expose everything in front of so many people to ensure Liddell Corporation lost its bidding qualifications!"


    Lucas stared at Xenia in shock. "Why are you lying?"


    That wasn''t the truth at all. Xenia bit her lip and continued, "Lucas, you don''t know about this. It was a private deal between Noelle and me. I have to speak up to stop Donovan''spany from losing its bidding qualification."


    Donovan was taken aback. "Xenia, why would you make such a deal with her?"


    Tears welled up in Xenia''s eyes. "Noelle threatened me with the surveince footage from that night at the bar. She even has backups.


    "If I didn''tply, she would hand it over to the Merlocks and im that I purposely kept a video of Samantha''s crime. I was scared, so I had no choice but toply!"


    Hearing Xenia''s dramatic lies, Noelle couldn''t help but speak up. "Xenia, were you a straw weaver in your past life?"Noelle couldn''t believe Xenia could weave out such an outrageous story.


    "You might have threatened me with that video, Noelle, but I''m still going to tell the truth!" Xenia said.


    Lucas interrupted, "Do you have any proof?"


    "I do. Here''s the message she sent me. She told me to figure out what to do,"


    Xenia replied, pulling out her phone to show the text message.


    Donovan nced at it, then fixed his gaze on Noelle. "What do you have to say now? Is this your message?"


    Noelle nodded. "Yes, I sent it."


    However, this waspletely different from what Xenia was iming. She hadn''t expected Xenia to make up such lies to clear herself of responsibility.


    "Noelle, I didn''t think you could be so vile to use such despicable methods. That''s one thing, but you shouldn''t have threatened Xenia. If you have a problem,e to me!"


    Xenia tugged at Donovan''s arm. "Donovan, this is between Noelle and me. I don''t want to drag you into it!"


    Donovan looked at the official. "This whole thing was arranged by Noelle, and I had no knowledge of it. We don''t ept disqualification."


    The official was stunned and nced at Noelle.


    Noelle smiled and then turned her attention to Xenia hiding behind Donovan. "By


    the way, there''s something I want to show you."


    Xenia''s face immediately changed. She had no idea if this would work in her favor. Just moments ago, she had received a message from Sean.


    "Noelle doesn''t have a backup of the surveince footage."

 Chapter 308

    Xenia decided to take a gamble. After all, things couldn''t get much worse than they already were. She bet that Noelle wouldn''t be able to produce the


    surveince footage.


    Donovan scoffed. "Noelle, you''re nning to show the bar''s surveince footage, right? Well, I don''t care to see it!"


    "I want to see it," Lucas interjected, turning to Noelle.


    He was curious about the footage Frank had mentioned. Was it true that Xenia had sprayed something on Noelle at the bar?


    Even without the footage, Lucas had already made up his mind after seeing Xenia lie earlier. He should have trusted Frank from the start.


    Donovan shot Lucas a re. "You''re not allowed to see it. What''s there to see?"


    Seeing Donovan defending her, Xenia secretly smiled. She had won her bet. Even if Noelle really had a backup of the footage, Donovan wouldn''t side with her.


    Xenia weakly spoke up, "Donovan, everything I did that night at the bar was because Samantha forced me to do so. I didn''t mean to do it."


    Donovan gently replied, "I believe you."


    He then turned to Noelle with a cold smirk. "Now that you''ve got no leverage, I''d like to see what you''ll do next."


    Xenia felt a small thrill. Noelle wouldn''t be able to do anything to her now.


    "Who says I don''t?" Noelle said. She took out her phone and yed a video.


    The footage showed Xenia sitting at aputer, using her phone to take photos of confidential documents. It even captured Lucas discovering Xenia and their subsequent conversation.


    When Noelle heard Lucas urging Xenia to apologize, she hesitated for a moment. Yet, in the end, Lucas was still swayed by Xenia.


    It was only then that she understood that they wanted her to fail so she would be forced to return to the Liddell family, where they could continue to exploit her. Once the video finished, the room fell silent.


    Noelle stared at Xenia with a smile. "Does this scene look familiar?"


    Xenia was so terrified that she copsed to the floor, trembling uncontrobly. Her mind went nk.


    She never imagined the evidence Noelle had would be the footage she had secretly taken earlier. Her lies were instantly exposed.


    Xenia frantically looked at Donovan. "Donovan, I..."


    Donovan yanked his hand away from Xenia and pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. He turned to Noelle. "I didn''t expect you to have a backup n!"


    Noelle could have revealed this evidence from the beginning, but she had held back, waiting for the perfect moment to strike a crushing blow.


    Donovan was seething with frustration. He knew that once the video came to light, Liddell Corporation would have lost its bid for good.


    Noelle had won. The official spoke up. "Mr. Liddell, do you have anything else to say?"


    Donovan''s face was taut. "I have nothing to say!"


    With the mounting evidence, their earlier defense now seemed like a joke. The more they said, the worse it got.


    Donovan said, "Noelle, so you''d already nned everything,ying traps to destroy your own family?"


    Noelle replied with a calm, faint smile. "You were the one who threatened me first."


    She hadn''t intended to go this far. It was the Liddells who had pushed her to this point.


    She added coldly, "Besides, you''re not my family. You don''t deserve to be." Donovan''s anger exploded. He raised his hand to strike Noelle.


    However, Noelle didn''t even flinch. She grabbed his wrist mid-air, shifted her stance, and executed a perfect over-the-shoulder throw.

 Chapter 309

    Noelle executed a perfect over-the-shoulder throw, mming Donovan to the ground. Her movements were fluid and seamless, leaving almost everyone


    stunned.


    By the time Donovan hit the ground, his face was pale from pain.


    Xenia rushed to his side. "Donovan, are you okay?"


    Donovan coughed and waved her off, but it was clear he wasn''t fine. Xenia looked


    at Noelle and questioned, "Noelle, how could you hit him?"


    Noelle pped her hands. "Didn''t he start it first?"


    She had been training in boxing for that moment. Xenia was momentarily speechless. "Donovan is your brother! You can''t just do that! He could be seriously hurt."


    The team leader couldn''t help but chime in. "If Noelle didn''t do anything, would she just stand there and take it?"


    One of the more outspoken colleagues added, "Seriously, the one who started it is at fault! If this went to the police, Noelle''s actions would count as self-defense!


    "I think I finally get why she left her wealthy family to work. Anyone who didn''t know might think Noelle was a maid here!"


    Xenia stayed silent. All she could do was try to win Donovan''s favor. He was her only support now.


    Noelle looked at Donovan on the ground. "I''m not that helpless kid who just stands there and takes it anymore."


    She wasn''t the girl bound by financial struggles and family obligations anymore.


    Donovan felt humiliated. Through gritted teeth, he hissed, "Noelle, you''ll regret this!"


    "I already regret it. I regret not realizing sooner!" Noelle retorted.


    Just as she turned to leave, Lucas stepped in front of her. "I wanted to stop Xenia, but I got caught up in her words, too!"


    "Caught up? I''m sure that''s what you wanted!" Noelle snapped.


    Lucas wanted her to fail so she would return to the Liddells. It wasughable that he still thought of himself as her brother.


    Lucas couldn''t meet her eyes. "I didn''t mean it!"


    "You still did it, didn''t you? Get out of my way!"


    Noelle walked past him without looking back. Lucas stood frozen. He stared at Xenia with a sharp, cold gaze.


    Xenia noticed Lucas''s gaze and recoiled slightly. She knelt beside Donovan. "Donovan, let me take you to the hospital."


    Donovan''s face was dark with rage. Losing to Noelle in front of everyone was a huge blow. To him, it was the ultimate humiliation.


    He turned to James. "Find a way to cklist Maple Enterprise. It''s just a smallpany from Aldoria. I''ll make sure they can''t survive in Yasnia!"


    James hesitated. "Donovan, isn''t that too much?"


    "This is my decision¡ª"


    Donovan tried to speak but broke into a fit of violent coughing. His breathing was strained, and it seemed like his ribs were fractured. He hadn''t expected Noelle to be this strong.


    Xenia avoided Lucas'' gaze and left with Donovan. Lucas felt so wronged that he was on the verge of tears, but his tears wouldn''t fall.


    He had wanted to fix things with Noelle, but he had messed it up in the end. Frank had warned him not to trust Xenia, but he didn''t listen and had fallen for her tricks.


    Frank''s project was disqualified, causing him to lose nearly everything. It was all his fault.


    Noelle returned to Maple Enterprise with her colleagues. The team leaderforted her. "A family like that isn''t worth it. We can live well on our own."


    The blunt colleague looked awkward. "Sorry, I shouldn''t have said that earlier. I didn''t mean it."


    They had all assumed Noelle was just another rebellious heiress running away from home. They never expected her life to be this difficult.


    "I''m used to it," Noelle said calmly. "They''re the ones who''ll pay, not me."


    As Noelle thought about the Liddells'' expressions from earlier, her mood improved.


    "Nelly, I heard you did great today," Alfred said. He stood in the doorway, smiling at her.

 Chapter 310

    As Noelle walked into the office, her gaze moved past Alfred to the man seated on the sofa. To her surprise, Cedric was there, too.


    Alfred stepped aside with a weing gesture. "Come in. Let''s pause everything to celebrate Noelle for her outstanding performance today!"


    Noelle entered with a smile. "Liddell Corporation has lost its bid qualification. This time, we''re guaranteed to win."


    "Nelly, that shoulder throw of yours was incredible," Alfred added.


    Noelle froze. "How do you know about that?"


    He chuckled and said, "I wasn''t there, but I have eyes everywhere."


    Noticing Cedric''s gaze, Noelle replied, "I''ve been practicing boxingtely."


    "Where?" Cedric asked.


    "At the gym. I''ve taken a lot of sses," she replied.


    Cedric remembered she had mentioned going to the gym, but he hadn''t expected it to be for boxing.


    Noelle quickly changed the topic. "Should we have thewyers handle Liddell Corporation''s giarism of our ideas?"


    "Of course," Alfred said. "Congrattions to you for bing our youngest partner!"


    He handed her a document. "Take a look. Let me know if you have any special requests for your benefits."


    Noelle nced at the contract. "You''re making me a partner?"


    "Exactly. After your outstanding performance, I''m sure bigpanies will try to poach you. I need to make sure we keep you here."


    Noelle was a bit surprised. After reading through the document, she signed it. She wasn''t losing out.


    Alfred casually handed the contract to Cedric. "Alright, let''s have a meeting."


    Noelle noticed Cedric holding her contract. To her surprise, he joined them on their way to the meeting room.


    Noelle sat with the tech team directly across from Cedric. She hadn''t expected him to participate in the meeting.


    It seemed like Cedric was also a shareholder of thepany.


    The team leader leaned in, whispering, "Noelle, why do you keep staring at ourpany''s consultant, Mr. Greene?"


    Noelle snapped out of her thoughts and quickly looked away, her face flushing slightly. She exined, "I was just zoning out for a moment."


    Noelle turned to the team leader. "Did you just refer to him as yourpany''s consultant?"


    "Yes, he seems to be thepany''s consultant. His identity is quite mysterious, but he''s not a shareholder. He''s very close to Mr. Parham, though."


    Noelle looked up again and saw Cedric lounging in his chair, holding the contract she had just signed. His long fingers rested on the paper, rhythmically tapping it. Noelle''s mind wandered. The new semester must have started by now. Why hadn''t he returned to school yet? After the meeting ended, everyone left, leaving just the three of them.


    Alfred suggested, "How about we grab a meal together? Let''s go to L Bistro and book a table!"


    Noelle stood up. "I''ll pass. I have some things to handle at the base."


    Samuel had left quite a mess.


    Alfred didn''t say anything. Instead, he nced at Cedric. "Mr. Greene, don''t you have anything to say about the ideas Noelle proposed?"


    Noelle felt a bit nervous and looked at Cedric. Cedric leaned back in his chair, looking at her. "Your ideas are forward-thinking. You''ve considered everything, including how to bring this project to fruition. That''s impressive."


    Hearing his praise, Noelle felt a mix of emotions.


    "Mr. Greene, care to summarize?" Alfred asked.


    "When this project is fullyunched, Maple Enterprise will quickly take over the market. We''ll be the pioneers leading the way."


    Noelle''s eyes stayed on Cedric. His words filled her with anticipation. For the first time, she felt an eagerness to take on the challenge.


    Noelle hesitated before asking, "You''ve been on business trips here for a while, but what about your job at the school?"


    "I resigned," Cedric replied. His fingers hovered over her name on the contract, tracing it slowly.


    Noelle''s heart skipped a beat.

 Chapter 311

    Noelle wondered if he was staying with thepany. She thought about what he had said earlier regarding the future prospects. Would they be working on this project together?


    Cedric''s cool voice cut through her thoughts. "Am I not wee?"


    Standing at the head of the conference table, he lookedposed, but a subtle intensity gleamed in his eyes.


    Noelle snapped out of her daze. "Of course, you''re wee. It''s just..."


    "Just what?" he pressed.


    "Just unexpected," she admitted. She couldn''t help but wonder why he had suddenly decided to change jobs ande to Yasnia.


    In her past life, Cedric hadn''t stayed a school doctor for long, either. He had likely resigned and joined Maple Enterprise to start his own business.


    Now that she thought about it, Cedric''s life path hadn''t really changed. The one who had changed was her.


    She couldn''t help but think of the ount Cedric used to y on. If they hadn''t met in the infirmary, it seemed unlikely that he would be using an alternate ount to y games. She then realized that the person ying on that ount before might very well have been Magnus.


    As she connected the dots, she finally understood why he had always refused when she suggested meeting him. He must have been trying to hide his identity. After gathering her things, Noelle left Maple Enterprise.


    Cedric watched her leave, picked up a pen, and signed his name on the contract. Alfred nced at him.


    "Are you personally setting her up with a future billion-dorpany? That''s quite the gesture."


    The Al project had immense potential. With Cedric quietly backing it, the project would likely seed and go public.


    If it did, Noelle could be a multimillionaire partner in no time, and she would only be 20 years old when that happened.


    "Have you never seen real wealth before? This is hardly a big deal," Cedric said, staring at Noelle''s delicate handwriting on the contract.


    He had noticed Noelle''s attitude earlier. She was keeping her distance from him. Before the ident, Noelle had been so reliant on him.


    Cedric ced the contract in the safe and coldly said, "Send a demand letter to Liddell Corporation."


    Though he hadn''t been at the scene today, he knew what had happened. Yet, he hadn''t expected Noelle to n everything herself. She had grown a lot since then.


    After returning to the dorm, Noelle went straight to the gym to practice boxing. However, her punchescked their usual precision. Her mind kept wandering to Cedric''s resignation.


    She found it hard to believe that he was really staying in Yasnia. She had assumed that they wouldn''t have many chances to meet again once he left.


    Her trainer, Caleb, said, "Noelle, you''re off today."


    Noelley on the floor. "I''m just a bit tired."


    Caleb chuckled, "Alright, we''ll call it a day. Do some warm-ups, and don''t spar, so you don''t get injured!"


    Noelle nodded and drank some water as she rested. After returning to her dorm, she changed into new clothes and got ready to head to the team''s base for a meeting. After all, she was now the captain of the team.


    Grace saw her emerge from the bathroom. "Tianna and I already discussed the team''s issues and made a list. Check it out when you get there," she said.


    "You''ve already had a meeting?" Noelle asked.


    Grace nodded. "Yeah, we knew you had work this afternoon. The base is a mess, so Tianna and I took the lead."


    "Thanks. I''m guessing our biggest issue is the Merlocks pulling their sponsorship?" Noelle inquired.


    "Exactly. Other sponsors were lined up, but it seems the Merlocks got to them. They all pulled out, too," Grace replied.


    Noelle wasn''t surprised by the news. When Noelle arrived at the base, there weren''t many people there. It felt very quiet and empty.


    Tianna spoke up. "Samantha''s made it clear-anyone who stays with the team is going against her and the business school."


    Noelle smirked. "I have a way to handle this. How much more do we need?"

 Chapter 312

    "Since the finals are this weekend, our base usually buys tickets, and we''ll watch the game together. We also buy support merchandise and sometimes invite the team members to chat with everyone. It''ll probably cost about a million dors."


    "Give me the ount. I''ll buy the tickets for the weekend''s game first!"


    Tianna was surprised. "Is that your own money?"


    "Yeah, I''ll be using the million dors for now. I''ll figure out the restter!"


    She had originally nned to talk to Alfred about sponsorship, but she didn''t manage to bring it up that day. Now that she was a partner at Maple Enterprise, she thought perhaps she could use that status to help. After the meeting, Noelle decided that they needed to recruit new members.


    "Let''s set up a booth tomorrow and recruit!"


    Noelle pulled out her phone and messaged thewyer. "Tomorrow is the deadline!"


    Back in her dorm, she received a message from Cedric. "The trainers at that gym are unprofessional. You''re at risk of getting injured. I''ll rmend a better ce


    for you."


    Noelle stared at the message. Thest time they talked was days ago when he asked where she was after being discharged, and she told him she was going to the gym. Since then, they hadn''t been in contact.


    She found it absurd that he was now criticizing her trainer. She replied, "There''s no need for that. My trainer is good-he used to be a professional athlete."


    "Being a pro doesn''t mean they can teach. Do you think your skinny frame can take much?" Cedric asked.


    Noelle could almost picture his expression as he typed. She responded with a string of ellipses and then turned the screen off.


    Cedric noticed the ellipses in Noelle''s reply and tapped his screen thoughtfully. He couldn''t help but think that Noelle was bing more stubborn.


    The next morning, Noelle woke up and immediately checked her phone. Cedric hadn''t replied.


    She yawned and headed to the recruitment booth. As soon as she arrived, a crowd gathered around, asking for autographs and photos.


    Tianna chuckled. "Noelle, if I''d known you were this popr, I''d have made youe out yesterday."


    Suddenly, the crowd parted, making way for a group of people from the business school. The person leading the crowd wasn''t Samantha¡ªit was Justin.


    Justin rarely showed up on campus and was rumored to spend most of his time partying. He yawned, looking half-asleep. "Noelle, did you bully Xenia against night?"


    Apparently, Xenia had cried to him on the phone, ruining his fun.


    Noelle sat calmly in her chair. "Are you here to challenge me to a fight?"


    Justin instinctively stepped back. "Don''t be so arrogant. Samantha made it clear that no one would dare join the team. You should quit being captain, so it doesn''t hurt the recruitment."


    "That was yesterday," Noelle said lightly. "Today is different."


    "How different is it? Did the sun rise from the west?" Justin mocked.


    As soon as he finished, Samantha appeared, looking reluctant and annoyed. Justin grinned gleefully. "Speak of the devil! I told you, Noelle. You wouldn''t get a single recruit today."


    Noelle gave Samantha an amused look. Thetter gritted her teeth and red around at the crowd before saying, "Listen up! I don''t care which club you join, and I won''t stop you!"


    The crowd gasped in shock.


    Justin''s jaw dropped. "Samantha, are you good? Didn''t you make the threats just yesterday?"


    "Mind your own business!" Samantha snapped, shooting him a re before storming up to Noelle. Her eyes burned with resentment, and she wished she could throttle the brazen Noelle.

 Chapter 313

    Noelle looked at Samantha, realizing that the Merlocks were clearly very


    concerned about their reputation at the moment. Samantha hesitated for a long while, but she still couldn''t say a word.


    Impatient, Noelle pressed, "Are you going to speak or not?"


    Finally, Samantha sighed and said, "Noelle, I shouldn''t have embarrassed you in front of everyone at the base that day. I was wrong."


    Samantha closed her eyes and said it all in one breath. The surrounding crowd went silent. Everyone was stunned that Samantha was publicly apologizing to Noelle.


    Everyone knew that Samantha from the business school had dered war on Noelle from the very beginning. She had even gone so far as to orchestrate Noelle''splete istion from the rest of the campus. Yet here she was, apologizing to her.


    Noelle had clearly achieved something remarkable.


    Justin was the first to break the silence. "Samantha, did she have some dirt on you?"


    "Did I ask you to talk that much?" Samantha snapped before storming off. The intensity of her anger was palpable, and no one dared to challenge her.


    With Samantha gone, the atmosphere lightened, and the sign-up sheets were snatched up in a frenzy.


    Noelle smiled as she nced at Justin. "I told you: yesterday was yesterday, and today is a new day."


    Justin narrowed his eyes. "You''re full of surprises, Noelle. I underestimated you. But let me warn you: don''t pull any stunts with Xenia, or you''ll regret it."


    Noelle casually grabbed a can of soda. "Are you leaving or not?"


    When he saw the soda in her hand, Justin stumbled back in rm. "Fine! Remember what I said-stay away from Xenia!"


    Noelle watched him scurry off, clicking her tongue. "Coward."


    She thought about Xenia''s infatuation with someone like Justin. It had to be because of his family background.


    In her past life, Xenia had taken everything from her, including the recognition of the Parhams, and even ended up engaged to Justin. Yet, Xenia had nothing in this life. Noelle was curious to see what tricks Xenia would pull to try and marry into that family.


    After Samantha left, the number of people signing up for the team skyrocketed. Two seniors and Grace were busy running around.


    Noelle was just there for support, ying the role of the mascot. Even so, she felt exhausted.


    At lunch, she ate an extra serving in the cafeteria. With no sses in the afternoon, Noelle went straight to the gym. She hadn''t done much sparring yesterday, so she was going to make up for it today.


    However, when she arrived at the gym, she found out that her trainer had changed.


    "Noelle, I hired a new trainer for you. He''ll be training with you from now on," the gym owner exined. Noelle felt a bit uneasy about the sudden change of trainer.


    "Don''t worry. Mr. Roger is a professional. He''s even better than me! Normally, I''d charge extra for his training, but for you, it''s on the house."


    Noelle hesitated but eventually nodded. If it didn''t cost extra, it was worth a try. After changing into her gear, she climbed onto the training mat to work with the new trainer.


    The gym owner stepped aside to make a phone call. "Yes, everything is set up as you instructed. Don''t worry; we won''t let her get hurt!"


    Starting today, he was no longer the owner. Who would have thought that someone would buy the gym just to change one trainer in order to pursue a girl? The world of the rich was beyond his understanding.


    After training, Noelle felt great.


    Zachary Roger was an excellent trainer. He had corrected things she hadn''t noticed before, and his methods were impressive!


    As she sipped her water and gazed at the sunset streaming through the gym''s ss walls, she heard a familiar voice. "Is this trainer professional?"


    "Very professional. Much better than-" Noelle trailed off as she nced up, spotting Cedric standing against a pir. He leaned against the pir, blending in perfectly with it. If he hadn''t spoken, no one would have noticed him.


    Noelle was surprised and asked, "What are you doing here?"


    "You didn''t believe mest night, did you?" He turned toward her with a teasing glint in his eyes.

 Chapter 314

    It was only then that Noelle understood what he meant. Cedric was so wealthy


    that he could arrange something like this with ease.


    He walked toward her, dressed casually in workout clothes.


    Noelle asked, "Did you arrange for the new trainer?"


    "It''s not important," Cedric replied casually.


    "No? Why isn''t it important?"


    Cedric climbed onto the boxing ring and put on his gloves. "How about we spar a bit?"


    Noelle stared at him, suddenly tempted to throw a few punches at his handsome face. She stepped into the ring. "Sure, but have you trained before?"


    "yed a few times," he replied.


    "That works," Noelle said. "I wouldn''t want anyone to say I''m bullying you, and my coach says I''ve got talent."


    Noelle put on her gloves, eager to see if she could take him down. It would feel pretty satisfying if she did.


    Cedric took a step forward. "Come on."


    Noelle charged at him immediately, but Cedric dodged easily. She started to take


    it more seriously. But every time she attacked, Cedric seemed to anticipate her


    moves.


    Noelle was taken aback.


    Cedric''s expression darkened. "Focus; I''m about to start."


    Before Noelle could react, Cedric delivered a punch, knocking her to the ground.


    Noelle was frustrated but fought back with everything she had. She had considerable strength, so she could still gain the upperhand.


    However, no matter what she did, Cedric always managed to knock her down. She was exhausted, but he seemed as rxed as ever. When Cedric pinned her down for the final time, Noelle gave up struggling.


    "It''s so tiring! Cedric, are you sure you''ve only done this a few times?" she asked. He smirked, pressing her wrist into the mat. "Yeah."


    "You''re lying."


    He chuckled. "My skills are better than yours. It''s normal that you can''t beat me."


    Noelle felt a little defeated. Then, she nced behind Cedric. "What''s that over there?"


    Cedric nced behind him, and she used the chance to try and attack. However, Cedric quickly caught her wrist. He shifted his weight and pinned her down on top of him.


    Noelle felt her breath quicken as Cedric drew closer. The two of them were so close now that they could feel each other''s breath and the heat of their sweaty bodies pressing together.


    She quickly pulled her hand away, and Cedric sat up, lying beside her. There was a brief pause, and neither of them said a word. Noelle''s heart raced, unsure whether it was from the intense workout or something else entirely.


    As she shifted slightly, her hand brushed against his arm. Noelle quickly withdrew her hand, but she couldn''t ignore the heating from his arm.


    Cedric stared at the ceiling, sweat trickling down the side of his face. He could hear the rapid rhythm of her breath beside him. Thest time he had heard this was when she was drugged.


    Cedric clenched his fists involuntarily, trying to steady his racing thoughts.


    After a few moments, their breathing slowly steadied. As Noelle turned around,


    she noticed the sun had set, casting a soft glow through the window.


    She couldn''t help but say, "Cedric, look at that sunset over there." He sat up. "Where?"


    "Over there..." Noelle turned to point, but as she did so, she found herself face-to- face with Cedric. Their faces were so close that they nearly kissed.


    Noelle''s mind went nk. Her pulse thundered in her ears, drowning out all other sounds. The rapid pounding of her heart felt like a drum.


    In Cedric''s dark eyes, everything else faded, and all that remained was her presence.

 Chapter 315

    Suddenly, voices were heard outside, and the two quickly pulled apart.


    Noelle quickly scrambled up. "I... I''m going to change clothes."


    Cedric sat up, watching her flee in panic. Hey back down, his heart still racing; it


    almost felt like it would jump out of his chest.


    Turning his head, he noticed the sunset outside-it was indeed beautiful. However, it was not as beautiful as her.


    Noelle returned to the changing room. She sat in the chair, covering her face,


    taking a long time to calm down. Had her heartbeat been that loud? Had he heard


    it?


    Noelle rubbed her face and went to take a shower, feeling sore all over. After changing, she came out. Her hair was dry and draped over her shoulders, which made her feel quiet and calm.


    She instinctively nced around but didn''t see Cedric. Had he already left? She took out her phone and was about to send a message when she hesitated. "Are you not nning to leave?"


    He stood at the front, now dressed in fresh clothes, his damp hair still dripping slightly.


    Noelle put down her phone and walked over. The two slowly walked outside, carrying the same gym shower gel scent. The sun had gotten lower, and the surroundings were noticeably darker.


    When they reached downstairs, she stopped. "I''m going back to the school dorm." "Mm... Make sure to apply something to your arms. You can''t train at high intensity daily, or you''ll hurt yourself." Cedric said, his voice was low and serious.


    Noelle lowered her gaze, her eyes resting on his chest. "I know my own body." "You''re training so hard. Those who didn''t know better would think you were heading to the battlefield, trying to save your life."


    His words were still as sharp. She looked up at him. "Yes, I''m trying to save my life."


    "What are you afraid of?" Cedric noticed her change, but he couldn''t quite read her thoughts since she deliberately kept her distance from him.


    Was she worried about the Merlock family? But he had already pressured them, and Samantha publicly apologized to her today.


    Noelle pretended to be fine. "I''m not afraid of anything. I just want to be stronger."


    It was only by getting stronger that she could protect herself and those around her.


    "I''ll head back to school now." She noticed someone looking their way and quickly turned to leave.


    Cedric stood still, watching her figure, which was small yet full of resolve. He remembered the first time they met in the infirmary and how depressed and down she seemed.


    Now, though, her temper had certainly improved. Back in her dorm, Noelle couldn''t help but recall the moment in the gym when they almost kissed. She raised a hand to cover her eyes, feeling her arm ache a little.


    "Noelle, your package."


    Noelle got up and saw Grace handing her a parcel. "I didn''t order anything."


    "But it''s addressed to you. You should take a look."


    Noelle opened it and found a box of ointment and a book on boxing techniques titled "How to Train in Boxing Without Getting Hurt."


    Upon seeing this, she guessed who it was from. She took a photo and sent it to Cedric. "Did you send this?"


    "It''s very effective." His response was brief and to the point.

 Chapter 316

    Noelle applied the ointment, and Grace helped her with the patch on her back. Curious, Grace asked, "Who sent this ointment? Your boyfriend?"


    "No. Just a friend," Noelle replied. She nced at the book on the table, feeling like Cedric was mocking her. She picked up her phone again and transferred some money to him.


    Cedric was puzzled and wrote, "No reward without merit."


    After sending the money, Noelle waited for a while, but there was no reply, and it seemed that he had not epted the money transfer.


    The following day, she woke up, and the soreness in her body had doubled. But the area where she had applied the ointment felt much better.


    Cedric had really guessed well. Noelle grabbed her textbooks and went downstairs with Grace, ready to attend ss. But outside the dormitory building, she saw Lucas.


    Lucas was tall and handsome, drawing the attention of several women. She took a nce and kept walking straight ahead, but she couldn''t avoid him.


    "Noelle, wait up."


    Noelle frowned. "Move aside. I''m runningte for ss."


    "I just want to talk for a bit. I won''t take up too much of your time. I can wait until after your ss." It was clear he wanted to talk.


    Noelle was very impatient. "Say what you have to."


    Lucas looked a little awkward as he spoke in a hoarse voice. "Xenia and I caused this whole thing. It has nothing to do with Frank. He invested half of his fortune in this project, and if he loses the bid-"


    "Stop. You''re begging for mercy, right?"


    He nodded cautiously. "I can make it up to you, but can you not pursue the responsibility with Frank?"


    Noelle sneered. "And how exactly do you want me not to pursue it?"


    "Tell the organizers that Liddell Corporation didn''t steal your idea, that we are family, and it was just a little joke."


    Sheughed. "This is such an absurd request! Only someone from the Liddell family would dare to say that."


    "Noelle, I don''t mean anything else."


    Grace, who had been listening, couldn''t take it anymore. "Sir, have you thought about what kind of consequences Noelle would face if she said that to the organizers? Would the people in herpany still trust her?


    "You just want to wash your hands of the whole thing and make her bear all the consequences. Is that how things work?"


    She was furious. The Liddell family''s bias during the team election that day was obvious. She hadn''t expected it to be this outrageous.


    Lucas was left speechless, staring at Noelle. "I know this request puts you in a difficult position."


    "If you know it''s difficult, you shouldn''t have said it. But since you did, it shows you don''t care about Noelle''s struggle. You don''t deserve to be her brother!"


    He waspletely defeated, unable to say a word. Grace looked at Noelle. "Let''s go. We''re going to bete for ss."


    Noelle turned her head and looked at Lucas. "Have you received the demand letter?"


    "Demand letter? Are you really nning to sue us?" His eyes widened in disbelief.


    Noelle sneered. "You should hire a goodwyer." After saying that, she walked off with Grace.


    Lucas stood there, a helpless and bitter expression on his face. He thought she would just be angry, but he never expected her to go this far. Was she really going to sue him?


    Just then, Xenia rushed over, her tone anxious.


    "Lucas, Noelle really sued us. The demand letter has already been delivered to Donovan. What do we do now? What did she say when you spoke to her?"


    Lucas bent his back, unable to straighten up.


    His eyes were red, and he said through gritted teeth, "Xenia, this is all your fault."

 Chapter 317

    Lucas deeply regretted it now. He should have listened to Donovan earlier; if he had, he would not have fallen for Xenia''s trick yesterday.


    If he had exposed her actions on the spot, Noelle wouldn''t have been so angry, and Donovan''s project wouldn''t have lost the bidding opportunity.


    Xenia stepped back a few paces. "Lucas, I did it for Donovan''s investment and Frank''s project. I didn''t expect to be outwitted by Noelle!"


    "Outwitted?"


    "Yes, Noelle clearly set a trap and made us fall into it!"


    He frowned. "You''re the one who fell for it and dragged me in with you. It was your behavior and your scheme against Noelle that led to this disaster! This is all your fault!"


    He had heard her try to twist the truth. If it were before, he might have believed Noelle was at fault. But this time, he had witnessed everything firsthand.


    It had nothing to do with Noelle. It was Xenia''s attempt to frame her that had failed.


    Xenia shrank back, surprised that Lucas was clear-headed this time and didn''t fall for her tricks. She was angry inside.


    Then, she looked at him. "But Lucas, don''t forget that you also tacitly agreed with my actions, which means your thoughts were the same as mine, right?"


    "Shut up! Don''tpare me to you!" He was furious but also guilty.


    "Lucas, do I need to remind you? Think about the recent team issue. Didn''t you want Noelle to return to the Liddell family and join your team topete?"


    Her eyes were full of mockery. "You''re shifting all the me onto me, and that''s not fair. I didn''t expect you to be this kind of person, Xenia!"


    Lucas grabbed Xenia by the shoulders. "You go exin it to Donovan. I have nothing to do with this."


    "I''ve already told him, but do you think he will believe me?"


    He froze for a moment. "Xenia, is this your true nature?"


    She gave a pure, innocent expression. "Lucas, I''ve always been like this. It''s you who can''t face the things you did in the past."


    "Enough! Stop talking."


    He pushed her, but she lost her bnce and fell to the ground, hitting her forehead on the stairs. Blood immediately began flowing out. When Lucas saw the blood, he was startled.


    At that moment, Frank arrived and quickly helped Xenia up. "Lucas, what are you doing?"


    Lucas'' facial expression froze. "I didn''t mean to."


    Xenia saw Frank helping her and quickly showed a surprised smile. "Frank, it''s not Lucas'' fault. I lost my bnce. He didn''t mean it."


    When Frank heard her sugary words, he impatiently released his grip. He looked at Lucas. "Lucas, what exactly happened yesterday? I received a demand letter. Noelle and Maple Enterprise are suing both of you."


    When Lucas heard this, his face turned dark.


    "Sorry, Frank. I messed this up." He should have stopped Xenia.


    Frank was anxious. "What happened? Why wasn''t I told about yesterday''s meeting?"


    Xenia spoke up. "Donovan said you needed to rest and asked us not to trouble you with this."


    The main reason was that the meeting would involve Noelle, and Donovan was worried Frank might act irrationally, so he kept it from Frank. In the end, it allowed Noelle to escape unscathed.


    "Enough, Xenia! Do you really think I''ll believe this lie?" Frank didn''t buy it. It was likely because Donovan had worried that Frank would help Noelle, so he didn''t let him attend.


    She was startled, and the blood on her forehead had dried. "Frank, I really wanted to help you!"


    He didn''t respond and only gave her a cold nce.


    Lucas looked like a walking corpse when he recounted everything that had happened the previous day.


    After hearing this, Frank flew into a rage, grabbing Lucas by the cor. "Are you crazy? Why would you help Xenia? Don''t you remember what I told you?"

 Chapter 318

    "Frank, I regret it. What should I do?" Lucas faked a smile-he couldn''t even bring himself to cry.


    Frank hadn''t expected things to turn out this way. He released Lucas and said, "I''ll go find Donovan."


    With that, he turned and walked away, determined to ask Donovan what had happened and why Donovan would do that.


    Xenia stood alone, her forehead injury ignored. Theck of attention made her feel uneasy. If this had happened before, whenever she was hurt, her brothers would have never treated her this way.


    Why was it different now? She had hoped to use a sympathy ploy to win back Lucas.


    She cautiously nced at him, purposely showing her injured forehead. "Lucas, I didn''t mean what I said earlier-"


    He trudged forward, not even sparing her a nce. She watched his retreating figure, her face showing a look of irritation beneath her previously pitiful expression.


    Damn it! The sympathy trick didn''t work. She quickly gathered her emotions and dialed Justin''s number, her voice filled with feigned distress and sobs as she said, "Justin, I think I''m dying...''


    She had to find someone to take the fall for her. Otherwise, her injury would have been for nothing.


    Now that Frank and Lucas had both changed, she had to think ahead, and Justin was her best option. He was foolish, wealthy, and easy to manipte. Once she married into the Parham family and became wealthy, crushing Noelle would be a piece of cake.


    After ss, Noelle and Grace went to the base, where they would start selecting official members. They also had to go to the stadium on the weekend to watch the gaming team''s finalpetition.


    Grace nced at Noelle, looking to say something, but hesitated. Noelle turned to her. "If you want to say something, just say it."


    "I just want to say that you''re very talented. Some people''s family ties are shallow, to begin with."


    Noelle smiled, realizing Grace was trying tofort her. She responded coolly, "I stopped caring about the Liddell family long ago."


    She had her own life now-her career and friends and no longer yearned for the so-called sibling bonds.


    Tianna approached. "Noelle, tickets for the final aren''t easy to get, and the scalper prices are high."


    "Buy them. They can attend the match once approved as long as they''re from our base. I''ll cover the cost!"


    Noelle was in a good mood. If her Al project sessfully went public, this small amount of money wouldn''t matter. She could be considered a sessful woman then, right?


    Tianna sighed. "I think it''s better if everyone tries to get tickets themselves. Don''t buy from the scalpers. It''s too expensive.


    "You''re not being frugal. The team still hasn''t found a sponsor, and we''ll need money for many things in the future!"


    Noelle was lectured and, after ncing at the bill, fell silent. She still had to work hard to find sponsors. Michael invited her to a gathering after the finals so she could find a potential sponsor there.


    After leaving the base, Noelle rubbed her arm and decided to return to the dorm and rest. She decided to follow Cedric''s advice and take a break.


    As soon as shey down, her phone rang. She picked it up without thinking, and the cold voice of Donovan''s came through. "Noelle, how dare you sue your own family? You heartless wretch!"


    Why was he this upset? It looked like he received the demand letter.


    Noelle responded indifferently, "I already signed the severance agreement long ago."


    "That means nothing! You were born a Liddell, and you''ll die as one. If Mom and Dad find out you don''t even want to be associated with the Liddell family name, how heartbroken do you think they''ll be?"


    She straightened up as soon as she heard this, her eyes turning icy cold.

 Chapter 319

    Noelle coldly replied, "I never said I would change myst name."


    Her parents gave her the name, and she would keep it.


    "But what you''re doing is no different than changing yourst name. Do you still have the face to honor them during the holidays?"


    "Don''t use Mom and Dad to pressure me."


    "Noelle, you insisted on going out to buy a cake. Mom and Dad pampered you and went with you, and that''s when the ident happened. At that time, all kinds of opportunistic people came out, trying to seize our family''s wealth and devour us whole!


    "I took it all on myself, came to Yasnia to start over, and that''s how you got to live a good life. Frank stayed behind, taking care of you while growing up. He could''ve done better, but now you''ve ruined hispany''s project, costing him the bid and half of his fortune. Noelle, is this how you repay us?"


    After hearing this, Noelle realized that Donovan would guilt trip her. He knew that her parents had always been her soft spot. Out of guilt, she had always obeyed her family in her past life, giving everything to them, only to end up dying in misery.


    Her voice was cold. "Xenia and Lucas stole my ideas, and you allowed them to use my idea, which led to you losing the bid. I didn''t force you to do this.


    "If any of you had stopped it, none of this would have happened. But no one did. So now, you''re reaping what you sow!"


    She wasn''t going to fall for this kind of maniption. She owed none of her brothers.


    Donovan was speechless for a long time. Noelle''s clear logic made it hard for him to even hold onto his phone! Finally, he spoke. "You''re getting sharper with your words. But Frank owes you nothing!"


    "You owe him for destroying his project, not me. Don''te and guilt trip me!"


    Noelle hung up the phone, not wanting to waste any more words. Donovan kept calling, but she just ignored it and blocked the number.


    Atst, the world was quiet. After two days of rest, Noelle felt ready to hit the gym and resumed training. She messaged Zachary to book a session.


    As she left the base with her clothes, ready to head to the gym, Justin swaggered in. When someone from the business school showed up, the people at the base became tense.


    After all, the whole school knew about the conflict between Noelle and Samantha from the business school.


    However, the incident ended with Samantha publicly apologizing to Noelle, and the people from the business school have not caused trouble since then. So why was Justin here now?


    Noelle looked at him indifferently. "What? Do you want to join the team?"


    "I''m here to discuss something rted to Xenia."


    "Why should I care?"


    She tried to walk past him, but he followed her. "Xenia just made a mistake by ident. You don''t need to take it that seriously and sue her."


    He still liked Xenia, who was gentle and obedient.


    "I''ll owe you a favor if you don''t sue her, Noelle. How about it?"


    "Get lost!" Noelle spat out the words without even looking at him. But the people Justin brought with him surrounded her.


    His tone turned threatening, "You''re not being reasonable! Push me too far, and I won''t hesitate to hit a woman!"


    "Come on then. Hit me right here!" She pointed to her head and walked toward Justin''s group. Her expression was emotionless, her eyes dark, making her look intimidating.


    Justin took a few quick steps back. "Y-You''ve lost it!"


    Noelle had really gone mad. It was no wonder Samantha apologized that day; Noelle was a madwoman! She walked straight past Justin, bumping into him, which caused him to stagger and nearly lose his bnce.


    She was so strong.


    He turned around, threatening, "Noelle, you''re ruthless, huh? I''ll make sure you can''t even afford awyer! Just you wait!"


    She didn''t look back. What a bunch of cowards.

 Chapter 320

    Zachary told Noelle yesterday that she shouldn''t casually engage in fights after


    she became stronger. She needed to follow the principles of martial arts and only act when provoked.


    Unfortunately, the heirs weren''t brave enough to make the first move.


    Justin was furious and determined to teach Noelle a lesson. But he couldn''t tell


    his family about this, as his mother would probably disapprove of Xenia''s background. The only person he could turn to was his cousin, Alfred.


    He called Alfred. "Alfred, I need you to help me with something."


    "What trouble have you caused now?"


    "It''s not me. It''s my girlfriend who''s in a bit of trouble."


    "You have so many girlfriends. How do you remember which one?"


    Justin was a little embarrassed. "I''m serious with this one. I met her while studying


    in Aldoria, and she''s now at Yole University''s business school."


    Alfred raised an eyebrow. He thought, "It''s not that bitch, is it?"


    "Alfred, she''s received a demand letter. It looks like apany called Maple Enterprise is suing her. Do you know any goodwyers? Can you ask them to warn thewyer from Maple Enterprise not to take the case?"


    Alfred was so angry he startedughing. "You''re nothing but a loafer with zero skills, and now you think you can talk tough?"


    "Alfred, I''m really asking you for a favor."


    "A favor? Of course, I''ll help."


    "Thanks, Alfred."


    Justin hung up the phone, feeling satisfied.


    Alfred stared at his phone, almost swearing in frustration. "That bitch is malicious. Justin''spletely mesmerized by her, and he''s even stepping in to defend her?"


    Did she want Justin to help find awyer? She was seriously toxic. He immediately called Cedric to tell him about this.


    Cedric''s tone grew colder. "Does Justin want to get himself killed?"


    "He''s been a bit off since he was young. I just wanted to give you a heads-up. I''ll handle thewyer situation. You don''t need to intervene."


    If Cedric got involved, Justin would really suffer. The Merlock family was struggling with business issues and wasn''t as arrogant as before.


    This was all part of Cedric''s n to stand up for Noelle and ensure that the Merlock family had no energy left to trouble her, but he never expected that the Parham family would cause trouble as well. It was so frustrating.


    Noelle went straight to the gym, changed into her workout clothes, and headed to the boxing area. She subconsciously nced at the pir where Cedric had stood the previous day.


    "Ms. Liddell, I''ve created a training n for you. Please review it and suggest any changes."


    Noelle saw the same trainer from yesterday. "Why are you still here?"


    "I work here."


    Noelle thought Cedric had sent him to supervise her training, but it seemed he really worked there. Had she been overthinking it?


    Noelle nced at the training n. "I don''t have any problems. Just go ahead with what you''ve suggested."


    She had already improved a lot and didn''t want to get injured.


    After finishing her training, Noelley on the floor to rest. She instinctively nced around, feeling as if Cedric might appear at any moment. However, he didn''t show up today.


    It made sense. After all, Cedric personally came yesterday to prove that he was right.


    After taking a shower, she grabbed her gym bag and leisurely headed back to school. But when she reached her dorm door, she saw someone familiar standing there-it was someone she really didn''t want to see.


    How annoying. Why wouldn''t the Liddells stop haunting her?


    Frank spoke in a tone of ingratiation. "Nelly."


    "We''re not close. Don''t call me that."


    Noelle walked straight toward her dorm, but he stepped forward and grabbed her wrist. She yanked her hand free. "Let go!"


    He was pushed back and almost fell over. Noelle nced at her hand; she hadn''t even used much force.


    James rushed out. "Mr. Liddell is seriously ill, Ms. Liddell. He..."

 Chapter 321

    Noelle heard James'' words, and a hint of confusion shed in her eyes. Was Frank seriously ill?


    She remembered that he only had a stomach illness, right? She hadn''t heard of him having any serious diseases in her past life, but he did look a lot thinner.


    Frank straightened up and pushed James aside. "I''m fine. It''s just my old ailment."


    "But Mr. Liddell, you-"


    "James, you''re talking too much."


    He stopped James from saying anything more and turned to Noelle. "I''m not here


    to plead on Lucas and Xenia''s behalf. They made a mistake, and they should face the consequences."


    Was he not here to plead?


    Frank took a file from James. "The Al project has a lot of potential. I know you''re a key member at Maple Enterprise, but why not strike out on your own?"


    "What do you mean?"


    "This is mypany. I''m offering you full ownership. You can independently develop the Al project, and when it goes public, all the profits will be yours."


    Noelle looked at the share transfer agreement. She didn''t expect him to give hispany to her.


    After the surveince video incident, Frank saw Xenia''s true colors and regretted it. Was he trying to make amends?


    Noelle nced at the paper but didn''t take it. She spoke coldly. "I don''t need it. You can keep it."


    "No, this is my offer to you. In the past, I failed to see how much you''ve suffered, how you were deceived by Xenia, misunderstood, punished, and how an outsider was favored over you."


    He shoved the file into her hands. "I''ve already signed it."


    Noelle tossed the document aside. "But I don''t want it!"


    The papers were scattered all over the ce. His face was pale. "Noelle, I haven''t been a good brother, but I''ll try to learn how to be one."


    "You can try being a good brother to whoever you want. It has nothing to do with me."


    "What can I do to make it up to you? I just want to be good to you."


    "Stay away from me." Without looking back, Noelle walked off. Frank stood there, watching her figure disappear into the dorm building.


    He bent down to pick up the scattered papers, his hands trembling. Finally, he crouched on the ground, unable to get back up for a long time.


    James stood aside, watching, his face filled with sadness as he turned away. If Frank had known it woulde to this, why did he treat Noelle badly in the first ce?


    He had warned Frank that Xenia wasn''t a good person. Unfortunately, Frank never listened.


    Noelle had already be independent and no longer relied on the Liddell family to live. Trying to mend the sibling rtionship now was easier said than done.


    Noelle returned to her dorm, feeling inexplicably down. She had once been closest to Frank.


    Donovan was rarely home, had a vtile temper, and was used to having the final say. She couldn''t help but feel a bit intimidated.


    Carl was always in theb or hospital and hardly ever came home. The other brothers had their own careers, and Lucas, being the youngest, often stayed home.


    The one who had always cared for her and apanied her as she grew up had been Frank. But in her past life, he had ultimately sided with Xenia.


    Noelle could only recall fragmented moments from her past life; most of it had be a blur. She quickly pushed these thoughts aside.


    In this life, she no longer longed for sibling affection nor cared for their regrets or attempts at making amends.


    Shey on her bed and noticed a notification on her phone about an expired money transfer. The one she had sent to Cedric yesterday had indeed not been imed. After thinking for a moment, she sent him a question mark.

 Chapter 322

    Cedric was in a meeting when his phone lit up, and a familiar avatar popped up. He lowered his head and opened the chat, seeing the question mark she had sent.


    His lips curved as he replied, "How''s the ster working?"


    Noelle didn''t expect him to reply so quickly. She immediately replied, "It works pretty well. Where did you get it from?"


    "I''ll give you more once it''s finished. Get some rest."


    Noelle saw his response and wondered if he really didn''t understand what she meant. Cedric didn''t answer her question.


    She replied with a series of ellipses, but he didn''t reply this time. She tossed her phone aside and decided not to bother with him anymore.


    On the weekend, the finals were held at the stadium.


    Noelle and the team members from the base headed to the venue together.


    The tickets had been sent out in advance, and they were to meet inside the stadium.


    While sitting in the taxi, Noelle posted a photo of the tickets on her Instagram, captioning it, "Off to watch the game."


    In her past life, she had personally participated in this very game, but it left asting impression on her. Thankfully, Lucas'' team didn''t have a chance topete this time, so Xenia couldn''t steal her spot.


    Everything she had was hers, and no one could take it away. Thinking about that made her happy. When she arrived at the stadium, many fans were discussing the game.


    She and Grace were outside greeting the club members. Two senior students had entered early to take headcounts. As the match drew closer, the crowd outside started to thin out.


    Noelle was about to enter when she saw members of the Liddell family getting out of a car. Xenia was walking beside Donovan. When Noelle saw them, the corner of her mouth lifted in a cold smile, and she turned to walk toward the stadium.


    "Noelle, stop right there!"


    Without turning her head, she walked on, but the bodyguards chased after her and blocked her path.


    She turned around, her expression full of impatience.


    Donovan walked over with a stern face. "Forget about the Al project. We''ve epted the loss, but you still want to sue Xenia and Lucas.


    "Do you really need to take it to court? When you go to visit Mom and Dad''s graves, do you dare to tell them?"


    "You all dare to do it, so why don''t I?" Noelle''s greatest weakness in this life was her parents. She had always felt guilty and regretful.


    "Noelle, I heard from Xeniast night that you felt we favored her for all these years and were jealous of how we treated her. But we brought her back because you were indebted to them.


    "It seems you chose to repay kindness with ingratitude. You have no right to see our parents, and you don''t deserve to visit their graves."


    Donovan''s words were like a knife cutting into Noelle''s heart. He knew what to say to make her hurt and back down.


    Xenia also pretended to speak gently. "Noelle, we''ve had conflicts over the years, but I''ve always considered you my only family. I was wrong in this matter, so please forgive me just this once."


    Upon seeing her being so understanding, he felt a sense of satisfaction.


    He sneered at Noelle. "Now that Xenia is making concessions, you should know what to do. Otherwise, you''ll dishonor ourte parents and also disrespect Xenia''ste father!"


    Xenia''s eyelid twitched; her father wasn''t dead. She would never reveal that secret, nor would she let anyone in the Liddell family know because it was the only reason she still had a ce in the Liddell family!


    Noelle looked up at the sky, swallowing the resentment in her heart. She spoke softly. "You''re right. A family really shouldn''t hold onto grudges."


    Xenia instantly breathed a sigh of relief. Was Noelle really not going to hold a grudge and sue her? But for some reason, Xenia''s eyelids kept twitching.


    She had a bad feeling about this.

 Chapter 323

    Noelle''s expression remained calm, but it made Xenia break into a cold sweat.


    Something didn''t feel right. After all, Noelle had never been so obedient before. She must have something up her sleeve.


    Donovan, however, seemed satisfied. "It''s good that you''re finally waking up. Don''t think you''re invincible just because you''ve won once. To make it in Yasnia, you must still rely on the Liddell family."


    Noelle scoffed. "For what do I need to rely on the Liddell family? To starve? The Liddell family''s team didn''t even make it to the finals, and your Al project failed."


    His expression turned somewhat ugly. "Didn''t Frank say he would hand thepany over to you? This time, when you go back, quit your job at Maple Enterprise and make them lose their bidding qualifications by telling the official that they were the ones who plotted against Liddell Corporation!"


    "Mr. Donovan, did you brush your teeth this morning? Your breath''s pretty foul today!" Noelle''s gaze was full of mockery.


    Seeing her expression, Donovan was a bit confused. "What do you mean by that? Everything I''ve arranged is for your good. After you obtain Frank''spany, working for the Liddell family is what you should be doing.


    "You shouldn''t be working for outsiders orpeting owith our ownpany. Call the official to clear things up and get yourwyer to withdraw thewsuit!"


    She chuckled. "When did I ever say I would withdraw thewsuit?"


    He froze for a moment, then became angry. "Are you ying with me? Didn''t you just agree to it?"


    "Agree? Don''t tter yourself."


    "When you said I was right, wasn''t that an acknowledgment?"


    Her tone was light. "Oh right, I did say that. Do you want me to withdraw thewsuit? That''s not going to happen, but I can sue just one person."


    Donovan''s eyes narrowed with suspicion. "What do you mean?"


    "Exactly what I said. Xenia or Lucas-you pick. I''ll only sue one of them, and the other will be fine."


    The smile on Noelle''s face deepened. "Before the trial, you all should discuss who will take the fall and go to jail."


    "Noelle, are you crazy?"


    Xenia''s face instantly turned pale upon hearing Noelle''s words. She knew this bitch wouldn''t give in so easily.


    Noelle was making them choose between each other. That was an utterly disgusting thing to do. She was trying to drive a wedge between Xenia and Lucas.


    Noelle clicked her tongue twice. "Well, I''m just trying to help you. It''s better for one person to go to jail than two. I''m only reluctantly agreeing to this because of our family''s reputation.


    "If you disagree, you can all go together. At least you and Lucas will have each other inside; that''s something." After saying that, she turned and walked into the stadium.


    Furious, Donovan shouted, "Noelle, stop right there! How could youe up with such a malicious n?"


    Making them choose between Lucas and Xenia¡ªwouldn''t that tear them apart? Who would want to go to jail?


    Noelle didn''t turn back. She smiled. Since they imed their sibling bond was strong and family came first, they should make a good choice.


    Inside the venue, things were lively when she entered.


    She sat down and nced at Grace. "Do you think my n is too malicious?"


    "No. Your n is brilliant! It''s the perfect way to expose their fake family ties and confront their hypocrisy! Let them feel the pain for themselves."


    Grace had overheard the whole exchange. She had almost spoken up earlier, but Noelle didn''t need her help.


    Noelle nodded. "Right. Only when they experience the pain will they understand how I felt before."


    She had decided to let them experience it; she wanted to see if their so-called sibling love would survive in terms of personal interests.


    The game quickly began. As both teams entered, Noelle''s gaze fell on Magnus, and her expression became somewhat distracted. After all, in her past life, he had never appeared.

 Chapter 324

    If Magnus had participated in the finalst time, her chances of winning wouldn''t have been very high. But this time, she refused to join Lucas'' gaming team, and their team was eliminated in the preliminaries, missing the opportunity topete in the finals.


    Yet, Magnus appeared again for this final. If he was someone from her past life, he should have known how much she wanted to win that match. So, did he drop out of the final to let her win?


    Noelle looked at Magnus on the stage, lost in thought. So, was the person from her past life Magnus?


    The game quickly started. However, Noelle wasn''t fully focused, her mind still preupied with these thoughts.


    Suddenly, her phone rang. "Focus on the match."


    It was a message from Cedric. Had hee, too?


    It made sense, though. Cedric and Alfred both knew Magnus, so it was normal for them to attend the final.


    She looked around, but the stadium was vast, making it nearly impossible to spot one person. Not finding him, she replied, "Where are you sitting?"


    "In the inner lounge." So he was in the inner lounge.


    Noelle had attended the finalst time, so she knew the inner lounge had windows that allowed a view of the outside. But with such arge space, how could he see her?


    Meanwhile, in the inner lounge, Alfred nudged Cedric. "Give me the binocrs. Have you had enough of looking? Earlier, when I asked you if you wanted to watch, you said no."


    Now that he had seen Noelle, he took the binocrs away. These days, even good friends couldn''t be relied on.


    Cedric shifted, tossed the binocrs back, and took out his phone to zoom in and snap a picture of Noelle. After taking the photo, he sent it to her.


    But she didn''t reply; he smiled.


    Alfred leaned over. "What did you send her? Why are you grinning so happily?" Cedric turned the phone face down, clearly not nning to reveal it.


    Alfred held the binocrs. "Thewyer''s all set. We''ll have to wait months for the court hearing, but we''re sure to win! We''ll send the Liddells to prison and get rid of that malicious bitch, too!"


    With that, Noelle''s life would finally be peaceful. No one would bother her again.


    "Without that malicious bitch around the Liddell family, I wonder if Nelly''s brothers will start acting more normal."


    Cedric''s expression turned cold. "They don''t deserve to stay by her side; they''re not worthy."


    "You''re right. After all they''ve done to hurt her, they can never be forgiven!"


    Cedric''s phone chimed. He opened the conversation and saw Noelle had sent an angry emoji, causing his stern expression to soften slightly.


    She was angry. He had actually taken a candid photo of her. From such a distance, with the quality so blurry, she looked like aplete idiot!


    It was just too much. Fuming, Noelle typed, "Delete the photo!"


    He raised an eyebrow and replied, "It''s deleted."


    "I don''t believe you. I''ll check your pher!"


    Cedric''s fingers paused for a moment before replying, "Only my girlfriend can check my phone."


    What did he mean by "Only his girlfriend could check his phone? But wasn''t he supposed to be single?

 Chapter 325

    Noelle read the message and, feeling irritated, quickly replied, "Aren''t you single? You''re hopelessly single."


    Cedric wrote, "Mm... So, are you sure you want to check?"


    She stared at the message, a little confused. What did that mean? Suddenly, the stadium erupted with deafening cheers, and everyone around her stood up.


    Noelle, surrounded by the excitement, felt strangely calm.


    She looked at the message again, wondering if he was joking or flirting with her.


    "Noelle, Team Celestial won! Get up and watch!"


    Grace excitedly pulled Noelle to her feet. Noelle put down her phone and saw the victorious scene.


    This time, Team Celestial won. In the past, Team Luminark beat them. Noelle seemed to recall the final moments of her past life. She had been sitting alone, watching Xenia and her brothers celebrating their victory.


    She was all alone. She had everything taken from her, yet she couldn''t fight back.


    Team Celestial had won, and Team Luminark had been eliminated in the finals. This was the correct ending. She liked this oue.


    The host took the stage. "As usual, we''ll randomly select one lucky audience member."


    The lights in the stadium began to rotate, and everyone cheered along with the lights. Finally, the spotlightnded on Noelle. She looked up, surprised, and saw her face appear on the big screen.


    She was a celebrity in the gaming world. As soon as her face appeared, the crowd erupted in cheers. "Nelly! Nelly!"


    Noelle smiled wryly. She stood up and walked straight toward the stage.


    The host spoke again."Who would have thought that the lucky audience member would be SweetNelly? And she''s sitting in the regr seating, not in the VIP section!"


    Noelle took the microphone. "Because I''m sitting with my teammates from the base. We''re a team!"


    The members of the Yole University gaming team stood up, excited. Being praised by their captain made them feel a bit proud.


    The host continued, "Nelly, everyone expressed their regrets about you not making it to the final. You''re clearly very talented. What do you have to say about that?"


    Noelle held the microphone, but her attention was drawn to the Liddell family sitting in the VIP section.


    Lucas was there, too.


    Their eyes met, and she calmly spoke. "I have no regrets. After all, I needed to focus on my exams this year, so I didn''t have time for thepetition. I have responsibilities in each stage of my life. But I will definitely participate in next year''spetition!"


    Upon hearing this, Lucas felt a sharp sting in his face, as if he had been pped. He had forced Noelle to skip sses to prepare forpetitions. He had never considered that she also needed to prepare for exams.


    He had only thought about hispetition and never imagined that she had important exams to prepare for. Feeling guilty, he lowered his head; he wasn''t a responsible brother.


    Onstage, the host turned to the members of Team Celestial. "Nelly has just dered her challenge, Magnus. Do you have confidence that you can beat her next year?"


    Magnus, who was wearing a red team uniform, swaggered up to the microphone. He smiled and said, "Noelle, join our team. That way, we''ll be unbeatable!"


    The crowd went wild. However, Lucas'' expression turned sour. He didn''t want Noelle to join Team Celestial. He hated them.


    Xenia said, "Donovan, Noelle knows that Lucas hates Team Celestial. If she joins, wouldn''t that be like pping him in the face?"


    Donovan was furious. "She''s bing more and more uncontroble."


    She didn''t care about her family at all. Frank couldn''t take it anymore and retorted, "Donovan, it''s Noelle''s choice which team she joins."


    "We have our own team, though. We have plenty of resources and good yers, yet she chooses to join the enemy''s team. Why are you still defending her?"


    Frank found it ironic. "That''s because Lucas was too much. His actions disappointed Noelle and caused her to leave the team."


    Lucas struggled to force a smile. "Yes, Donovan. It''s my fault. It has nothing to do with Noelle."


    It was his fault! He was the one who lost Noelle.


    Donovan frowned. "That was just a small family dispute. No matter how angry Noelle was, she shouldn''t have joined Team Celestial. Isn''t that pping the Liddell family in the face?"


    He began coughing violently, feeling a sharp pain in his chest. It was the aftereffect of the shoulder throw Noelle had given him that day. While his bones weren''t bent, they were cracked.

 Chapter 326

    Xenia quickly handed him a bottle of water. "Donovan, calm down. Your injury hasn''t healed yet. We''ll talk to Noelleter and ask her to consider the Liddell family''s reputation and not join Team Celestial."


    Lucas'' face turned cold. "I don''t need you to say anything."


    He felt too ashamed to face Noelle. He also didn''t want to use the Liddell family''s name to guilt trip her.


    Donovan snorted coldly. "Lucas, now you''re starting to speak up for Noelle like Frank, huh?"


    "Donovan, the team is mine. I get to decide," Lucas responded. Unable to bear it any longer, he stood up and walked away. He needed to exin things to Noelle.


    Donovan was furious. Everyone was speaking up for Noelle. Had they forgotten what she had done?


    Xenia sat to the side, a dark look crossing her face. In the end, she would be the one to win. Watching Noelle soak up her poprity on stage made her grit her teeth with envy.


    One day, she would crush Noelle beneath her feet.


    Onstage, Noelle looked at Magnus. "Thank you for the offer, but I refuse to join. Next year, I''ll lead Team Yole into the finals!"


    Her gaze was clear and filled with confidence.


    Magnus smiled. "This is going to be troublesome, but we won''t let you have it easy."


    "You''d better be careful then. The new is constantly recing the old!" Her words were taunting


    The crowd began to buzz with excitement. Would Noelle''s Team Yole really make it to the finals and fight for the championship next year? They couldn''t help but feel a bit excited.


    After the event, she stood to the side, watching Team Celestial on the podium. Magnus was holding the championship trophy. She really wanted to touch it and see how it felt.


    This was the trophy she had missed in her past life. After the photos were taken, Magnus walked over and handed the trophy to Noelle.


    She was a little surprised. "You¡ª"


    "Take a look at the trophy. After all, next year''s trophy will also be ours."


    "Why are you so certain?"


    Noelleughed, holding the trophy in her arms. A feeling of nostalgia swept through her. This was the regret of her past life.


    She took out her phone to take a selfie, but Magnus leaned in next to her. "Let''s take a photo together. We should exchange numbers and keep in contact in the future."


    He wanted to get along with her. After all, if he retired without a job or money, he would need her to give him some pocket money since Cedric was stingy.


    Noelle looked up at Magnus and then nodded. She also wanted to know if he was really that person, so she needed to ask.


    As they exchanged contact information, his phone rang. He answered. "Ced, you''re here? Did you see my handsome figure?"


    "What are you messing around outside for? Get in here!"


    "Okay. I''ming." Cedric hung up and looked at Noelle and Magnus standing together outside.


    Alfred clicked his tongue. "They lookpletely different when they stand together."


    Cedric pursed his lips, feeling a bit uneasy. Outside, Noelle handed the trophy to Magnus. "Thank you."


    "Ced and Alfred are also here. You take the trophy over first. I''ll go over there to talk to the coach."


    Noelle recalled the ugly photo Cedric had sent her earlier. She still needed to check that he had deleted it.


    She hugged the trophy and headed backstage. Everyone was outside taking photos, and the area was nearly empty.


    As she passed a corridor, she heard the voices of the Liddell family-specifically Lucas'' voice, filled with indignation and grievance.


    "Donovan, it was Xenia who secretly took Noelle''sputer. It had nothing to do with me. Why should I bear the responsibility?"


    "As the older brother, you should be the one to take responsibility if we had to choose."


    That was Donovan''s voice. Noelle walked over with the trophy, a faint smile on


    her lips. "Oh, isn''t this our loving, close-knit family? Have you decided who''s going to jail?"


    So this was the family infighting?

 Chapter 327

    Noelle appeared, holding the trophy with a look of amusement on her face.


    Her tone was full of schadenfreude. "Lucas, this is your fault. Donovan is right, though."


    Lucas stared at her in disbelief. "Noelle, you have the video, too. You should know it wasn''t me who took it!"


    "But Xenia said you two were in cahoots, right? Isn''t that what you said, Xenia?" Noelle turned toward Xenia, who was hiding nearby. There was no way Noelle would let her stay out of this now.


    Xenia, forcing herself to respond, said, "I... I didn''t say that."


    "If you didn''t say that, you must have done everything. I can just sue you, right?"


    "I didn''t mean that!" Xenia''s voice suddenly grew louder. She definitely didn''t want to go to jail. She also didn''t want to cause a rift with Lucas or have him me her.


    Noelle clicked her tongue. "So, you don''t want to go to jail, but you''re fine with letting Lucas take the fall, huh?"


    "Noelle, do you have to push us this far?"


    Xenia was almost in tears.


    Noelle''s move was truly ruthless. She smiled. "Don''t worry, Xenia. After all, your father helped the Liddell family. Donovan has always taught us to treat you well and repay you. So, how could we let you go to jail, right?"


    Xenia was stunned. Donovan had indeed said it many times before, but they were always used to guilt trip Noelle.


    Noelle turned to Lucas with a calm tone. "Right, Lucas?"


    Lucas had said the same things before. His facial expression instantly changed. He had indeed said those words before.


    At the time, he hadn''t thought anything was wrong with them. But now, when those words were directed at him, he finally felt the sting.


    Donovan sneered. "Noelle, so you knew all along? You should''ve dropped thewsuit. You shouldn''t have sued. Mr. Quigley did a favor for you, not for us!"


    "That''s not right."


    Noelle''s tone was icy. "I remember when he had a car ident. He saved me first, and when he went back to save Mom and Dad, the car exploded, and they all died together.


    "He died saving Mom and Dad, not me. You all owe Xenia, too, not just me." Donovan frowned. "You don''t need to point out the obvious. I''ve already decided that Lucas will take all the me."


    "Donovan, if I go to jail, my career will be ruined. It''s clearly Xenia''s fault!"


    Noelle sighed. "Lucas, look at you. Xenia''s parents also helped you. How can you bear to let her go to jail?"


    "But I didn''t do it."


    "Even if you didn''t, you should think about Xenia. This is what you owe her! Can you really watch a young woman like her go to jail and ruin her whole life? How selfish can you be?"


    Her voice grew more earnest. "Didn''t you all say that you''re a close-knit family? Is this really how you act?"


    Lucas stood there, stunned, unable to respond to a single word. These were all things he had said before. Now, it was his turn to face the consequences.


    Noelle relished the moment, feeling incredibly satisfied. She had waited so long for this day. In the past, it had always been them guilt-tripping her, forcing her to back down and apologize.


    Now, it was their turn.


    Donovan couldn''t take it anymore. "Noelle, stop talking. We know all of this already."


    "No, I''m going to say it."


    She smirked. "Donovan, there''s something I need to say about you."


    Donovan''s eyes were filled with caution. "What?"


    "You''re also an aplice. As the oldest brother, you knew Xenia had made a


    mistake, but you didn''t stop her. You''ve failed as a brother."

 Chapter 328

    "Noelle, you..."


    "Donovan, let me finish. Aren''t you always the fairest and most just? As the head of the Liddell family, you should be the one to stand up and take responsibility now."


    Noelle looked at Donovan, her voice heavy with sarcasm. "After all, you''re a close-knit family. How can you bear to watch your siblings turn against each other and go to jail? Donovan, you''re too selfish."


    She wanted him to stop pretending to be the good guy; he was involved, too.


    Donovan''s facial expression changed. He had never considered that he might need to take responsibility.


    No one spoke at that moment.


    Noelle''s throat was dry from talking, and she hugged the trophy. "Come on; say something. Didn''t you all teach me this before? Why won''t you do the same now that it''s your turn? You''re being too selfish!"


    In the past, when they guilt-tripped her, they sounded so righteous. They almost wanted to carve "blood is thicker than water" on her face. But now, when it came time for them to live up to their words, they couldn''t do it.


    What a bunch of hypocrites!


    Noelle''s gaze was cold; today, she would expose their hypocritical faces for everyone to see.


    Xenia''s face turned pale. She knew Noelle had no good intentions. It was all a trap. Noelle was waiting for her to fall into it. She wanted to use this incident to drive a wedge between Xenia and her brothers.


    Xenia''s voice trembled, and she looked at Donovan. "Donovan, I caused this mess myself. I''ll take responsibility for it. I don''t want you or Lucas to bear it for me."


    If she didn''t act fast, it would all be over. Noelle''s move to sow discord was too ruthless.


    Donovan''s expression darkened. He didn''t expect Noelle to drag him into this.


    He hesitated for a moment before speaking. "Xenia, don''t worry about this. It has nothing to do with you."


    Noelle smiled and chimed in. "Exactly, Donovan isforting you. He must be willing to take the fall for you, right?"


    "When did I ever say that?" His voice was a bit panicked.


    She feigned surprise. "As the oldest brother, when would you ever not stand up for the family?"


    "But if I go to jail, my career is over. Who will run Liddell Corporation?"


    "Donovan, you would only ruin your own career, but Xenia is a young woman. Going to jail would ruin her entire future. How will she ever get married?"


    Donovan was visibly shaken. "But if Liddell Corporation goes bankrupt, what will you all live on?"


    "Oh, worst-case scenario, we''ll have to beg on the streets, but at least we''re not selfish! Mr. Quigley helped the Liddell family. Donovan, you''re not really going to let her go to jail, are you?"


    Donovan was furious, almost exploding with rage. However, he couldn''t refute her words. He had said the same things to her before.


    He was unwilling to ept it. "Noelle, you keep talking about family. Why don''t you drop thewsuit?"


    "I''ve severed ties with you, so we''re no longer family. So, Mr. Donovan, are you not willing to take responsibility for Xenia?"


    "Noelle, do you hear yourself? Is that even something a person would say?"


    Noelle kicked over a trash can, her eyes icy. Her tone was mocking. "Oh, so now you realize these aren''t things a person would say?"


    They had said these every day in the past!


    Donovan suddenly lowered his gaze, unable to meet Noelle''s eyes.


    She walked over, closing in with each step. "Go ahead, Mr. Donovan. You always


    act like the head of the family and always talk about how family is everything. Why are you quiet now?"


    She grabbed his cor, and her tone was malicious as she said, "Cat got your tongue, or are you too ashamed to speak?"


    She wanted him to continue with his righteous words.

 Chapter 329

    Donovan was backed up against the wall with no way out. He nervously pushed Noelle''s hand away. "Stop with your sarcastic remarks. I did not know about the giarism incident."


    "Mr. Donovan, are you trying to shirk responsibility?"


    "I''m not trying to shirk responsibility!" His eyes were bloodshot, and his emotions were intense, as if the topic had struck a raw nerve.


    Xenia stepped forward and supported Donovan. "Donovan still hasn''t fully recovered from the broken ribs you caused when you threw him over your shoulder. Don''t go too far."


    Wow! Now she was ying the good guy!


    Noelle coldly responded. "You go to jail then. That way, everything will be resolved."


    Xenia nearly choked on her words. How could she go to jail? She just wanted to show off in front of Donovan.


    The next moment, Xenia looked at Lucas. "Lucas, you don''t have to force yourself. I know it''s all my fault. I''ll go to jail, and it has nothing to do with you."


    If someone had to take the fall, it had to be Lucas.


    Donovan spoke immediately. "No, you can''t go."


    "Mr. Donovan, does that mean you''ll go?"


    He was left speechless, only ncing at Lucas.


    The atmosphere became tense. Lucas smiled, finally understanding what it felt like to be stabbed in the back. Was this what Noelle had gone through before?


    After a long pause, Lucas spoke hoarsely. "I''ll go. Just stop arguing."


    He had brought this on himself. Xenia had deceived him, and he deserved punishment.


    Her face lit up with relief upon hearing his words. She feigned concern. "Lucas, how could I let you go to jail? It''s all my fault. I''m the one who dragged you into this."


    "Xenia, stop it. It''s not your fault." Donovan patted her shoulder. "Stop crying. The Liddell family values loyalty."


    Noelle nodded. "Yes, why cry? Someone''s taking the fall for you. Isn''t that a good thing?"


    "I''m just so upset. I can''t help it."


    She was still pretending to be the innocent victim. Noelle immediately exposed


    her. "Since you''re so upset, why don''t you go instead?"


    Xenia couldn''t even pretend to cry anymore, lowering her head in silence.


    She didn''t want to go to jail. She had ns to marry into the prestigious Parham family and be thedy of the house.


    Seeing her lowered head, Donovan felt inexplicably frustrated. "Noelle, are you satisfied now?"


    Noelle sneered. She turned to Lucas and said, "Congrattions. You''ve made a great sacrifice for the sake of your close-knit family."


    He was reaping what he sowed. Lucas looked up, his eyes bloodshot.


    He stared at the golden trophy in Noelle''s hands and suddenly felt confused. "Is that the championship trophy?"


    "Yes."


    Noelle walked up to him, proudly showing off the trophy. "If I had been in Team Luminark, we could have still fought for this trophy. But unfortunately, you brought along that fool, Xenia, and failed even in the preliminary round. The only reason we won the revival match was because of me."


    Lucas reached out for the golden trophy. But before he could touch it, she pulled it closer to her chest, her tone cold. "It''s not yours, so don''t touch it."


    He awkwardly withdrew his hand when it was left empty. He looked at Noelle, his gazeplex. "What if I hadn''t let Xenia join the team and hadn''t been so biased and harsh toward you? Would you have still quit the team?"


    "There''s no ''what ifs'' in this world."


    She ran her fingers over the trophy, thinking that no one in the Liddell family would ever get their hands on it. Then, she turned and left.


    "Noelle, stop right there! Are you happy now that we''vee to this?" Donovan was furious and grabbed Noelle by the shoulder.

 Chapter 330

    Noelle looked up. "Fair enough. How about I give you all one more night to figure out who will take the fall?"


    Donovan''s facial expression instantly changed.


    Her smile widened. "This includes you, too. I''ll ept it if you''re willing to take on all the me and go to prison."


    He was utterly speechless.


    She forcefully brushed his hand away. "Clearly, you don''t want to take


    responsibility, so why pretend to be the good guy?"


    "Noelle, do you think I''m pretending to be a good guy? I''m doing this for the family!"


    "Oh? How about I apologize if you take the fall and go to prison? Are you willing to bet on that?" Noelle smiled and gave Donovan a long, piercing nce.


    She had seen through his arrogance, as well as his well-hidden hypocrisy and selfishness. Although she had already put everything on the table, he still tried to guilt trip her! Since he was stubborn, she wouldn''t hold back now.


    Donovan said nothing, his expression as dark as night.


    Noelle turned and left with a graceful stride; this time, he didn''t follow her. As expected, she hadn''t been wrong.


    What they said was wrong. Their blood was not thicker than water, and all of that was nothing but a facade of a hypocritical family.


    Noelle turned around but bumped into Cedric, Alfred, and Magnus at the stairs. She paused for a moment. "You all heard that?"


    Cedric gazed deeply at her and patted her shoulder. "Well done. Let''s go back to the lounge and talk."


    It was only then that Noelle realized they had all been listening. She felt a bit embarrassed.


    Back in the lounge, it was just the four of them.


    Magnus couldn''t help but speak up, "Why did you say you would apologize to him


    in the end? Why should you apologize?"


    Alfred raised an eyebrow. "It''s a strategy. Don''t you get it?"


    Noelle smiled. "I said that on purpose because I know him. He''s not going to take on the responsibility."


    Donovan was an ambitious man. In the business world, he often used unscrupulous methods to stabilize the Liddell Corporation in Yasnia.


    Magnus didn''t quite understand. "But why not just sue him or beat them up?"


    "Nelly was deliberately guilt-tripping them, making them taste their own medicine!" Noelle nodded. "Exactly."


    She felt great seeing the fake masks they wore get torn off. This was revenge. They would experience everything she had gone through in her past life.


    She handed the championship trophy back to Magnus. "Thanks for the trophy. It came in handy."


    "Ced, look at my trophy! Isn''t it awesome?"


    Magnus took the trophy and instinctively tossed it to Cedric. Cedric caught the trophy and threw it to Alfred like a hot potato.


    Alfred immediately understood and, after catching it, made a joke to smooth things over. "Not bad, troublemaker. Keep up the good work!"


    "I told you not to call me that nickname. I''m not a troublemaker."


    Magnus was a bit annoyed. He nced at Noelle. "But next year, my sister-inw


    and I will bepetitors. You''re allowed to cheer for her!"


    Noelle froze. Magnus just referred to her as his ''sister-inw''? Cedric''s tone became harsh when he heard what Magnus said. "Magnus, what nonsense are you spouting?"


    Magnus realized he had let something slip and quickly tried to cover up. "You two aren''t together yet, right?"


    Cedric''s face suddenly turned tense. Alfred quickly stepped in and covered Magnus'' mouth. "Stop talking."


    He thought, "Oh no! If you keep talking, you''re going to get Cedric killed!"


    The room went silent.


    Noelle coughed awkwardly, feeling a bit uneasy. "You''ve misunderstood my rtionship with Cedric. We''re not like that."


    Cedric looked up. "What kind of rtionship do you think we have?"

 Chapter 331

    Noelle noticed the depth in Cedric''s gaze, and her breath hitched for a moment. Her eyshes fluttered. "W-we''re just friends."


    Wasn''t that what he had said before? They were just friends, and he only saw her as a sister.


    Cedric saw her response and gritted his teeth as he stood up. "Let''s go."


    He walked ahead, his sharp features expressionless. Noelle followed, keeping a step of distance between them.


    Alfred and Magnus walked behind them. Thetter looked anxious and wanted to say something, but Alfred held him back.


    Alfred''s voice was low. "Stop causing trouble, will you?"


    Magnus was like a husky-impossible to control. It was best for him not to get involved in this situation.


    Magnus was dying of curiosity. "They''re really not together?" It had been months, and Cedric still hadn''t managed to win her over. He was so useless!


    "Don''t think about it. It''s not possible between them."


    "Why not?"


    "Because Noelle is..." Alfred didn''t finish his sentence.


    Magnus looked up with sincere, curious eyes. "Alfred, I can keep a secret. I won''t say a word."


    Alfred gave Magnus a look and pressed his face. "You have the nerve to say that?"


    Since they were children, Magnus had had the worst case of loose lips. He almost slipped up earlier, but thankfully, he didn''t.


    Magnus'' curiosity was piqued. Was there some hidden identity to Noelle? Or was her family background too ordinary to mention?


    The group walked out.


    Noelle checked her phone; Grace had messaged her asking where she was. She then turned back to them. "I''ll head back to school now. My ssmates are waiting for me."


    Magnus wriggled out of Alfred''s grip. "Hey, Nelly. I''ll be in Yasnia for a while. Let''s grab a meal this weekend."


    "We''ll talk then. We can also y some games together."


    Noelle also wanted to use the games to test if Magnus was the one. She turned back, and the man beside her stood with a strong presence.


    She lowered her eyelids and said nothing, then quickly ran off. Cedric stood still, watching her leave. He tapped his cheek with his tongue, his eyes heavy. Was she avoiding him?


    At that moment, Magnus rushed over, gossiping. "Ced, you still haven''t won over Noelle? You''re some."


    Cedric nced at him. "Why does she want you to y games with her?"


    "Because I''m awesome! I''ll go to the base to back her up. Who would dare go against her then?"


    "She doesn''t need you backing her up." Cedric kept his expression serious and walked forward.


    Magnus was left confused, getting a smack from Alfred. "Can you be a bit more sensible? What are you ying games with Noelle for?"


    "I''m helping Ced out."


    "You''re just slowing him down." Didn''t he see how ufortable Cedric looked?


    Alfred thought about Cedric and Noelle''s rtionship and immediately felt a headache.


    He hoped they would get together but also feared that Noelle would find out about that past incident.


    After Noelle met up with Grace, they headed back to school together.


    Grace was thrilled all the way. "What you said about making it to the finals next


    year was so cool! We''re all pumped! It''s like we''ve been injected with adrenaline."


    "We''ll have a chance if we all work hard."


    In Noelle''s past life, she reached the finals with her team. This time, with


    teammates who shared her passion, they could do it, too.


    However, her mind was elsewhere. She couldn''t stop thinking about what Cedric had said. He actually asked her what their rtionship was.

 Chapter 332

    Wasn''t Cedric the one who knew best about this? Why was he even asking?


    Noelle gazed out the window at the night sky. Her features reflected in the ss were blurry and indistinct. After returning to the dorm, she took a shower andy down.


    The group chat was buzzing with discussions about today''s events, and some members mentioned wanting to participate in thepetition next time. She quickly skimmed through the chat and exited the conversation. The first thing she saw was a message from Cedric.


    "Only my girlfriend is allowed to check my phone."


    "Mm... Are you sure you want to check?"


    When Noelle read these messages, Cedric''s face unexpectedly shed before her eyes. What did he mean by that? He took her candid photo and now used these words to brush her off.


    She had just confronted the Liddell family today and was in a good mood, but now this? Noelle irritably turned off her phone. What a bastard Cedric was!


    After the finals, Instagram was flooded with pictures of Team Celestial. There were many fans of Team Celestial, and Magnus was very popr. After all, he was good-looking and came from a well-off family-who wouldn''t like him?


    But Magnus, who was the heir of the Greene family, had not been exposed; only rumors about his good background were circting. In her past life, she had learned this from Donovan.


    The next day, Noelle went to ss as usual.


    Justin and his people came to block her. "Noelle, didn''t I warn you not to make things difficult for Xenia? Just because Samantha apologized, do you think you can do whatever you want?"


    Her eyes showed irritation as she walked straight towards Justin.


    Scared, he stepped back, saying, "I''m warning you! The Parham family won''t let you off if youy a hand on me!"


    Noelle looked at him indifferently, and he immediately turned and ran off. What a coward.


    After running off, he felt embarrassed and quickly called Alfred toin. "Alfred, did you handle the matter with thew firm I asked you about?"


    "Are you looking for a beating, huh? How dare you give me orders?"


    "Alfred, I''m just anxious! I tried reasoning with Noelle today, but she actually tried to hit me! She''s done this before in Aldoria, don''t you remember?"


    "It looks like you haven''t learned your lesson. Getting beaten by a woman; you''re an embarrassment to the Parham family."


    Alfred was starting to get a headache. "Justin, I''m warning you! Don''t mess with Noelle!"


    "Alfred, is Noelle your woman? You protected her in Aldoria before."


    "Stop asking questions. Just remember what I said. Don''t make me remind you again." Alfred hung up, but Justin couldn''t help but overthink. Alfred was so protective of Noelle. There must be something going on between them.


    That made things moreplicated.


    When he returned to the ssroom, Xenia immediately looked at him expectantly. "How did it go?"


    "I obviously scolded Noelle, but you know her temper. She''s stubborn and won''t listen to reason."


    He wouldn''t mention how scared he was of running away from Noelle.


    "Did you stop her from hiring awyer like you said?"


    Xenia noticed that Donovan was starting to distance himself from her, probably because he was still upset about what Noelle had said. Frank and Lucas had also been ignoring herpletely.


    She was desperate to change her situation and could only turn to Justin for help. Lucas would be fine if he could prevent Noelle from hiring awyer. As long as Lucas was safe, she still could win him back.


    Justin looked a bit awkward. "It''s not a big deal, but if I get involved, my mother might find out. If she does, she won''t have a good impression of you."


    Xenia felt disappointed but tried to act understanding. "I understand. We can''t let her find out."


    If she had a bad impression of Xenia, how could Xenia ever marry into the Parham family?


    Nearby, Samantha snorted. "You can''t even handle this small thing, Justin. You''re such a failure!"


    Justin''s pride was hurt. "Look who''s talking. Why did you apologize to Noelle in front of everyone?"


    "That''s because Noelle has something on me. Plus, I can''t cause trouble right now-Laura''s about to get engaged to the rich bachelor of Yasnia.


    "The Merlock family can''t afford any issues. Otherwise, I would never tolerate that country bumpkin Noelle."


    She was nearly seething. "I can call and ensure Noelle can''t hire awyer. It''s no big deal."


    Xenia''s eyes lit up with surprise. This was perfect. Justin, however, looked at her with suspicion. "Has Noelle started dating someone new?"


    Why else would Alfred be so protective of her?


    "No. Her ambiguous boyfriend has always been Dr. Greene."


    Justin''s expression changed. "Hisst name is Greene?"


    He suddenly had a bad feeling.

 Chapter 333

    Xenia nodded, her expression perplexed. "Yeah, why are you suddenly so interested in this?"


    She couldn''t help but suspect that Justin was interested in Noelle again. After all, he had been drawn to Noelle at first-before Xenia deliberately stole him away.


    Xenia''s only hope now was to marry Justin and secure her ce in the Parham family, possibly even giving birth to an heir. She couldn''t afford to let Noelle snatch this golden opportunity from her.


    "Are you interested in Noelle again?" Xenia asked bitterly.


    "Noelle? Seriously? I''d have to be blind to fall for that violent lunatic," Justin scoffed. "By the way, what''s the school doctor''s full name? You mentioned hisst name is Greene?"


    Justin couldn''t help but wonder if the doctor had some connection to the Greene family, especially since his cousin Alfred had stepped in to help.


    Alfred and the rich bachelor of Yasnia were as close as brothers, so Justin couldn''t shake the possibility there might be some kind of connection.


    Xenia replied, "I''m not sure of his full name, but I can ask a ssmate to check with our high school for you."


    Samantha scoffed. "I know what you''re thinking, Justin. That''s impossible."


    "I''m just curious. I mean, what are the odds?" Justin exined.


    "How could Noelle, a country bumpkin, possibly have any connection to someone from the Greene family? I bet it''s just a coincidence," Samantha said.


    Xenia nodded, catching on what Justin was getting at. "Samantha''s right. If the school doctor were really from the prestigious Greene family, he wouldn''t be working as a poor school doctor at a high school."


    She then added, "I heard his sry is super low, and he doesn''t even own a house. Clearly, he''s living off Noelle''s credit card."


    "I guess I''m overthinking it," Justin said with a nod. After all, just having thest name Greene didn''t necessarily mean it was the school doctor was from the prominent Greene family of Yasnia.


    Little did Justin know, he would deeply regret that assumption in the near future.


    Suddenly, Samantha pulled out her phone. "Time for my favorite actor''s new series. Oh my gosh, he''s so handsome!"


    Catching a glimpse of the drama, Xenia eximed excitedly, "Oh, that''s my brother ke! So his new series is finally out!"


    "Did you just say he''s your brother?" Samantha''s eyes widened in surprise.


    Xenia quickly nodded. "Yes, ke''s my brother. We''ve been close since we were kids. He even promised to help me get into the entertainment industry one day."


    Samantha''s demeanor softened significantly. "So, when can you arrange for ke to have a meal with us? I really like him." ke was exactly her type.


    Xenia agreed without hesitation, "Consider it done. ke has been busy filming out of towntely, but now that his new series is out, he should be back soon."


    Seeing how happy Samantha was, Xenia''s mood brightened significantly. Ever since the incident with Noelle, Samantha had been giving her a cold shoulder.


    Now that Xenia knew Samantha was a fan of ke, she had the perfect way to handle the situation. If ke had stood by her side when he returned, Xenia would have nothing to worry about.


    Still, she knew she had to be more cautious moving forward-she couldn''t give Noelle any opportunity to sabotage her rtionship with the Liddell brothers.


    After all, securing the Liddell family''s support was crucial if she wanted to cement her ce in the Parham family.


    During ss, Noelle received a notification from the Maple Enterprise work group chat: "Meeting at 3 pm."


    Noelle nced at it before replying, "Got it."


    Isaac tagged her, asking, "You''reing? No ss in the afternoon?"


    "Yup, no ss. I''ll be there on time," Noelle responded.


    Since she was a member of thepany, She made sure to attend meetings


    whenever possible especially after the recent giarism incident.


    Although the incident had caused the Liddell Corporation to bebeled as giarists and lose their bidding qualifications, Noelle knew that the rumors about her and the Liddell Corporation were still circting within thepany.


    After ss, Noelle said to Grace, "I need to go to thepany. Let me know if anythinges up at school."


    "Okay," Grace replied. "By the way, we still need to find a sponsor for the base. We can''t keep relying on your money. We even spent some on ticketsst time."


    One million might seem a lot, but it wouldn''tst long.


    Noelle nodded. "I''ll figure something out and try to secure sponsorship soon."

 Chapter 334

    Noelle was going to attend a gamingmunity dinner event, where many


    The previous day, at thepetition venue, she had already dered that Team Yole would make it to the finals. She hoped this would catch the attention of visionary sponsors to step forward to invest.


    Noelle went straight to Maple Enterprise after ss. She entered the meeting room, where the tech team members were already gathered and chatting. But when they saw her, they abruptly stopped talking, and their expressions seemed off.


    "What''s the matter?" Noelle asked.


    Isaac looked at her and said, "Haven''t you heard? Someone in the legal circle warned thewyers not to take on our case about the leaked proposal."


    Startled by the news, Noelle immediately suspected Donovan was behind it. But she didn''t know he had such a significant influence in the legal field. Could it be that his fianc¨¦e was the one pulling the strings?


    After a moment of thought, Noelle replied, "No, I wasn''t aware of it.''


    "Don''t worry about it, Noelle. We just heard about it too. Mr. Parham will definitely take care of it."


    Now that everyone knew Noelle was the biological sister of the Liddell Corporation''s president but had to leave the family and fend for herself during university because of her brothers'' bias, they understood it hadn''t been easy for her.


    Noelle sat down, feeling a bit unsettled. If nowyer would take the case, thepany would undoubtedly lose if it went to court.


    "Mr. Parham''s here. Don''t worry, Noelle. Everything will be fine."


    Noelle looked up and saw Alfred walking in first, with Cedric following behind. It suddenly dawned on her that Cedric had resigned and was now working here. She realized she would inevitably run into him atpany meetings.


    Cedric''s gazended on Noelle''s face, noticing she seemed a bit distracted.


    "What''s on your mind?" he texted her after sitting down.


    Noelle''s phone buzzed. Embarrassed, she quickly silenced it, only to see that it was a message from Cedric.


    She nced at him and replied with a text, "Delete my photo."


    "Already deleted," he replied. Noelle studied him across from her, wondering if he honestly thought she would believe that.


    Cedric put down his phone, meeting her gaze calmly, a faint smile curling at the corner of his mouth. Noelle''s irritation grew at the sight of that smile-he clearly hadn''t deleted it.


    After Alfred spoke as the president of thepany, he asked, "Does anyone have anything else to discuss?"


    "Mr. Parham, I heard someone in the legal circle has threatened thewyers not to take our case against Liddell Corporation. Is that true?"


    "What?" Alfred was a bit surprised, but it didn''t seem to faze him. He replied with a faint smile, "I''ve already arranged awyer, so you can all rest reassured. Meeting dismissed."


    Cedric approached Noelle, who was thest to leave the meeting room. "Were you worried about that?"


    "Of course," Noelle replied. "Donovan is ruthless when things stand in his way. He''ll do anything to remove obstacles."


    Alfred smiled reassuringly. "Don''t worry, Nelly. We''ll win thewsuit for sure."


    Cedric shifted the subject. "Have they decided who''s going to take the fall for this?"


    After all, they had all heard Noelle''s words the day before. Before Noelle could reply, her phone rang.


    "Speaking of the devil," she said after ncing at the caller ID.


    She answered the call and put it on speaker, "Mr. Liddell, what a wonderful surprise. I''m guessing you''ve found a scapegoat to take all the me since you''re calling me personally. Am I right?"


    Donovan was caught off guard by her response and was left speechless. How dare she talk to him like that?

 Chapter 335

    Hearing the silence on the other end of the line, Noelle chuckled. "I thought that if you were willing to take all the me yourself, I might owe you an apology. But clearly, you''re not giving me that chance. What a shame." Her tone dripped with


    sarcasm.


    Donovan snapped, "Noelle, why are you trying to sow discord between us siblings? What could you possibly gain from this?"


    "I''m doing it for your own good," Noelle smirked. "Or maybe you three can all go to prison together-one big happy family, united by blood."


    "In your dreams," Donovan shot back.


    "Exactly, Mr. Liddell," Noelle said, her voice taking on an exaggeratedly earnest one. "That''s why I suggested one of you step up and take responsibility. Can''t you see how kind I''m being?"


    "If Lucas goes to jail, his career will be ruined. Can you live with that?" Donovan countered.


    "That''s because you''re selfish. Shouldn''t you step up for your younger brother? You''re always talking about family bonds and love, yet when trouble arises, you expect your brother to take the fall. How selfish of you," Noelle quipped, covering her chuckles with a hand.


    Cedric watched her with amusement. She looked like a sly little fox.


    Donovan''s anger red. "Don''t get cocky, Noelle. Even if Lucas takes the me, without awyer, you''ll lose the case anyway. Just wait and see!"


    "Is that all you called to say?" Noelle asked calmly.


    "Exactly. Face it, Noelle. Withdraw thewsuit now before you embarrass yourself."


    "See you in court, then!" Noelle hung up decisively. "See? I was right. He was never going to take responsibility."


    "So, Lucas is the scapegoat?" Cedric asked. "Even though he was involved, he wasn''t the one who took the photos."


    "Nelly, those two should pay the price as well-especially that vicious bitch Xenia," Alfred said.


    Noelle smiled. "I want to tear apart their facade of ''family love'' piece by piece, ensuring Xenia loses everything. Eventually, the Liddell family will be dragged down with her and end up bankrupt."


    She couldn''t wait for that moment to arrive to see if their so-called "family bonds" would survive. Only then would it feel like justice for all the suffering she had endured in her previous life.


    Alfred pped with amusement. "Nicely yed, Noelle. I''m starting to look forward to seeing the expressions on your ungrateful brothers'' faces when they finally realize Xenia''s true colors."


    Noelle turned to him and said, "Don''t forget, we still have awsuit to win first."


    "Don''t worry, Nelly. Thewyer I''ve hired is someone I trust. We''ll be fine, so rest assured," Alfred replied confidently.


    Feeling reassured, Noelle stood up and said, "If there''s nothing else, I''ll take my leave now."


    As she walked past Cedric, her eyes instinctively drifted toward the phone he had ced on the table. In that instant, Cedric swiftly covered the phone with his hand, his gaze locking with hers.


    Noelle scoffed lightly at Cedric''s vignce, cleared her throat, and left without hesitation. Cedric raised an eyebrow, clearly aware of her intention to sneak a peek at his phone.


    After Noelle left, Cedric''s expression turned cold. He said to Alfred, "Was your cousin. Justin, the one behind the issue with thewyers?"


    "I''ll look into it right away. If it''s really him, I''ll break his legs and teach him a lesson!" Alfred said, sharing Cedric''s suspicion.


    Cedric''s phone buzzed. After ncing at it, he stood up and instructed Alfred,


    "Make sure this is dealt with properly."


    "Where are you going?" Alfred asked.


    "The gym," Cedric said as he walked away.


    Alfred sighed, phone in hand, thinking, "Am I his nanny or what?"


    After returning to school, Noelle headed straight to the gym. She changed into her workout clothes and went to the equipment area, determined to build some muscle strength. Her trainer, Zachary, always told her that her physical condition was poor and that she needed more exercise.


    While she was figuring out how to use one of the machines, a young man approached her. "Hi, I''m Mark Baker. Is this your first time here? Let me show you how it works."


    After watching Mark''s demonstration, Noelle replied politely, "Thank you."


    "Don''t mention it. You look pretty young-are you a student at Yole University?" Mark asked.


    "Uh-huh," Noelle answered, her tone indifferent.


    "Wow, a top student, huh?" Mark''s eyes lit up. "I''ve always admired people like you!"


    Nolle didn''t bother responding.

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    Mark muttered under his breath, "Back in the day, I couldn''t afford to go to school because my family was poor. Later, I got lucky in business, and after mypany went public, I achieved financial freedom."


    He continued, "Still, my biggest regret is not getting a proper education. That''s why I find well-educated women so appealing."


    Feeling annoyed, Noelle moved to a different piece of equipment, but Mark followed her.


    "Hey, I think you''re my type. Why don''t we exchange contacts? I''m single, financially stable, and I''m looking to marry an educated woman," he said with a smile.


    Noelle, now visibly irritated, replied, "No thanks. Please stop harassing me."


    "How is this harassment?" Mark insisted. "Look at you-you can''t even afford a personal trainer, so I''m guessing your family isn''t well off. Think about it: if you marry me and give me a son, he''ll inherit my millions."


    He then stepped behind Noelle and reached out, saying, "Let me show you how to use this."


    Without hesitation, Noelle grabbed his hand and twisted it back forcefully. Mark let out a scream, "Let go!"


    ring at him coldly, Noelle said, "Did you look in the mirror this morning? If you did, you must have seen the delusional nut staring back at you. Average guy!"


    With that, she released his hand, her face full of disdain as she wiped her hands on her pants.


    Mark, clutching his hand, shouted angrily, "Stop pretending to be so innocent! I know your type-university students who act pure but are really just gold diggers."


    "I''ve been with plenty like you recently," he sneered. "All I had to do was throw a little money their way, and they stripped down without a second thought."


    Without a word, Noelle grabbed a water bottle, uncapped it, and sshed it onto him. "Wash your mouth out-it stinks," she said coldly.


    Mark, now drenched, smirked. "I like women with spirit. Name your price. How about 50 grand a month?"


    Noelle''s patience was wearing thin. She nced toward the gym''s surveince cameras, scanning for a blind spot.


    Zachary echoed in her mind: "If you have to fight, make sure there''s no evidence left behind."


    She moved toward the emergency exit, ensuring that they were out of the camera''s view. Mark followed, smirking.


    "If you''re a virgin, I can bump it up to 100 grand a month," he said smugly.


    Noelle hooked her finger, gesturing for him toe closer. Mark, realizing they were out of in view, grew excited.


    "So, you like to y in private, huh? You should''ve said so!"


    Before Mark could process what was happening, a punchnded squarely on his face. Noelle delivered the blow with force. She had never encountered someone as revolting as Mark before.


    Spotting a cleaning bucket nearby, she grabbed it and poured its contents over Mark''s head.


    "You need a good wash for that filthy mouth of yours," Noelle said, towering over him.


    Drenched and disoriented, Mark yelled, "I-I''m calling the cops! I''ll sue you! My teeth¡ªyou broke my teeth!" He touched his mouth, and his teeth fell out.


    Unfazed, Noelle dusted off her hands. "Go ahead, call them. I''ll tell them you harassed me, and I acted in self-defense. The security cameras caught everything you did. Let''s see who they believe."


    Judging by Mark''s sleazy behavior, this clearly wasn''t the first time he''d tried something like this.


    Marky on the ground, groaning. "You won''t get away with this! Mywyers will put you behind bars! I''ll show you just how terrifying the world of the rich can be!"


    Hearing this, Noelle burst outughing. She had never seen someone try so hard to act superior¡ªit was like he''d walked off the set of a bad drama.


    Soon, a male trainer rushed over to check on the situation. "Mr. Baker, what happened to you?"


    "Norman, this little bitch hit me! Is this how your gym treats wealthy customers like me?" Markined loudly.


    Norman Gray turned to Noelle. "What''s going on? Why did you hit him?"


    "He harassed me," Noelle replied calmly.


    "Ha! I''ve seen many of your type, youngdy." Norman sneered. "You''re from the university across the street, aren''t you? Those who im to be from prestigious universities are all the same-gold diggers who chased after rich men."


    "Exactly!" Mark chimed in. "She agreed to let me take care of her, but then she got greedy and demanded 100 grand a month!"


    Other gym-goers were drawn to the scene, whispering among themselves.


    In situations like this, women often faced greater scrutiny.


    "What do you mean by ''taking care of her''?" a cold,manding voice cut through the chatter. "Who do you think you are?"


    Cedric strode over, his expression darkened with anger. Standing beside Noelle, his tone softened. "Are you alright?"


    Noelle nodded.


    Mark yelled, "She agreed to be my mistress, but she''s not even a virgin! Why should I pay her 100 grand?"


    Cedric''s expression turned icy. Without a word, he threw a swift, heavy punch at Mark''s face.

 Chapter 337

    Noelle was amazed by Cedric''s expertly delivered punch. Mark was knocked to the ground, clutching his cheek in pain, unable to utter a word.


    Norman, upon seeing his wealthy client get hit, immediately grabbed a metal locker nearby and hurled it at Cedric. Cedric deflected it with his arm just as Norman lunged at him.


    Suddenly, the scene descended into chaos as Norman''s close colleagues jumped in to join the brawl.


    Seeing Cedric outnumbered, Noelle rushed over to help. Yet, despite her boxing training, she was still a youngdy and naturally at a disadvantage against the men''s superior physical strength.


    "Stop! What do you think you''re doing?" Jim Xenos, the gym owner, shouted as he hurried over.


    Zachary was stunned to see Cedric in the middle of the fight. He rushed over and quickly took down the group with just a few moves, putting an end to themotion.


    Mark, who had been hiding in the back, got up and shouted, "You''re the owner of this gym, right? These two attacked me¡ªwhat are you going to do about it?"


    Norman and his buddies were also sporting injuries. Standing beside Cedric, Noelle noticed blood seeping through his arm. "You''re bleeding!" she eximed in panic.


    "Are you hurt?" Cedric asked, checking her for injuries without even ncing at his own. When he saw she was unharmed, he let out a sigh of relief.


    Jim turned to Mark. "I''ve received severalints about you harassing young female members here. Do you think no one noticed your behavior?"


    Flustered, Mark retorted, "Everything I did with them was consensual. You have no right to interfere in my business."


    "We have surveince footage of your harassment."


    "Hah! Bluff all you want!" Mark sneered, his voice slurred and his mouth bloody. "I''m calling the cops, no matter what! They even broke my teeth!"


    "Go ahead; call them. I''m not afraid." Noelle said coldly. Taking Cedric''s hand, she turned to Jim. "Mr. Xenos, do you have a first aid kit? His wound needs attention."


    "Yes, I''ll have someone bring it over," Jim replied.


    "I''m fine," Cedric said tly.


    "No, you''re not! You''re bleeding, for crying out loud!" Noelle shot back, pulling him toward the quieter boxing area.


    Soon, Zachary returned with the first aid kit, looking slightly nervous as he approached Cedric. "I''m sorry, Mr. Greene. I should''ve gotten here sooner."


    Then again, Zachary had never expected the rich bachelor of Yasnia to get into a fight at a gym-let alone end up injured.


    Noelle took the kit and reassured him, "It''s not your fault, Mr. Roger. It all happened so fast."


    She sat next to Cedric, examining his wound. The cut appeared to have been caused by the metal locker. Cedric shot Zachary a cold nce and instructed, "Go take care of things outside."


    "Yes, Mr. Greene," Zachary replied promptly before leaving.


    Noelle picked up the disinfectant and studied his injury. "This might sting a little."


    "It''s just a scratch-" Cedric hissed in pain as the disinfectant touched his wound. He narrowed his eyes at her, half-using, "Was that on purpose?"


    "Of course not! Disinfecting wounds always hurts." She shot him a brief nce before leaning in to gently blow on the wound.


    Cedric immediately tensed, turning his head to the side to avoid her gaze. His expression showed a hint of unease.


    The gym was quiet, with only the two of them in the room.


    Cedric nced back to her, watching as she carefully cleaned his wound, her expression focused and serious.


    After finishing, Noelle looked up at him. "I never thought someone as calm as you would throw a punch like that!" Not in a million years had she imagined that.

 Chapter 338

    Cedric calmly withdrew his gaze and said, "He should''ve watched his mouth."


    Nheless, Cedric admitted that he had indeed lost his temper.


    Over the years, he had handled many situations without getting directly involved. However, when he heard Mark disparage Noelle''s name like that, he couldn''t hold back his anger and didn''t want to tolerate it.


    ncing at Noelle, he retorted, "You didn''t hold back either, did you? You even led him to a blind spot for the surveince cameras on purpose."


    "I didn''t know that man was such a disgusting person," Noelle replied. "He wouldn''t leave me alone and kept harassing me. I couldn''t stand it anymore, so I wanted to teach him a lesson."


    But she hadn''t expected it to escte into a full-blown brawl, making the situation so messy.


    ncing at Cedric''s wound, Noelle added, "Keep the wound dry for the next few days. You should get a tetanus shotter, just in case. After all, you were hit with a metal locker."


    Cedric nodded. The pain didn''t bother him much as his mind was preupied with other thoughts.


    Zachary returned, saying, "Mr. Greene, they''ve called the police."


    "They even have the guts to call the cops? Those shameless bastards!" Noelle stormed out.


    The gym was located near a school, meaning it was likely frequented by students. The more Noelle thought about how many female students Mark may have harassed, the fiercer her anger grew.


    Watching Noelle charge out like a young calf, Cedric smiled, amused by her sense of justice.


    "I''m sorry, Mr. Greene. I''ve failed in my duties, and because of that, you''re hurt," Zachary apologized nervously, his tone respectful.


    Cedric nced at his wound and asked indifferently, "Have you looked into the man''s background?"


    "Mr. Frost told me over the phone. It turned out that Mark hit a lucky jackpot with his techpany, which is worth tens of millions. That''s why he''s acting so arrogantly, thinking he''s loaded."


    But little did Mark know, tens of millions weren''t even worth Cedric''s single watch.


    Cedric''s gaze turned sharp. "Call Mr. Frost and instruct him to acquire thatpany. I want Mark to go bankrupt before the sun sets tomorrow!"


    "I''m on it, Mr. Greene," Zachary responded. "The police have contacted us. With the solid evidence, Mark will definitely pay the price."


    Cedric nodded and got up, walking outside, only to see Noelle angrily pointing at Mark as she berated him.


    Being scolded so badly, Mark was left dumbfounded and speechless, especially considering he had lost several teeth and could barely speak due to the pain.


    Cedric approached Noelle and handed her a bottle of water.


    Feeling thirsty after all the scolding, Noelle took a sip and then turned to the police. "I''ve already exined the whole situation; I was acting in self-defense."


    "We''ve got an idea of the overall incident," replied the police before handcuffing Mark.


    "Why are you arresting me? I''m the victim here! Do you know who I am? I''m rich!" Mark yelled angrily.


    Seeing Mark being taken away, Noelle finally sighed in relief. Bastards like him should be kept behind the bars!


    Meanwhile, the trainers who had sided with Mark were still at the scene.


    Unable to ept that Mark was being arrested, Norman fumed. "Mr. Xenos, how can you cover for this woman? Mr. Baker is one of my wealthy clients. I believe this woman intentionally seduced him."


    With Mark arrested, Norman also lost one of his big clients. He couldn''t understand why so much fuss was being made over a rich man ying around with some young women.


    Cedric''s expression darkened, his gaze icy.


    Zachary noticed Cedric''s anger and quickly confronted Norman, "Are you even listening to yourself, Norman? Your client can''t have his way just because he''s rich! You, of all people, should know what kind of man he is!"


    Zachary was certain that Norman, as a fellow man, was fully aware of Mark''s ill intentions.


    Jim, noticing Cedric''s displeasure, said to Norman and his close colleagues, "Pack and leave. The HR department will settle your wages today. I don''t want anyone with such warped views working here."


    "Hmph! Fine, I quit!"


    "Yeah! It was all consensual-what''s with the righteous act now?"


    Before leaving, Norman sneered at Cedric, "Don''t be fooled by this youngdy.


    Who knows how many men she''s secretly seduced."


    Cedric kicked over Norman''s belongings, his gaze as cold as ice.


    "Apologize to her now!" he demanded, his tone furious.

 Chapter 339

    Cedric''s gaze was dark and cold, exuding an air of arrogance.


    Provoked by Cedric''s attitude, Norman retorted angrily, "Why should I apologize? You should thank me for warning you not to let these women fool you. They''re all gold-digging liars."


    Cedric''s eyes narrowed slightly. Just as he was about to give Norman a piece of his mind, someone grabbed his hand with both hands.


    "Sounds like someone has been fooled by women before." Noelle stepped forward, staring directly at Norman. "If you hate women this much, why don''t you crawl back into your mother''s womb and spare us all the embarrassment?"


    Though Norman harbored such disdain for women, he should remember it was a woman who endured hardship to bring him into the world.


    Norman''s expression darkened instantly. "What did you just say?"


    "You said it yourself, didn''t you?" Noelle replied, unfazed. "If all women are liars, then your mother must be one too. I suppose she lied to your father and gave birth to a disgusting jerk like you."


    When faced with false usations, it was important to know how to defend oneself.


    Noelle''s words struck a nerve, and Norman''s anger boiled over.


    As he took a step forward, Jim quickly intervened, shoving him back. "That''s enough, Norman. Do you want to get yourself arrested, too? There''s surveince here."


    Norman red daggers at Noelle before storming off in a fury.


    Turning to Cedric and Noelle, Jim spoke apologetically, "I didn''t realize he was like that. I should''ve addressed Mark Baker''s behavior sooner."


    Jim had never anticipated the situation would escte this far.


    Cedric remained silent, his expression grim.


    Noelle quickly chimed in, "I understand. Sometimes, things spiral out of control, so it''s not entirely your fault."


    "Thank you for understanding, Ms. Liddell," Jim replied gratefully.


    "That''s it?" Cedric asked abruptly.


    Jim was taken aback, wondering what his behind-the-scenes boss might mean. He nced at Zachary, puzzled.


    Zachary cleared his throat and suggested, "Since Ms. Liddell had such an unpleasant experience at our gym, we shouldpensate her-perhaps by waiving her annual membership fee and hourly charges."


    "Oh, of course! My apologies for overlooking that." Jim replied with an awkward smile.


    "No thanks," Noelle said, shaking her head. "I shouldn''t have hit him in the first ce. If I''d just let it slide, none of this would''ve happened."


    But deep down, she knew she couldn''t have ignored it. The thought of other women potentially being victimized by someone like Mark had ignited her resolve to teach him the lesson he deserved.


    "There''s no need to hold back," Cedric chimed in. "You did the right thing. Never let anyone take advantage of you!"


    Noelle nodded, his words resonating with her. Then she suddenly realized she was still holding his hand. Flustered, she quickly let go, trying to appear calm. "Says the man who was ready to throw a punch just minutes ago!"


    She had never seen Cedric''s expression so grim before-like he was ready to tear Norman apart.


    Cedric had always appeared cold and dignified to her, so it never urred to Noelle that he could be so ruthless when he got violent.


    However, hitting someone under surveince would leave evidence against him, which was why she stopped him.


    Cedric muttered, "They should watch their mouths."


    Zachary nced at Cedric''s injury and said, "Mr. Greene, you should get a


    tetanus shot, just in case."


    Zachary couldn''t imagine the consequences if anything happened to Cedric. After


    all, he wasn''t a professional coach but rather Cedric''s bodyguard.


    "It''s nothing," Cedric replied nonchntly.


    Noelle frowned. "How can you take this lightly? Go to the hospital now."


    Cedric remained unmoved, refusing toply.


    Jim instructed Zachary, "Take them to the hospital. Ms. Liddell seems to have hurt her hand as well."


    Cedric immediately grabbed Noelle''s hand to examine it. "You''re hurt?"


    There was indeed a scratch on the back of Noelle''s hand, though she hadn''t noticed it before.


    Before she could speak, Cedric firmly took her wrist. "We''re going to the hospital."


    "It''s just a scratch. A little disinfectant will do," Noelle protested, doubting the need for a hospital visit over something so minor.


    However, ncing at Cedric''s wound-which had stopped bleeding-Noelle decided to go along to ensure he received a tetanus shot.


    Zachary drove them to Aristelle Hospital.


    When Cedric saw the hospital, he momentarily froze, realizing he might run into acquaintances there.


    Zachary reassured him, "Everything''s been taken care of." He couldn''t let anything happen to Cedric.


    Cedric headed straight to the director''s office. As soon as he appeared, the entire floor was cleared.


    Momentster, the hospital director, Andrew Bowell, arrived with a medical kit. When he saw Noelle standing beside Cedric, he looked slightly surprised.


    "Is your girlfriend the patient this time?" he asked.


    Noelle bit her lip and quickly rified, "I''m not his girlfriend."

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    ncing at her, Cedric grabbed her hand and said, "She''s injured."


    Andrew looked at the scratch on Noelle''s hand and remarked, "It''s just a scratch. If you''de anyter, it would''ve healedpletely."


    Noelle''s face flushed. "His arm is the one that needs attention. He scraped it on a metal locker and would require a tetanus shot." She pointed to Cedric''s arm for Andrew to examine.


    When Andrew saw the injury, his expression immediately grew serious. After a careful examination, he administered the tetanus shot.


    ncing at Noelle, Andrew teased Cedric, "Getting hurt while ying the hero? That''s a little embarrassing, don''t you think?"


    Andrew had known Cedric to be arrogant since childhood, yet in Noelle''s presence, he seemed much more restrained, which was a rare sight. Slightly embarrassed, Cedric took over the medical kit and began disinfecting Noelle''s wound himself.


    The sting from the disinfectant made Noelle let out a small hiss.


    "Does it hurt?" Cedric raised an eyebrow.


    Noelle knew he was deliberately teasing her.


    Andrew cleared his throat and said, "Alright, you''ve got your shot. Now, off you go.


    I''m too old for this lovey-dovey nonsense; my blood sugar can''t handle it."


    Cedric put down the disinfectant and left the hospital with Noelle.


    Noelle nced at him and asked, "Do you know the doctor we met earlier?"


    "Yes," Cedric replied casually.


    Noelle suddenly asked, "Are you rich or something?"


    Cedric paused, his gaze locking onto her face as though trying to read her thoughts, but to no avail.


    "Why do you ask?" he asked cautiously.


    "Well, Aristelle Hospital is owned by the Greene family, one of Yasnia''s elites.


    Only people with statuse here, and you seem pretty familiar with that hospital director." Noelle couldn''t help but find it odd.


    Clearing his throat, Cedric said, "I used to be a doctor, too. Isn''t it normal to know people in the same field?"


    Noelle recalled that he had indeed been a doctor, though just a humble school doctor.


    "Then, why did you take a job as a school doctor at a high school?" she pressed, vividly remembering that he hadn''t stayed in the role long in her previous life.


    Cedric nced up at the sky and replied, "For personal reasons."


    Personal reasons? Noelle''s curiosity deepened. She suddenly realized there was much more to this man than met the eye. "Are you hiding some kind of secret?"


    Cedric hesitated briefly. In a low voice, he admitted, "Yes."


    "Don''t tell me you were some kind of mysterious mercenary on a covert mission," Noelle teased. "Now, you''re retired but still have unfinished business?"


    Cedric flicked her forehead lightly. "You read too many novels." He then walked ahead, his long strides leaving her scrambling to catch up.


    "Then why did youe to our school to be a school doctor?" Noelle asked, still confused. It made no sense.


    Cedric got into the car and nced at her. "Why are you so interested in me?"


    "I suspect you came to our school as an undercover agent," Noelle replied.


    "Very imaginative. You''d make a great screenwriter."


    Noelleughed. "How did you know I''ve written scripts before?"


    In fact, she had written scripts for her brother, ke. ke was an award-winning actor and the owner of a film productionpany. While his acting was impressive, managing thepany wasn''t he kept losing money due to poor scripts.


    Eventually, Noelle started writing scripts for him, but ke always dismissed her work. Ironically, one of her scripts turned out to be a blockbuster that made a fortune.


    Yet, despite her sess, ke credited J Sander as the main writer, iming Noelle was just a junior editor who did touch-ups. Once again, her achievement had been stolen.


    J, with her "most beautiful screenwriter" title, smoothly transitioned into the entertainment industry and became a celebrity.


    However, Noelle wasn''t going to let that happen again. This time, she was determined not to hand over that blockbuster script to ke.


    Based on her calctions, ke''s new drama should be airing soon. And yet, he hadn''t paid her for the script she''d written. She would make sure she got it back- with interest!

 Chapter 341

    Cedric flicked Noelle''s forehead. "What are you thinking about?"


    "Nothing," Noelle replied casually, silently vowing to get to the bottom of it.


    As the car stopped outside Yole University, Noelle nced at Cedric and said, "Well, this is where I get off. Remember: keep your wound dry over the next couple of days."


    Cedric remained silent, his brows slightly furrowed.


    Noelle rummaged through her bag and pulled out four Band-Aids, cing them around his wound. "This should do the trick."


    "What''s this? Some kind of rune?" Cedric raised an eyebrow. "You seriously think this will make my wound waterproof?"


    "Nope, but at least it''ll let me know if you''ve gotten the injury wet," Noelle responded with a victorious smile. "Bye!"


    Cedric watched her walk toward the campus, then nced at the pink Band-Aids on his arm.


    "How childish," he thought, a smirk ying on his lips. But he didn''t tear them off, leaving them as they were.


    After Noelle entered the campus, Cedric finally looked away, his expression darkening.


    "Have those punks been dealt with?" he asked, his tone cold and menacing. He hadn''t acted upon earlier in Noelle''s presence, but that didn''t mean he was going to let it slide.


    Zachary checked his phone. "They''ve been taught a lesson. We''re waiting for your next instructions."


    Cedric rolled down the car window, resting one arm on the frame, his long fingers tapping lightly.


    "Sew Norman''s mouth shut and warn him not to speak out of turn," he said icily. "Then, have them testify against Mark Baker-make sure he''s locked up for life." Zachary nodded in agreement. Scum like Mark was a threat to society and deserved to stay locked up.


    Cedric''s gaze shifted toward Yole University''s dormitory, his eyes distant and thoughtful. Suddenly, his phone rang. ncing at the caller ID, he hesitated briefly before answering. "Hello, Mom?"


    "I heard you were injured. Is it true?" Emma said on the other end.


    Cedric''s expression darkened. "No."


    "Don''t try to fool me, Ced. I know you went to Aristelle Hospital."


    Cedric rubbed his temples. "It''s just a scratch."


    "Was it because of that youngdy again? Last time, you got into a car ident with her, didn''t you?"


    "This had nothing to do with her," Cedric replied tly.


    He knew going to the Greene family''s hospital would reach his family eventually. But at the time, he had no choice he had to go if only to avoid raising Noelle''s suspicions.


    "Ced, if you really like thatdy, I won''t stop you. Why don''t you bring her over to meet me? Which family is she from?"


    Cedric replied in a deep tone, "That''s not necessary."


    "Don''t tell me she''s from an ordinary family. You''ve always had high standards. There are so manydies chasing after you, yet you prefer an ordinarydy?"


    "That''s irrelevant, Mom." Cedric brushed her off. "And please don''t investigate her."


    "I couldn''t even if I wanted to; no one can get near her with you watching over her so closely," Emma said, sounding a little frustrated.


    She had been trying to learn about the youngdy for a while, but all her efforts had been in vain. Clearly, Cedric was guarding her well. If the youngdy didn''t mean anything to Cedric, why would he go to such lengths?


    After the brief conversation, silence fell between them. Emma sighed and eventually hung up.


    Cedric nced at his phone and dialed Magnus. When the call connected, he could hear the sound of a bar in the background.


    "Where are you?" Cedric asked.


    "Ced, I''m at the bar. Want to join me?" Magnus replied.


    "Go home and spend time with Mom. Stop messing around outside," Cedric said tly before ending the call.


    With Magnus causing a ruckus at home, Emma wouldn''t have the energy to focus on him.


    Overhearing the conversation, Zachary said nervously, "Mr. Greene, I shouldn''t have taken you to Aristelle Hospital. That was on me."


    He had just realized that taking Cedric there had been a bad decision-it was too easy for familiar faces to notice them. Cedric slowly closed his eyes. "Your only job is to protect her. That''s all."


    He would handle the rest himself.

 Chapter 342

    Noelle returned to her dorm, reying the events from the gym earlier that day. She hadn''t expected the usually calm andposed Cedric to show such an impulsive side.


    When he took action, he was apletely different person from his usual aloof, dignified self. Could it be that Cedric really had some hidden identity?


    The next day, Grace forwarded a post to her.


    "I heard a creep from the gym across the street got caught. Be careful if you go there¡ªit seems like he''s been bothering a lot of girls."


    Noelle quickly skimmed through the post; sure enough, it was about the incident from yesterday. It seemed her guess was correct-the scumbag had targeted girls before and even hurt some of them.


    The victims were just schoolgirls. How could they stand up to an adult man, let alone a repeat offender? She had truly done a public service yesterday.


    Unfortunately, Cedric had gotten hurt in the process. She pulled out her phone and sent him a message. "Are you awake?"


    "Yeah, what''s up?"


    "Send me a picture."


    Leaning against the headboard, Cedric replied, "Of what?"


    Upon seeing his reply, Noelle quickly locked her phone screen, her face flushing


    as if she''d been caught doing something embarrassing. Sheposed herself before replying, "The band-aid I put on yesterday."


    "It''s still there."


    "I won''t believe you unless you show me."


    "Why note and see it for yourself?"


    Noelle stared at the chat box, wondering if Cedric could ever just speak properly.


    ...


    Noelle headed to the team base to train with her teammates after ss. Their goal was next year''spetition, and they had to work harder now to reach the finals.


    Shortly after logging in, someone sent her a friend request. She nced at the username was it Magnus?


    After a moment of hesitation, she epted it and sent a message. "How do you know my in-game ID?"


    Meanwhile, Magnus was casually sucking on a lollipop. Of course, he had to remember his future sister-inw''s gaming ID. Building a good rtionship with her in advance and helping Cedric win her over was all part of his master n to foil the arranged marriage!


    Magnus replied, "Anyone who''s a fan of yours knows it."


    Noelle stared at Magnus'' username, feeling a mix of emotions. She couldn''t help but think that this person might just be the one she secretly had a crush on in her past life.


    After a moment, she said, "I have a question for you."


    "Ask away," Magnus replied without hesitation. He knew everything about Cedric, including all his secrets. His sincerity toward Noelle was clear as day.


    Noelle hesitated before asking, "Hypothetically, just hypothetically, would you ever quit the finals because of someone or something?"


    Magnus had suddenly withdrawn from the finals in her past life. It waspletely unexpected and shocked everyone. Some even spected that the Liddell Corporation had forced Magnus to back out.


    However, Noelle knew Magnus was the beloved young master of the Greene family, and the Liddell family didn''t have that kind of power.


    Magnus stared at the question, momentarily confused. Why was she asking something like this? He was left speechless.


    Seeing that Magnus hadn''t replied, Noelle said, "If it''s hard to answer, just forget it."


    "It''s a bit tricky to answer," Magnus finally replied. "Because I''ve never thought about it. After all, I''m a professional. I wouldn''t quit a match without a good reason."


    He wouldn''t do that for the finals, either. But since Noelle was asking, there had to be a reason. Could she be testing his dedication to gaming?


    After all, Emma didn''t approve of him pursuing a professional gaming career. He wouldn''t have the chance if it weren''t for Cedric''s support.


    Magnus thought momentarily and then replied, "Actually, there is someone who could make me quit the finals." Cedric, of course!

 Chapter 343

    Other than Cedric, who could possibly make such an unreasonable request? However, Cedric would never ask something like that, either! After all, he was Cedric''s clever, adorable, and considerate little brother.


    Magnus stared at hisputer, feeling like Noelle''s question had a hidden meaning. However, no matter how much he thought about it, he couldn''t figure it out. What if he gave the wrong answer and left a bad impression on her?


    He was Cedric''s diligent, brave, and intelligent younger brother-there was no way he could mess this up.


    "Captain, are you in an online rtionship? You''re smiling so much. Who are you chatting with?"


    "Get lost. What online rtionship? I''m chatting with Ms. Nelly, but she asked me a really strange question."


    "What question?"


    Magnus repeated Noelle''s question earlier. His teammate suddenly had a realization. "Oh, damn. She''s trying to set you up!"


    "Don''t talk nonsense! Why would she do that?"


    "Think about it, Captain. Didn''t Ms. Nelly publicly say she was challenging us onpetition day? We''ll be opponents next year.


    "Now, she''s trying to figure out what could make you quit the match. Isn''t her intention obvious?"


    Magnus gave it some serious thought. "You know, that actually makes sense."


    His bias for Noelle was so strong that he almost got caught up in her trick! What if she sweet-talked Cedric, whispered some pillow talk, and then Cedric turned around and ordered him to quit thepetition?


    Cedric was definitely capable of something like that. Oh no, he shouldn''t dig a hole for himself like that. His head could roll, his blood could spill, but the match couldn''t be lost!


    Magnus stared at Noelle''s message, hesitating on how to respond.


    "Who is it, really?


    "Are you still online?"


    Noelle waited for a while but didn''t get a reply from Magnus, her anxiety growing. Was there really such a person? She desperately wanted to know who it was. However, Magnus logged off before she could press further. He patted his chest, relieved. He''d almost slipped up; he couldn''t reveal his weakness, not even to his future sister-inw!


    Just then, Magnus''s phone buzzed. It was a WhatsApp message from Noelle. "Did you log off because something came up?"


    Magnus felt a headacheing on. He needed to devise a good excuse to smooth things over and ensure she didn''t connect it back to Cedric.


    Meanwhile, Noelle held her phone, waiting for a reply, but none came. Maybe Magnus really had something urgent.


    Still, when she saw his earlier response, her heart started racing for some reason.


    Was there really such a person? Who could it be? She wanted to know the answer, but she also feared that the truth might disappoint her.


    Noelle wrote up a detailed training n for the recruits and handed it to her senior, instructing them to train the team ording to her n.


    After leaving the base, she headed straight to the gym. Her mind was in chaos, and she needed a distraction.


    Boxing seemed like the perfect way to clear her head. Otherwise, she might end up asking Magnus directly. But reason told her she couldn''t do that.


    What if Magnus wasn''t the person she thought he was? What if the ount was just someone with the same name?


    The gym owner was surprised to see Noelle. "You didn''t book a session in advance today?"


    "No, it was ast-minute decision. Is the coach not here?"


    "He''s not. I''ll give him a call."


    The coach was exclusively assigned to Noelle and only came to the gym when she had booked a session. Usually, he wasn''t around.


    Even the boxing equipment in the ring had been reced with high-end brands worth more than the entire investment in the gym itself. At this point, the owner felt more like an employee than the actual boss.


    Noelle changed into her workout gear and went straight to the boxing area. She put on her gloves and began hitting the punching bag.


    Images of her past life surfaced in her mind-the days after she was kicked out of the Liddell residence.


    The Liddells had blocked all her paths. Whenever she found a job, she would quickly be dismissed. She even tried working in the ck market, but her name was infamous there, and no one would hire her.

 Chapter 344

    At Noelle''s lowest point, she had fainted on the streets from hunger. It was then that someone stepped in, earning money for her and giving her a bank card, urging her to leave and start over.


    At the time, she hated Xenia with all her heart. She believed Xenia had stolen everything from her, and in her rage, she used the money to n a kidnapping, intending to kill her.


    The n failed, and Donovan locked her away in a mental hospital. In the end, she was tortured to death by a caregiver arranged by Xenia.


    How foolish she had been. She should have just left.


    "You''re going to hurt yourself like this." Noelle immediately turned and threw a punch, but Cedric caught it mid-air.


    She was breathing heavily, her forehead slick with sweat. Then, she paused and asked, "Why are you here?"


    Cedric handed her a bottle of water. "Am I not allowed toe to the gym?"


    "Why this gym in particr?" Noelle drank some water and wiped the sweat from her brows to keep it out of her eyes.


    Cedric reached for a towel to help her wipe the sweat. "Don''t move."


    Noelle stood still, lowering her eyes to see how close their shadows were.


    When Cedric finished, he draped the towel over her head and teased, "You look like an old granny like this!"


    Noelle grumbled as she yanked the towel off her head. "You''re the old granny."


    "Why aren''t you happy?"


    Cedric quickly sensed something was off. Her mood wasn''t right, and here she was, venting her frustrations on the punching bag.


    His gaze fixed on Noelle''s face. "Is it because of what that man said to you yesterday?"


    If she was still upset, then maybe yesterday''s lesson hadn''t been harsh enough. Noelle shook her head. "No, the garbage those disgusting men say doesn''t affect me."


    She never cared about verbal attacks from strangers.


    "Then, tell me, what''s really bothering you?"


    Noelle hesitated. Even if she told someone about her rebirth, who would believe her? And besides, this was tied to Magnus.


    Noelle shook her head after pondering. "I''ve just had a lot on my tetely. It''s a bit overwhelming."


    Cedric didn''t press her after seeing that she didn''t want to exin further. He stood up. "In that case, I''ll spar with you today."


    "But you''re injured."


    Noelle instinctively nced at his arm, but Cedric was wearing a long-sleeve shirt today, hiding the wound entirely.


    Cedric spoke casually, "You want to see?"


    With that, he started unbuttoning his shirt, revealing his sharp corbones.


    Noelle quickly grabbed his hand. "What are you doing? Who told you to take your shirt off?"


    "How else are you going to see if I don''t?"


    Noelle''s face turned red, and she quickly let go of his hand. "Just change into your workout clothester, and I''ll see it then."


    It waste summer, and the weather was still warm. Naturally, anyone working out would be wearing short sleeves. Cedric stood up. "I was just teasing you. You''d have to pay me to watch me take off my shirt."


    "And how much are you worth?"


    His gaze darkened slightly. "For you, it''s free. Want a peek?"


    Noelle turned her flushed face away. "No way." She had to admit she couldn''t beat him at joking around.


    Seeing as she was able to throw a joke back, Cedric felt a bit relieved that she was no longer stuck in her earlier mood. He then headed to the locker room to change.


    While he was there, he received a call from Magnus. After listening to him ramble for a bit, Cedric frowned. "Get to the point, or I''m hanging up."


    "Wait, don''t hang up! Has Noelle asked you for any favorstely?"


    Cedric paused thoughtfully. "She has."


    "Cedric! I''m your biological brother. You can''t agree to her requests and then


    me meter for not giving you face!"


    There was no way Magnus was giving up thepetition.


    Cedric narrowed his eyes. "What did she say to you?"


    Magnus immediately realized. "You tricked me!"


    Cedric''s tone turned serious. "Spit it out."


    It had to be something rted to why Noelle wasn''t in a good mood today.

 Chapter 345

    Magnus responded stubbornly, "If Noelle hasn''t said anything, then neither will !!"


    Cedric once again tricked him. It was too much! This had been happening since they were kids.


    Cedric''s tone grew darker. "My patience is running out."


    "Cedric, am I even your real brother? Did you pull me out of a trash heap or something?"


    "You''re not wrong about that."


    Magnus fumed. "I don''t care; I''m your real brother! If you''re so great, get Noelle to talk, hmph!"


    With that, Magnus hung up in a huff, feeling like Cedric was just picking on him. Cedric tried calling again, but the brat didn''t pick up. Frustrated, he rubbed his temples and sent a message.


    "So you''re a big boy now, huh?"


    That little rascal! Was Magnus saying something he shouldn''t have? Was he making Noelle suspicious about his identity?


    A twinge of unease crept into Cedric. However, from what Magnus had said, it didn''t seem likely. After changing clothes, Cedric stepped outside and saw Noelle sitting alone on the ground, staring off into space, looking lost and lonely.


    His heart ached a little as he nced at her. He grabbed a pair of boxing gloves and tossed them at her, hitting her in the back.


    "Ouch!"


    Noelle jumped, startled by the sudden hit. She then turned to find Cedric with an eyebrow raised and a yful smile. She wanted to punch him so badly.


    Noelle stood up. "Was that intentional?"


    "Obviously not," he said. "Did you see me throw it? It just rolled over on its own." "Do you think I''ll believe that?"


    Noelle had been thinking about Magnus''s words earlier, which had put her in a bad mood. But now, after Cedric hit her, all she felt was anger.


    Cedric picked up the gloves. "If you''re unhappy,e at me."


    Noelle gritted her teeth, walked over, and saw the band-aid still on his shoulder.


    Cedric followed her gaze. "See, I''m keeping it on for you."


    Couldn''t he just talk normally? Without saying another word, Noelle threw a punch,nding a surprise hit.


    She smiled and took a step back. "Focus now."


    Cedric touched his chin, his eyes locking onto hers. "That punch is too weak. You need some work."


    Noelle wasn''t convinced and charged at him again. The two exchanged blows in the ring, going back and forth.


    His voice waszy. "Your speed is too slow. What''s with that reaction time? Are you a turtle?"


    "Here''s an opening! Use your IQ more, not just your strength!


    "Too soft! Put some muscle into it. Haven''t eaten yet?"


    Noelle was nearly driven crazy by Cedric. First, he said her speed was too slow, so she sped up. Then, he told her not to rely on brute force because of openings. After thinking it through, he said she needed more power in her punches.


    How could he be so sharp-tongued?


    Eventually, Noelle copsed to the ground. "I''m done."


    Cedric looked down at her from above. "I figured as much."


    Once she was drained, there was no energy left for overthinking. He handed her a clean towel, but she was too tired even to raise her hand.


    Cedric sat beside her and gently wiped the sweat off her face, trying to make her morefortable.


    Noelle felt his touch, and her heart skipped a beat. She grabbed the towel. "I''ll do it myself."


    Cedric said nothing; he just ced two water bottles beside her. He was feeling a little tired, too.


    Noelle had made remarkable progress in such a short time. She was stronger than most girls. The coach had been right¡ªshe really did have potential.


    Noelle wiped away her sweat, feeling much more at ease. She was too tired to think about anything else now. The two sat silently, the setting sun casting a beautiful golden glow around them.

 Chapter 346

    Cedric watched Noelle calm down and asked, "What did Magnus say to you?"


    "How did you know about this?"


    Noelle was taken aback, feeling a little uneasy. Did Cedric notice something? She knew he was sharp, and it wasn''t easy to hide anything from him.


    At that moment, Cedric felt a bit uneasy. He wasn''t sure exactly what Magnus had said to Noelle. He then steadied himself and said, "Don''t take his words too seriously."


    "I know."


    Noelle had calmed down a bit. She drank some water and said, "I just asked him


    one thing, but he didn''t respond at all."


    "What did you ask?"


    Cedric felt his breath catch. He didn''t even get nervous during business negotiations, but this was different.


    Noelle hesitated before looking at him. However, thinking that Cedric and Magnus probably had a good rtionship, she wondered if he might know the answer. Magnus must have withdrawn from the finals because of someone important. Cedric looked at her seriously. "You don''t trust me?"


    "No, it''s just... it''s not really important. I just asked him if someone could make him withdraw from thepetition during the finals."


    Noelle suddenly felt like her question had been a little inappropriate. What was Magnus supposed to say to that?


    Cedric found it odd. "Why would you ask something like that?"


    "I was just... curious." Noelle didn''t dare admit the truth.


    Cedric recalled what Magnus had said earlier-it was no wonder the kid had been trying to get answers from him. He gave her a half-smile, amusement flickering in his eyes.


    "You''re not trying to figure out Magnus''s weaknesses, so he''ll withdraw from next year''spetition, are you?"


    "What nonsense is that? Do I look like the kind of person who would do that?"


    Noelle hadn''t thought of that at all. She would never resort to such underhanded tactics. Competitions should be won through ability!


    How could anyone truly feel proud after winning with such tactics? However, after seeing Cedric''s expression, she realized that Magnus must have misunderstood, too.


    "Then, why ask about it? And why did it bother you so much?"


    Cedric recalled the scene at thepetition when Noelle stood next to Magnus. He couldn''t help but feel a little ufortable.


    Noelle parted her lips to exin, but she couldn''t bring herself to say the real reason. She paused for a moment. "Okay, fine, I admit I was a little curious."


    That was the only answer she could give at that moment.


    Cedric studied her for a while, sensing she wasn''t telling the truth. His voice dropped low. "You seem pretty interested in Magnus."


    Noelle nodded. "A little."


    She had wondered if Magnus was the person from her past life. She would need to interact with him more to find out.


    Cedric tightened his grip on the water bottle, his gaze growing deep. "He''s just a dumb kid."


    "Well, he''s two years older than me. We''re both adults. What do you mean, ''kid''? Are you trying to make yourself sound old?"


    Cedric couldn''t resist pinching her cheek. "Who are you calling old?"


    Noelle rubbed her cheek. "Whoever admits it."


    She nced at Cedric''s face. Actually, he didn''t look old at all. He was young, handsome, and had a great figure.


    Noelle couldn''t help but feel that their interactions were bing ambiguous. She stood up quickly. "I''m going to change my clothes."


    She hurried out of the room, patting her face, trying to remind herself not to overthink things. After showering and changing, Noelle found him leaning against the wall, looking straight-backed and handsome.


    As she walked over, a beautiful woman approached him shyly, asking, "Could we follow each other on Instagram?"


    Noelle slowed her steps as the scene unfolded.


    Cedric''s tone was cold. "No."


    He nced up, and his gaze softened when he saw Noelle. He said, walking toward her, "You''re so slow, like a tortoise."


    Noelle instinctively looked at the beautiful woman and saw the disappointment in her eyes. She muttered, "With looks like that, you''re not going to follow her?"


    Cedric lowered his gaze to her. "Do you want me to?"

 Chapter 347

    Noelle pressed her lips together and let out a soft cough. "That''s up to you."


    Cedric snorted, but Noelle wasn''t sure what to make of it. As they walked side by side, her stomach suddenly rumbled.


    Cedric turned to her. "What do you want to eat tonight?"


    "I''ll just grab something from the cafeteria," Noelle replied. It was only after speaking that she realized his question might have been an invitation to eat together.


    She nced up at him and noticed that he seemed a bit upset. Then, she asked instinctively, "Then what are you having for dinner?"


    "I think you still owe me a meal."


    Cedric could tell that she was avoiding him. Was it because of Magnus? He took a moment to think, then calmed himself.


    Noelle frowned. "When do I owe you?"


    "After the car ident. Don''t you remember?"


    Noelle''s mind shed back to the incident-Cedric had nearly been in an ident because of her, and she''d promised to treat him to a meal once he recovered.


    She nodded. "I remember now, that did happen."


    "At least you still have a conscience."


    Noelle thought briefly. "So, what do you want to eat?"


    Cedric''s gaze locked onto her. "Will you agree to whatever I say?"


    She felt like something had shifted in his gaze, but then again, he had always been good at hiding his emotions. Maybe it was just her imagination.


    Noelle shrugged. "I''m a bit tight on money right now. If it''s too expensive, I can''t afford it."


    "What do you usually like to eat?"


    "There''s a new private kitchen near the school. I''ve heard it''s really good. Want to check it out?"


    Cedric nodded with elegance. "Let''s book a private room for it."


    Of course, he had high standards. Then again, it made sense. He always preferred peace and was particr about cleanliness. Noelle called ahead to reserve the private room, and they walked over together, keeping an arm''s length between them.


    After a while, Noelle checked her phone and realized she had the wrong location. She stopped to check the map.


    Cedric walked up to her. "Lost, little tortoise?"


    "The navigation is wrong."


    "It''s because you don''t know how to use it. Give it to me."


    He took the phone from her, nced around, and closed the map on her screen. "Follow me."


    "You''re not using the navigation. Can you remember the way?"


    "Remembering a route is nothing. Just follow me, lostmb."


    Noelle poked him in the lower back. "Stop giving me weird nicknames."


    What was it with him calling her a slow tortoise or a lostmb?


    Cedric sucked in a sharp breath, and his gaze darkened. "Don''t touch a man''s waist casually."


    "What? Are you ticklish?" Noelle teased, poking him again. This time, Cedric grabbed her hand. "If you keep touching me, you''ll have to take responsibility."


    Her breath caught as she met his intense gaze and quickly looked away. "I didn''t touch you; I just poked you." Her voice softened.


    Cedric released her hand and kept walking, though his mood had shifted. Noelle followed him, and after a few more turns, they arrived at the private kitchen. They walked in and entered the reserved room.


    The owner personally came in with the menu. "It''s a bit busy today, so if the service iscking, please forgive me. Please take a look at the menu and see what you''d like."


    As soon as they sat down, Cedric didn''t take the menu. Instead, he looked directly at Noelle.


    The owner then handed the menu to Noelle. "Your boyfriend is so considerate. It''s the woman''s job to order. I''m all flustered with the crowd."


    Before Noelle could exin, the owner had already left. She nced at Cedric. "What do you want to eat?"


    "I''ll follow your lead."


    Noelle knew some of his preferences, so she ordered a few dishes, including the house signatures. The private room quickly returned to its peaceful atmosphere.


    As Noelle checked her phone, she couldn''t shake the feeling that Cedric was watching her. His gaze was hard to ignore. She looked up and met his eyes.

 Chapter 348

    Cedric and Noelle both remained silent. He reached for the utensils on the side. His long and defined fingers made every action graceful.


    "What are you staring at?"


    He ced the bowls and utensils before her, and Noelle turned to meet his gaze. "With looks like that, how can I not look?"


    He narrowed his eyes. "Are you trying topliment me while throwing in a subtle jab?"


    "No, you''re really handsome."


    "Am I your type?"


    Noelle, caught off guard, dropped the utensils from her hand. In a slight panic, she bent down to pick them up.


    Had he noticed something? Or was he just messing with her?


    She grabbed the utensils, but Cedric took them from her and reced them with his own, setting them in front of her. Then, he grabbed a fresh pair from the side.


    Noelle didn''t answer his question, and he didn''t press further, acting as if he hadn''t asked it at all.


    Cedric nced at her, watching her focus on her phone. He teased her intentionally because she''d been getting too close to Magnus.


    Before he could say anything, the waiter entered with the food. As the dishes were set on the table, Noelle''s stomach growled.


    She eagerly picked up her utensils and focused on eating.


    Cedric quietly watched her, saying nothing. However, he did notice that the food was all to his liking.


    They ate in silence.


    After Noelle had eaten her fill, she stopped, feeling much better. Only then did she realize Cedric had already finished his meal and was now watching her withposed eyes.


    Noelle felt a little self-conscious. "What are you looking at?" She grabbed a napkin to wipe her mouth, but it was clean.


    Cedric ced a hand on the table. "Feeling better?"


    "Mm, much better."


    "The question you ask Magnus. I can answer that."


    Noelle froze momentarily, then looked at him with anticipation and unease.


    Cedric noticed her expression and added, "His family''s always been against him ying games, especially his mother. If anyone could get him to quit thepetition, it would be her."


    He had never thought to ask Magnus to back out.


    Noelle was taken aback.


    Magnus''s mother? The distinguished Mrs. Greene from the prominent Greene family? But that didn''t seem right... maybe she''d misunderstood.


    "Are you disappointed?"


    Cedric caught the disappointment on her face.


    Noelle shook her head. "No, it''s gettingte. Let''s go."


    Cedric stood and nced at her. "Is winning thepetition all you care about?"


    "Even if I want to win, I wouldn''t resort to those kinds of tactics."


    Cedric agreed, but the question still seemed odd. He didn''t press her for an answer, though.


    They walked to the cashier, where Cedric scanned the code to pay.


    Noellegged a step behind. "Didn''t we agree that I''d pay?"


    "Mm, you treat, I pay." Cedric didn''t see anything wrong with the arrangement.


    The owner smiled and said, "Of course, your boyfriend should be paying. You two


    make a perfect pair-handsome man, beautiful woman."


    Cedric didn''t offer any exnation as he lowered his head toplete the payment.


    Noelle couldn''t help but nce at the owner. Just as she was about to say something, someone called her name from behind. "Noelle, is that really you?"


    Xenia walked in, quickly ncing at the two of them.


    Her tone was smug. "You''re on a date and came to this dump? How shabby! My boyfriend, Justin, is taking me to L Bistro. Only people of status go there.


    "Just bing a member requires a deposit of ten million."


    Noelle was momentarily stunned.


    L Bistro? The name sounded vaguely familiar.


    She nced at Cedric from the corner of her eye.

 Chapter 349

    Noelle suddenly remembered that she had been to L Bistro before. They were there at Alfred''s invitation.


    Cedric seemed a little uneasy, which was rare. He maintained a stern expression and replied, "Mm, it''s the ce we went to before."


    It had been Alfred''s treat.


    Noelle nodded. "I thought it sounded familiar."


    Xenia covered her mouth andughed mockingly. "Alright, stop pretending. The ce you went to was just a knockoff of L Bistro, not the real deal.


    "With your position as a school doctor, you probably can''t even afford a meal there."


    When Xenia saw Noelle with a man earlier, she couldn''t resisting in, and sure enough, she was with that poor school doctor. At least she hadn''t gotten involved with Justin so Xenia could rx.


    Noelle''s expression turned cold. "It''s just a meal. Is it really worth bragging about? Are you that hungry?"


    Xenia smirked. "Why so upset, Noelle? I just want your school doctor''s boyfriend to treat you better. Don''te to ces like this dump for meals.


    "At least go to a nice Western restaurant and have some good food."


    Xenia felt a sense of victory, finally finding a way to one-up Noelle. At least her boyfriend was rich, and Noelle''s boyfriend was just a poor school doctor.


    "Xenia, with your pig brain, how can you even taste anything?"


    Noelle finished speaking and grabbed Cedric''s wrist. "Let''s go." She didn''t want to stick around and listen to Xenia''s nonsense.


    Cedric lowered his gaze, ncing at her briefly, and quietly followed Noelle out of the restaurant.


    Xenia, who was still reluctant to let go, followed them. "Noelle, running away from home must not be easy. If you need money, just let me know."


    Noelle turned back. "You should focus on your own business and tend to that foolish boyfriend of yours. After all, his mother isn''t someone you should mess with."


    Xenia hadn''t stolen Noelle''s glory or achieved any real sess in this life. But how would this little bitch win over Justin''s difficult mother? It seemed like quite a challenge.


    Xenia stomped her foot in frustration.


    How did Noelle know that Justin''s mother didn''t like her? She had tried giving gifts


    to Justin''s mother before, but the next day, they were returned along with a message saying they wouldn''t ept anything of unknown origin.


    It was clear they didn''t like her.


    Xenia''s face twisted in anger. She was determined to marry into the Parham family and be a wealthydy, overshadowing Noelle forever.


    "Beep beep!" A sports car pulled up, honking.


    Xenia hurried over, shing a sweet, innocent smile. "You''re here."


    "What took you so long?"


    "Oh, I ran into Noelle and her school doctor boyfriend. I thought they had broken up, but it turns out they''re still together. Noelle''s actually pretty loyal."


    She hade to Yasnia, a prosperous ce, but still couldn''t shake off that poor school doctor boyfriend. It was such a stupid move.


    Justin instinctively nced toward the alley, curious about what Noelle''s boyfriend looked like.


    How could anyone like that violent woman, Noelle? They must have something wrong with their eyes.


    He spotted Noelle right away, standing beside the tall man. Justin looked at Cedric''s back and suddenly felt a sense of familiarity, though he couldn''t ce it at first.


    It couldn''t be him, right? Xenia suddenly blocked Justin''s view, her voice dripping with jealousy. "What are you looking at?"


    Could he be looking at Noelle? That wouldn''t do.


    Justin clicked his tongue. "Stop messing around."

 Chapter 350

    When Justin looked up again, Noelle and Cedric were nowhere to be seen. Maybe he had been mistaken.


    Justin then tried to reassure Xenia, "What could I possibly be looking at? No one couldpare to my precious. I was just curious about what Noelle''s boyfriend looks like."


    "He''s quite handsome but clearly not well-off. Taking her to a dump like that for a date."


    Xenia was in a good mood. "Hurry up and take me to L Bistro for dinner. I need to get some photos for my social feed."


    However, when Justin drove to L Bistro, they were told no tables were avable. Justin was confused. "I made a reservation with my cousin''s card."


    "Mr. Alfred has instructed that you are no longer allowed to use his card."


    Justin''s body stiffened, unable to shake off the embarrassment. He called Alfred. "Alfred, why can''t I use your card anymore?"


    "I told you to stay out of Noelle''s business, but did you listen? You even spread rumors in the legal circle. Who gave you the audacity?"


    Alfred berated him, hanging up without waiting for a response. Justin''s expression soured instantly.


    Xenia walked over. "Justin, what''s wrong? Can''t we eat here?"


    She had been looking forward to this moment, even boasting about it to Noelle earlier.


    Justin replied irritably, "It''s all because of you. My cousin found out about the rumors you spread in the legal circle and warned me not to get involved. If my mom finds out, I''m finished."


    Xenia cautiously replied, "But it was Samantha who started those rumors."


    "My cousin''s not an idiot. He must''ve caught wind of something."


    Xenia became curious. "Why do I feel like your cousin is protecting Noelle?"


    "I think so, too. Do you think something''s going on between them? When I got hurt


    in Aldoriast time, my cousin personally handled it. I wouldn''t have let it slide otherwise!"


    Xenia paused, recalling the man who had visited Justin in the hospital. She hesitated before asking, "The man who came to the hospital that day was that your cousin?"


    "Of course. Why else would I have dropped the issue with Noelle?"


    Xenia''s face turned pale. "But that man seemed really close with that school doctor."


    Who would''ve guessed that a penniless school doctor could have such strong connections with an heir to the prestigious Parham family?


    Justin frowned. "They''re probably just friends. I''ll ask my cousin about itter. But for now, I can''t cause any more trouble for Noelle, or he will make me pay."


    Xenia could only force a weak smile in response. If Alfred was really Justin''s cousin, hadn''t she already made a bad impression on him? Wouldn''t he tell Justin''s mom?


    Frustration bubbled up inside her. It was all Noelle''s fault! She could have made a good impression on the Parhams.


    Now, what was she supposed to do?


    After returning to her dorm, Noelle saw a WhatsApp message from Cedric. "Did you finish the cream?"


    She nced at the container and realized she was out. Then, she replied, "Where did you buy them?"


    She couldn''t find the brand anywhere online.


    "You can''t get them anywhere else."


    "How much were they? I''ll pay you back."


    Cedric narrowed his eyes slightly at her message. "There''s no need to be that specific when talking about money."


    Noelle deliberately asked, "Then what should we talk about?"


    He typed a reply with his long fingers. "Love."

 Chapter 351

    Noelle stared nkly at Cedric''s message for a long time.


    Grace walked out of the bathroom after her shower. "Noelle, what''s got you spaced out?"


    "If a guy tells you, ''Let''s not talk about money, let''s talk about love,'' what does that mean?"


    Grace''s eyes lit up with excitement. "There are two possibilities."


    "Let''s hear them."


    "The first possibility: He likes you and is trying to hint at it."


    Noelle shook her head. "Impossible."


    "Then the second possibility: He wants to sleep with you but doesn''t want to


    spend money-basically trying for a no-cost strategy."


    Noelle couldn''t help butugh. "That''s even more impossible."


    She nced at the chat again and responded with just an ellipsis.


    Meanwhile, Cedric saw her response and turned to Zachary. "Have someone deliver another batch of those cream fromst time."


    Zachary nodded and kept driving.


    Cedric went straight to his usual hangout with his friends. After sitting down, he pinched the bridge of his nose.


    Alfred walked over. "Well, well, Cedric, did you hurt your arm? You''ve got a bunch of Band-Aids on, and they''re pink too."


    The others gathered around,ughing. "They really are pink!"


    One guy reached out to peel off a Band-Aid, only for Cedric to smack his hand away. "Don''t touch."


    "Oh,e on your Band-Aid''s peeling at the edges, and you still won''t let anyone touch it?"


    "You''re guarding it like a treasure. Who put it on for you? Must''ve been a girl."


    "And it''s pink. I bet she''s really young. Is she even an adult yet?"


    Cedric frowned. "All of you get lost. Don''t ask any more questions."


    Alfred waved the curious crowd away and sat beside Cedric. "Nelly put it on, didn''t she?"


    Cedric didn''t deny it.


    Alfred continued, "Why did you suddenly message me, asking me to block Justin''s card and keep him out of L Bistro?"


    "To teach him a lesson!"


    Cedric recalled Xenia''s smug, bitchy act from earlier and wanted to stand up for Noelle.


    He exined the situation, and Alfred clicked his tongue. "That scheming little bitch just won''t quit, huh? Don''t worry; this is an easy fix. My aunt has always hated women like her¡ªespecially ones from humble backgrounds."


    Cedric sipped red wine and added, "There''s one more thing."


    "What is it?"


    "Never mind."


    Cedric stopped himself. He couldn''t bring up the image of Noelle standing with Magnus. They were both young, about the same age-especially since Noelle had taken the initiative to ask about Magnus.


    The wine in his mouth suddenly tasted much more bitter.


    Noelle received the new batch of cream the next day, and there were many more this time. She took a photo, sent it to Cedric, and then transferred the payment. After doing that, she headed to ss.


    Grace leaned in and whispered, "Is he your boyfriend? Or someone pursuing you?"


    "Neither; just a friend," Noelle replied, quickly changing the subject. "There''s a gamingmunity banquet this weekend. Quite a few industry insiders will be there. Are you interested in going?"


    "Sure, I''d love to check it out."


    "Then, let''s go together."


    Noelle had her own reasons for attending the banquet-she needed to secure sponsorships.


    Not long after, Noelle''s phone chimed. She instinctively grabbed it, thinking it might be Cedric''s reply. But it wasn''t.


    Michael had messaged her. "Don''t forget about the banquet this weekend."


    "I know," she replied, then nced at her chat with Cedric. As expected, there was still no response.

 Chapter 352

    Noelle nced at her chat with Magnus, noticing he hadn''t replied either.


    It seemed that Magnus had misunderstood as well.


    After a moment of thought, she messaged him.


    "Did you misunderstand what I said earlier? I wasn''t trying to figure out your weaknesses to threaten you into withdrawing from thepetition. That wasn''t my intention."


    After sending the message, Noelle felt her exnation was a little weak.


    Cedric had mentioned that Magnus'' family didn''t approve of him ying games.


    Could it be that Magnus withdrew from thepetition in her previous life because of family pressure, and not for the reason she had assumed?


    Meanwhile, Magnus had just woken up and saw Noelle''s message. Instantly, his drowsiness disappeared.


    Sitting up, he stared at her message and let out a sigh of relief.


    He knew it¡ªNoelle wouldn''t have any ill intentions toward him.


    Magnus happily replied, "That''s a relief!"


    Noelle felt much more at ease after seeing his response. "Are you attending the banquet this weekend?"


    Of course, he had to go!


    Magnus needed to be there to protect her. After all, Cedric wouldn''t risk showing up to protect his concealed identity.


    Haha, now it was his turn to shine.


    He made sure Cedric realized how valuable his smart and capable little brother was. Maybe then Cedric would regret ever calling him adopted.


    "Magnus! Why are you still not up? Your grandmother is waiting for you to have breakfast together!"


    Emma burst into Magnus'' room, only to find his bedroom inplete disarray. Her temples throbbed with anger.


    "Mom, how can you just barge into my room? I have a right to privacy!"


    "What privacy? Get up now!"


    Emma looked at her youngest son in front of her. "Your brother must''ve asked you toe back, didn''t he? Just so I wouldn''t investigate that girl he''s protecting."


    "Mom, can''t you just let Cedric have some privacy?"


    "This is for his own good."


    Magnus casually picked his nose. "You''re just his stepmother. Why do you care so much?"


    Emma''s blood pressure shot up at his words. "Say that again?"


    "Cedric can be with whoever he wants-that''s his freedom!"


    "Magnus, stop right there!"


    Emma grabbed the nearest object and hurled it at him.


    d only in his boxers, Magnus bolted down the vi''s hallway, yelling at the top


    of his lungs, "Grandma, help! The stepmom is abusing her stepson!"


    Emma chased after him but couldn''t catch up.


    Out of breath, she fumed. "Even if I am the stepmother, I''m going to arrange the best marriage for him! I''m shutting up those gossiping harpies for good!"


    Although she was the stepmother, Cedric had been raised entirely by her.


    It infuriated her to no end. Why couldn''t Magnus be half as obedient as Cedric?


    If it weren''t for Cedric''s excellence and well-behaved nature as a child, she would''ve never considered having a second one.


    Given their Greene family heritage, she assumed they wouldn''t be too different. Instead, she ended up with a troublemaker who seemed born to provoke her.


    If Emma had known, she wouldn''t have bothered!


    After sessfully escaping, Magnus sneaked back into his room.


    After getting dressed, he replied to Noelle''s message, "The banquet might not be


    all that exciting, but since you''re going, I''ll go too."


    After all, he was a responsible and generous little brother.


    When Noelle saw his reply, she thought it would be a good opportunity to meet


    him in person and clear up any misunderstandings.


    ...


    After ss, Noelle received a message from Maple Enterprise''s representative. "We have a pre-trial mediation at the court this afternoon. Thewyer will be there, too. Are you free toe?"


    "I''m free this afternoon. I''ll head straight to the court."


    As a key figure in the case, she couldn''t afford to miss it.


    After informing Grace, Noelle hailed a cab to the courthouse.


    Maple Enterprise representatives had already arrived. The person in charge


    greeted her. "Noelle, do you know who ourwyer is?"


    "I don''t. Hasn''t thewyer arrived yet?"


    "Not yet. But the Liddell family''swyer is here already. He''s quite famous. This case might be tough to win."


    Noelle frowned, her thoughts interrupted by Donovan''s voice.


    "What''s this? Haven''t found a suitablewyer yet? Want me to rmend one for you?"


    She looked up to see Donovan walking over with a group of people. Beside him was Lucas, looking noticeably haggard.


    Donovan gazed down at Noelle. "It''s not toote to admit defeat now. Since you''re my dear sister, I''ll forgive you."


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


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 353

    Would Donovan forgive Noelle?


    She scoffed. "Only someone with a guilty conscience would try to bluff their way out."


    She had no interest in the so-called forgiveness from the Liddell family, especially when she hadn''t done anything wrong.


    "Noelle, if you return to our family and take over Frank''spany, we can work together to grow the Al project.


    "The Liddell family will reach new heights, and it''ll benefit both you and the family. What do you think?" Donovan said, confident that Noelle would cave this time.


    One of the representatives from Maple Enterprise couldn''t hold back. "Mr. Donovan, you''re really ying the game well.


    "When you kicked Noelle out of the family, you didn''t call it ''family'', did you? Now that you see she''s capable, you suddenly want to act like one. Is this how you treat family?"


    Donovan''s expression darkened at the reply.


    He turned to Noelle. "Staying with the Liddell family is your best option. Do you know how ruthless Yasnia is? Smallpanies like Maple Enterprise go under every year.


    "In the face of power, you''re as insignificant as an ant."


    Noelle''s expression grew cold, and her mood soured. Donovan was targeting Maple Enterprise because of her.


    "If Maple Enterprise goes bankrupt, I won''t let you off the hook," she said.


    "With you? A little brat, what kind of storm could you stir up? You couldn''t even find awyer. I thought you understood how insignificant you are."


    "Mr. Donovan seems so confident. Have you forgotten about the Liddell Corporation''s firewall issue? The one where you scrambled to clean up the mess?"


    Donovan''s face hardened as the memory surfaced. He scoffed. "How dare you bring that up? Do you really think you can threaten me with that? You''ll see soon enough."


    Noelle watched as he and his team walked away, her mood unsettled as she stood there.


    However, Lucas slowed his pace and approached her. He looked more haggard than usual and seemed hesitant as if he wanted to say something but didn''t.


    Noelle turned her attention back to the person in charge, ignoring Lucas.


    However, Lucas wouldn''t leave, and since they were still discussing the case, it felt awkward for everyone with him standing there.


    Finally, Noelle turned to him, her expression filled with disdain. "What do you want now?"


    "Noelle."


    "Don''t call me that. We''re not that close."


    Noelle''s tone was cold and distant, treating him like a stranger.


    Lucas faltered, his voice uncertain. "I know Donovan used his influence to make sure you couldn''t find awyer. You know his methods. Can''t you just reconcile with him?


    "If you return to the Liddell family, Maple Enterprise won''t be targeted because of you."


    Noelle felt a pang of guilt upon hearing Maple Enterprise was being targeted.


    But the person in charge quickly interrupted, "What do you mean ''ourpany is being targeted because of Noelle''? Our Al project is in high demand. Ourpetitors would do anything to take us down.


    "This has nothing to do with Noelle. Without her, the project wouldn''t be where it is today."


    Noelle hadn''t expected the person in charge to defend her.


    Over the years, she had grown ustomed to being misunderstood.


    Lucas'' expression faltered. "Noelle, that''s not what I meant. I just think returning to the Liddell family is the best option."


    "For you, maybe. It only benefits you, not me."


    "I''m really worried about you."


    Noelle sneered. "You''re worried about yourself. If I really agreed to return to the Liddell family, you''d be the first one to benefit, wouldn''t you?"


    Lucas'' expression grew awkward. Though he had selfish motives, he truly wanted to mend their sibling bond.


    Noelle''s face twisted with mockery. "Since you''re so concerned about me not finding awyer, why don''t you just admit to the judge that all of this was your doing? That way, I won''t need awyer."


    Lucas fell silent.


    "Why are you quiet now? Didn''t you just say you had my best interests at heart? This is actually what''s best for me, so why aren''t you happy about it?" Noelle''s words cut deep, piercing through his defenses.


    He took a deep breath and said, "Noelle, I''m still your brother. Do you really want to send me to prison?"


    He knew he had made mistakes in the past.


    He also realized that Xenia, with her duplicitous ways, was not a good person.

 Chapter 354

    Why couldn''t Noelle give Lucas a chance to make amends?


    Noelle smiled coldly. "You need to understand you''re taking the fall for Xenia. It was Donovan who pushed you out to bear all of this, not me trying to send you in. They wanted you to go, to take on their sins."


    Lucas'' expression faltered, his lips turning pale.


    He choked out, "I really want to make things right with you."


    Noelle''s disgust was palpable. Why couldn''t these people be sincere? Was it necessary for them to pretend all the time?


    She turned to re at Lucas, unable to hold back her anger. "Fine, I''ll give you the chance to make amends."


    A flicker of surprise crossed Lucas'' face. "How?"


    "Go confess to the judge."


    As soon as Noelle finished speaking, she saw Lucas'' face freeze. He quickly averted his gaze, clearly guilty.


    So this was what they called wanting to make amends¡ªa fake apology wrapped in insincerity.


    Noelle smirked and asked, "What, you can''t do it?"


    Lucas looked embarrassed. "It''s not that I can''t do it, but if I go in, how can I make it up to you?"


    "You going in is the greatest way to make it up to me. After that, I won''t hold anything you did against me. How about it?"


    Lucas fell silent once again.


    At that moment, Donovan turned around and shouted, "Lucas, what are you standing there for? What''s the point of talking to that ungrateful woman?"


    Lucas red guilty at Noelle, then turned and followed after Donovan, his steps heavy with defeat.


    Noelle watched him walk away, her expression filled with mockery.


    The person in charge approached with aplicated expression. "Noelle, how can your family be so hypocritical?"


    There was no real apology, no sincerity in making amends. Everything had toe at the expense of Noelle''s interests before any apology could even be considered.


    What kind of family was this?


    Noelle nced at her colleagues. "I''m used to it. I know exactly what kind of people they are. Let''s go, we should head in too."


    She had just messaged Alfred, and he said thewyer would arrive soon.


    With that, there was nothing to be afraid of.


    Noelle walked in with her colleagues.


    By the time they entered, Donovan and Lucas were already seated, with thewyer beside them, organizing a thick stack of documents.


    Noelle sat down with the person in charge, though thewyer hadn''t arrived yet.


    The judge asked, "When will yourwyer be here?"


    Noelle replied, "Soon, they''re on their way."


    Donovan said, "Could it be that they''re too scared toe and are stalling for time? Noelle, you can''t win this anyway. Why not settle now? What terms do you want?"


    Noelle stared at him without responding.


    Just then, the door opened. "Sorry, I''mte."


    Donovan''s eyes widened as he saw a middle-aged man with sses walk in. "Mr. Rodrick?"


    Liam Rodrick, known in the legal world as the "The Legal Executioner", was currently the lead attorney for the prestigious Greene family.


    How could he be here for a small case like Maple Enterprise?

 Chapter 355

    It wasn''t just Donovan who was shocked. Noelle was also taken aback.


    She had heard of Liam¡ªhe was famous and incredibly skilled.


    Even the Liddell family''s defensewyer stood up, clearly excited. "Liam, I didn''t expect the opposingwyer to be you. My apologies."


    "There''s no need to apologize. We''re all just doing our jobs. Please, take a seat."


    Liam smiled warmly, walking over to Noelle. "Ms. Liddell, I''ve reviewed the materials on the way here. Do you have any specific demands regarding the oue?"


    The oue of thewsuit?


    Noelle hadn''t expected someone with such a powerful background to be representing her. The victory was all but guaranteed with him here.


    Donovan couldn''t help but speak up. "Noelle, think carefully. Consider what I told you earlier.


    "Frank is willing to hand over the entirepany to you. Doesn''t that mean more than the sry from apany like Maple Enterprise?"


    Noelle nced at him. "You didn''t mention that just now."


    His tone had changed far too abruptly.


    Donovan shot a nce at Liam. He didn''t want this either, but their chances of winning were slim, with Liam on the opposing side.


    Liam typically worked exclusively for the Greene family and would never take on small cases. Let alone one utterly unrted to them.


    There was no way Noelle could have hired him, right?


    Noelle could see the panic creeping into Donovan''s expression. She turned to Liam and said, "I want to win, and I want those who made mistakes to face the consequences."


    That was the oue she was after.


    Lucas stared at Noelle in disbelief. He didn''t expect her to be so cold-hearted.


    Donovan mmed his hand on the table. "Noelle, do you think Mom and Dad would be at peace if they knew you were sending your brother to prison?


    "When you were little, it was Lucas who yed with you, who took care of you. Have you forgotten that?"


    "I haven''t forgotten, and none of it can be forgotten."


    She couldn''t forget everything the Liddell family had done to her over the years. She also couldn''t forget the betrayal of her previous life, where she had been abandoned and died tragically.


    She owed them nothing anymore.


    Just as Noelle was about to speak, Liam mmed his hand on the table. "Mr. Donovan, you can''t threaten or intimidate my client."


    "She''s my sister, I''m just trying to teach her."


    "Ms. Noelle is an adult. She is not a pet of the Liddell family, and she doesn''t need anyone to dictate her decisions."


    Liam''s words were sharp and decisive.


    Thewyers on both sides took turns speaking, with Liam firmly rejecting any chance of a pre-trial settlement.


    Donovan was immediately silenced. He turned to look at Lucas. "It''s not that I don''t want to help you, I''ve done my best."


    Now that Noelle had Liam on her side, their chances of winning were nonexistent. Lucas tugged at the corner of his mouth but said nothing.


    Noelle sneered. "Mr. Donovan, actually, you could take on all the responsibility for him."


    Donovan''s expression froze, his anger rising. "Noelle, stop being sarcastic. What goes aroundes around. Can you really face Mom and Dad?"


    A sharp pain pierced her heart when Noelle heard him mention their parents.


    She stood up, her expression calm but her voice cold. "Then you can die and ask them yourself."


    After all, she had died once before.


    Noelle gathered her documents and left, unwilling to stay in the same room as the Liddell family any longer.


    "Noelle, how dare you curse me?"


    Donovan tried to chase after her, but when he saw Liam, he immediately calmed down.


    He turned to Liam politely. "Mr. Rodrick, I didn''t expect someone as busy as you would have time to take on such a small case. Do you know Noelle?"


    He didn''t realize Noelle had connections with someone so influential.


    "I''m representing Maple Enterprise Corporation, at their request."


    Liam''s words only deepened Donovan''s confusion. Who could have asked Liam to take on this case?


    Donovan wanted to ask more, but Liam didn''t give him the chance and quickly followed Noelle out.

 Chapter 356

    Donovan mmed his fist on the table in frustration.


    Damn it!


    Was he really going to have to watch Lucas be sent to prison by his own sister?


    If word got out, he would be theughingstock of the entire social circle in Yasnia.


    He needed to find out who had hired Liam. Could this be connected to the Greene family?


    ...


    Noelle stood outside by the window, getting some fresh air.


    "Noelle, don''t let this upset you too much. The news has spread throughout Yasnia''s legal circles, and no one would take on a case like Maple Enterprise Corporation''s. That''s just how it is."


    Xenia arrivedte, apanied by Justin. They were here to watch the spectacle.


    Noelle turned and saw Xenia dressed in a sultry outfit. Her lips twitched.


    With heavy makeup and a form-fitting dress, Xenia looked less appealing than when she had dressed more innocently. She seemed to be trying too hard.


    Justin wrapped his arm around Xenia''s waist and unted it before Noelle. "Noelle, I warned you before this is Yasnia. If you''re here, you''d better know your ce. You''ll never win against us."


    "Yeah, Noelle, you should just drop thewsuit. It''ll be even more humiliating for you If you lose badly."


    Noelle sneered. "Who says I''m dropping thewsuit?"


    "You can''t even find awyer. If you don''t withdraw, you''ll only embarrass yourself further!"


    Before Xenia could say more, Liam walked over.


    When Justin saw Liam, his eyes lit up. "Mr. Rodrick, what are you doing here? Does the Greene family have a case?"


    Liam answered politely, "Not at all. I''m here to handle a case at someone''s request."


    Noticing Justin''s respect toward thewyer, Xenia quietly asked, "Who is he?"


    "This is Liam, known as the ''The Legal Executioner'' in the legal world. He''s the lead attorney for the Greene family. He doesn''t take many cases, so it''s rare to see him in court."


    Xenia''s eyes widened in surprise. So, Liam was not only famous but also connected to the powerful Greene family.


    Noelle turned and handed the documents to Liam. "These are the materials I''ve prepared. Please take a look."


    After all, she didn''t realize that Liam was handling her case earlier. It seemed Alfred''s connections were quite impressive.


    Xenia pped the documents from Noelle''s hand. "Noelle, have you no shame? Do you think you can hand him your materials just because you heard this is a famouswyer?


    "Stop embarrassing the Liddell family!"


    The documents were scattered across the floor.


    Justin sneered. "Noelle, I know you''re desperate because you can''t find awyer, but can''t you see who Liam is?


    "How could he take on a small case like yours? Stop making a fool of yourself."


    Before Xenia could continue, she saw Donovan and his group walking out.


    Her tone changed immediately. "Noelle, I know you''re desperate to win thewsuit, but you can''t force Liam to take on such a minor case. He doesn''t even know you, that''s very rude."


    Noelle pped her across the face. "The rude one here is you!"


    Who allowed Xenia to make such a fuss here?


    Xenia''s face twisted in shock at the sudden p. She quickly threw herself into Justin''s arms, crying.


    Justin immediately became protective. "Noelle, how dare you hit someone in public? Don''t you know this is a courthouse?"


    Donovan walked over. "What happened?"


    Xenia, eyes brimming with tears, said, "Donovan, please don''t me Noelle. I know she''s anxious to win, so she shamelessly handed her materials to Liam, hoping to get the famouswyer to take her case.


    "I was just trying to stop her, but she hit me."


    Though Xenia imed she didn''t me Noelle, she exposed her swollen face from the p.


    Donovan nced at the handprint and was about to p Noelle back. "Look at what you''ve done!"


    Noelle punched his hand away, causing him to wince from the pain.


    Xenia rushed forward. "Noelle, what are you doing... ah!"


    Noelle retaliated, pping Xenia again. She was fed up with Xenia''s annoying tactics.


    "Get off my materials, or get lost if you don''t want to get hurt!"


    Xenia''s face instantly swelled up, and she screamed, "Noelle, it was you who shamelessly handed your materials to Mr. Rodrick! You have no shame!"


    Liam adjusted his sses. "Actually, I''m her attorney."

 Chapter 357

    The room fell intoplete silence at Liam''s words.


    Xenia was left speechless, her face flushed and her ears burning. What? Awyer this famous was actually Noelle''s attorney?


    Had she heard that right?


    Xenia turned to Justin with her swollen face, her eyes full of confusion. "Didn''t you say no one would dare take the case for Maple Enterprise?"


    How was it possible that not only had someone taken the case, but it was awyer this renowned?


    Justin was equally stunned. "Mr. Rodrick, did I hear that wrong? Didn''t you stop taking small cases a long time ago?"


    Liam responded calmly, "I took this case at someone''s request."


    That confirmed it-he was indeed Noelle''swyer.


    Xenia was still unwilling to ept it. "No way. Noelle doesn''t know any powerful people in Yasnia. How could she possibly hire Liam?"


    She turned to Donovan. "Donovan, say something!"


    Donovan, still clutching his bruised arm, red at Noelle. "That''s right, Mr. Rodrick is her attorney."


    Though he had to admit that Noelle had gotten a bit lucky.


    At this point, Xenia gave uppletely, and her face burned with pain. The things she had said earlier now seemedughable.


    Noelle stared at Xenia. "Pick up my documents."


    Xenia, looking pitiful, said, "I didn''t do it on purpose."


    "Just because it wasn''t on purpose doesn''t mean you don''t have to pick them up."


    Caught off guard, Xenia lowered her head and turned to Donovan. "Donovan, I was just trying to help her."


    "Noelle, look at what you''ve done to Xenia. This is a courtroom. Do you think you can just walk away without consequences?"


    Donovan had been searching for a way to control Noelle, and now, she had handed him the perfect opportunity.


    Liam remained calm. "Mr. Donovan, one must speak with evidence. My client was acting in self-defense, and it was Ms. Xenia who provoked the situation first."


    Donovan was a bit surprised. He hadn''t expected Liam to get involved in such trivial matters. He fell silent.


    Xenia, feeling aggrieved, could only act pitifully in front of Justin. "It hurts so much."


    Upon seeing her distressed face, Justin lost interest but didn''t want to see Noelle gloating either.


    He turned to Liam. "Mr. Rodrick, this is a separate issue. You''re so busy, so it''s probably better if you don''t get involved."


    "This is also part of my responsibility."


    "How much did my cousin pay you to protect Noelle like this? Are they really involved?"


    Justin''s only assumption was that Alfred had a hand in this.


    After all, Alfred was close to the heir of the Greene family, and the only person who could have gotten Liam toe and offer such support was someone from the Greene family.


    Liam paused for a moment. The person who had asked him to take the case wasn''t Alfred, but the heir of the Greene family.


    His gaze grew cold. "Mr. Justin, I suggest you be careful with your words, or you might attract unnecessary trouble."


    Justin instantly fell silent when he recalled Alfred''s warning.


    Liam then turned to Xenia. "Ms. Quigley, you better pick up the documents.


    Otherwise, we''ll have no choice but to pursue this matter further."


    Xenia instinctively looked at Justin, hoping he would intervene.


    "Well, what can I do? It was clearly you who deliberately knocked the documents


    out of Noelle''s hands. Just pick them up."


    Xenia stomped her foot. "Justin!"


    This useless man.


    She turned to Donovan, but he simply said, "Just pick them up. Do it for Mr. Rodrick''s sake."


    After all, Liam still has influence in Yasnia.

 Chapter 358

    With the powerful Greene family''s backing, offending them was unwise.


    Xenia was so furious that she started crying. Why was no one helping her?


    She refused to pick up the documents and let Noelle get the better of her-it felt worse than dying.


    Justin tugged at her sleeve. "Mr. Rodrick knows my mom well. Show him a little respect."


    Xenia reluctantly bent down to pick up the documents.


    Noelle looked down at her from above, briefly ncing at Liam. It seemed power and influence really did hold weight.


    This was all thanks to Alfred''s connections with Liam.


    Feeling wronged, Xenia grabbed the papers and handed them to Noelle. "Here."


    Noelle took them and smirked at her a look that almost drove Xenia to madness. Was she mocking her?


    It was infuriating.


    Noelle took the documents and walked out.


    Xenia stood there, crying. "Donovan, Noelle is bullying me too much!"


    Lucas responded sarcastically, "Wasn''t it you who knocked the documents out of her hands in the first ce?"


    "But... I was doing it for her own good."


    "For her own good? Was it necessary to knock the documents out of her hands for her good?"


    Lucas'' words left Xenia speechless. She lowered her head, feeling utterly wronged.


    Donovan spoke up. "Alright, Lucas, stop defending Noelle. She didn''t spare you earlier either."


    Lucas smiled bitterly. "What''s happened to me is well-deserved. Donovan, I just hope that you won''t regret it when you see some people''s true colors in the future."


    With that, Lucas walked off.


    Xenia shot a nce at Lucas. With him facing awsuit and his career ruined, he no longer held any value for her.


    She didn''t want to keep up with him. Maintaining a rtionship now felt like beating a dead horse.


    Xenia was frustrated and asked, "Justin, what''s the deal between your cousin and Noelle?"


    "I asked him, but he told me not to get involved."


    At that moment, Justin received a call from his mother and was thoroughly scolded.


    He hung up the phone. "Mom says I need to hurry back. I''m leaving now."


    Xenia was livid at how Justin was acting like a momma''s boy.


    However, Donovan looked surprised. "When did Noelle get to know someone from the Greene family?"


    Xenia recalled meeting Alfred in Aldoria, but she didn''t leave a good impression on him and didn''t dare mention it to Donovan.


    She could only lie. "I''m not sure, but it seems like Noelle was already involved with other men back in high school.


    "She dated the school doctor while also having an ambiguous rtionship with someone from the Greene family."


    Donovan was even angrier. "I can''t believe her private life is so reckless! Damn it! Does she think she can rise above just by hanging out with scions?


    "She should know her ce. How could she ever marry into the Greene family?"


    Xenia''s face stiffened. Why couldn''t she marry into the Greene family?


    She was Justin''s girlfriend, and he had even promised to marry her.


    Donovan quickly realized his mistake. "I wasn''t talking about you."


    "I know, Donovan."


    "After all, Justin isn''t like Alfred. He doesn''t need to inherit the family business, so there''s no issue on your side. I will figure something out for you."


    Xenia felt a pang of bitterness. Why should she be any less than Noelle?


    Just then, Peter approached. "Mr. Donovan, we found out who owns Maple Enterprise."


    "Is this person from the Greene family?"


    "No, but Ms. Noelle''s name is on the shareholder list."


    Xenia, full of jealousy, said, "Donovan, could it be that Noelle is being kept by Alfred?"

 Chapter 359

    Xenia was convinced that Alfred was keeping Noelle.


    Donovan''s expression darkened. "Are you sure?"


    "Donovan, think about it. There were signs back in Aldoria. Now, Noellees to Yasnia, starts working at thispany, and suddenly bes a shareholder.


    "There''s definitely something suspicious going on."


    Donovan knew well that such tactics weremon in their circles¡ªstarting a smallpany as a front to give to a lover.


    To them, those were merely insignificant sums of money.


    However, what shocked him was that Noelle had managed to secure the attention


    of the Greene family''s heir. She had certainly be more resourceful.


    Seeing Donovan take her words seriously, a smug expression shed across Xenia''s face. "Donovan, we need toe up with a n. If Noelle has that kind of backing, won''t she just look down on me from now on?"


    "I won''t let her! I''ll find a way to meet the Greene family heir and discuss Noelle with him."


    After all, he was Noelle''s older brother. If someone was indeed keeping his sister, he couldn''t just let it go. He couldn''t let her keep making mistakes.


    ...


    Meanwhile, Noelle stepped outside, exhaling in relief.


    The person in charge couldn''t help but vent.


    "Noelle, your brother is really too much. Before Mr. Rodrick arrived, he mocked and suppressed you, but now, he''s totally switched gears, ming you and practically using you of forcing them to steal our business secrets!"


    It was beyond frustrating.


    Noelle looked up at Liam. "Thank you so much for your help, and I''m sorry for the trouble."


    "It''s no trouble at all, just part of the job."


    Seeing Noelle''s politeness, Liam couldn''t help but reflect on the Liddell family''s bias. But with the Greene family behind her, even ten Liddells wouldn''t faze her.


    Cedric had probably been involved in the car ident with Noelle as well. He had taken care of everything afterward and requested confidentiality.


    Today, he finally met the girl so closely protected by someone from the Greene family.


    After exchanging contact information with Liam, Noelle watched him leave.


    She remembered that Justin had mentioned Alfred earlier and considered asking about it, but asking Liam didn''t feel right.


    It would be better to ask Alfred directlyter.


    It was odd, though-Alfred had the samest name as Justin.


    Returning to her office with her colleagues, Noelle focused on the progress of the Al project. It was almost halfway done, and she needed to ensure everything was on track.


    With Liam handling thepany''s case, everyone felt more secure, and work efficiency had improved.


    Noelle immersed herself in writing code at her desk and testing the project data.


    When Cedric arrived, he saw her sitting in front of theputer, wearing sses and working diligently.


    Her hands were skillfully typing code on the keyboard, and her serious expression made her look a little absent-minded.


    Alfred stood nearby, saying quietly, "Donovan contacted an intermediary to reach out to me, saying he wants to discuss Noelle. Looks like after Mr. Rodrick''s visit today, they started to suspect something."


    Cedric shifted his gaze. "Go meet him. See what he has to say."


    "Alright, I''ll go probe Donovan and see if he''s learned anything from Justin. I''m heading over now."


    Alfred left after speaking.


    After all, Cedric was the real major shareholder of thepany. Alfred was just a figurehead, ced to shield others, so it made sense that Donovan would approach him first.


    Meanwhile, Cedric sat in his office, opening hisputer to check the progress of the Al project and search for any potential issues.


    Time passed quickly, and the world outside grew darker as the sun set.


    After finishing her tests, Noelle stretched and rubbed her neck, realizing her colleagues had already left for the day.


    Looking up, she noticed the lights were still on in the CEO''s office.


    Could it be that Alfred was still there?


    She walked over and knocked on the door. A cold voice from inside responded, "Come in."


    Was that Cedric''s voice?


    Noelle opened the door, and as expected, she found Cedric sitting at hisputer, dressed in a white long-sleeve shirt with his sleeves rolled up, revealing his defined forearms.


    Surprised, she asked, "Why are you here?"


    "Why can''t it be me? Are you disappointed to see me?" Cedric leaned back in his chair, his gaze fixed on her.


    Noelle leaned against the doorframe. "I thought it was Alfred. Didn''t expect to see you here. Looks like you''re quite the diligent consultant."


    "Come here. Have you found any issues with your side?"

 Chapter 360

    Noelle walked over to the front of the desk. "I did find a small issue. We''ll need to have a meetingter to fix it."


    Cedric tapped the desk. "Come over and take a look. Let me see if the issue I found is the same as yours."


    Was he testing it, too?


    Noelle walked around the desk and moved to his side.


    Cedric stood up and stepped aside to make room for her, then poured a ss of water and ced it beside her.


    Noelle moved the mouse and nced at the error he had identified. "It seems like you noticed the same thing. I wasn''t entirely sure about it earlier."


    She had to admit that Cedric was more skilled than she was in this area.


    He leaned over to look at theputer. "Actually, this one''s easy to spot..."


    He ced one hand on the edge of the desk, calmly exining the problem with patience.


    At first, Noelle was focused on his exnation, but then she suddenly turned her head and noticed how close they were.


    He had leaned in so close that it almost felt like he was enveloping her in a loose embrace.


    For a moment, Noelle found it hard to concentrate. She grabbed the cup beside her and took a few sips, feeling slightly thirsty.


    Cedric paused, ncing at the cup in her hand. "Are you thirsty?"


    Noelle nodded.


    He smiled lightly. "That''s the cup I used."


    He had used this cup?


    Noelle''s face flushed with warmth, and she quickly set the cup down. "Then I''ll pour you another one."


    "No need," Cedric said as he straightened up, creating some distance between them. He acted as though the brief moment of awkwardness hadn''t happened. "Let''s go eat something."


    Noelle stood up from the chair. "It''s gettingte. I should head back to the dorm, or I''ll miss curfew."


    The dorm had a curfew.


    Cedric nced at the time. It was indeed gettingte, and he remembered that the Yole University dorms closed at 11:00 pm.


    "I''ll drive you back," he offered.


    Noelle left the office with Cedric and sat in the front passenger seat.


    The car was quiet, and Noelle felt a bit ufortable. She decided to break the silence. "Didn''t Alfrede today?"


    "Why do you want to see him?"


    "He brought in thatwyer to handle the case. Did you know? Mr. Rodrick, the famous one!" she responded.


    Cedric''s tone was calm. "Yes, I know."


    "What''s the rtionship between Alfred and Justin?"


    She knew Alfred was wealthy but didn''t realize he had ties to the Greene family in Yasnia.


    Cedric''s car stopped at a red light. "Why do you ask?"


    "Justin went to the courthouse with Xenia today," Noelle continued. "He said something strange. He implied that Mr. Rodrick could take on the case because of his cousin."


    She didn''t mention the remark Justin had made about her supposed affair.


    Cedric knew the truth couldn''t stay hidden any longer.


    He paused for a moment before answering, "He is indeed Justin''s cousin."


    Noelle was a bit surprised. "Alfred is the heir to the Greene family in Yasnia?" She hadn''t realized how powerful his background was.


    She nced seriously at the man beside her. "I didn''t know your buddy was so rich."


    Cedric seemed slightly guilty. "He''s doing alright."


    "Then why didn''t you tell me sooner?"


    "There was no need."


    Noelle thought about it for a moment. It didn''t seem important, and Alfred probably didn''t want his identity revealed either.


    Before long, the car stopped outside the university.


    After Noelle got out, she waved at him. "Drive safely."


    "Noelle, you''re not with your sugar daddy tonight? Going on a date with this poor


    guy instead? Aren''t you afraid Mr. Parham will find out you''re ying both sides and dump you?"


    Xenia reeked of alcohol and perfume. She clearly just came from a bar.


    Cedric''s expression darkened instantly.

 Chapter 361

    Noelle pinched her nose in disgust and looked back at Cedric. "You should leave first."


    "Noelle, why are you in such a hurry to send him off? Are you scared that your broke boyfriend will catch you having a sugar daddy?"


    She turned back to look at Xenia, who was really drunk. "You keep mentioning having a sugar daddy. Looks like you''re experienced in this area."


    "Stop changing the topic. You''re just feeling diffident."


    Xenia watched Cedric. "You don''t need to look so terrified. Noelle cheated. She''s Alfred''s sugar baby. He even gave her the shares for Maple Enterprise."


    Upon hearing this, Cedric narrowed his eyes. He was the one who gave his shares to Noelle.


    Xenia boasted, "A poor school doctor like you would never be able to afford this even if you worked to death. You''d be the first man to live off a woman. But you''re handsome. If you get with me, I could pay you even more."


    She couldn''t stand that Noelle cheated on him but he still remained obsessed with her.


    Justin was a momma''s boy. One word from his mom and he wouldn''t even pick up Xenia''s phone.


    Xenia would take everything from Noelle, even her man. Turning to Cedric, she said, "What do you think? You''ll get a better deal from me!"


    What could Noelle give him? Xenia was the most pampered daughter of the Liddells.


    "Xenia, are you out of your mind?"


    Noelle dragged Xenia aside and pped her. "Was getting beat up just now not enough for you?"


    Xenia fell backward. Her ears buzzed.


    Noelle pulled her phone out and filmed Xenia. "If you drank too much and need a man, get a room. Don''t make a fuss here."


    Xenia was about to scold her, but when she saw Noelle filming her, she


    scrambled to her feet and said, "Delete that video."


    "Fuck off. Believe me or not, I''m going to post this on the school''s forum and let all those men drooling over you see you lusting over someone else. We''ll see whether they still revere you as their pure little junior."


    It terrified her so much that she sobered up. She slunk away with her tail between her legs.


    Noelle put her phone down and turned back to Cedric. "She''s throwing a drunk tantrum. I''m heading back to my dorm. Don''t want to miss my curfew."


    Cedric nodded and watched her walk into school.


    He recalled what Xenia said and called Alfred. He asked coldly, "What did Donovan say?"


    "That''s what I wanted to talk to you about. I think they misunderstood my rtionship with Noelle and used me of being her sugar daddy. Donovan even wanted to negotiate with me. Who does he think he is to threaten me?"


    Cedric looked furious. "Publicise news about the Liddells stealing business secrets. The bigger the hit on their reputation, the better."


    "Got it. You''re avenging Noelle."


    Alfred considered it for a moment before saying, "As your best friend, I need to remind you that people are going to find out about who you are. Have you considered how to exin it to Noelle?"


    As long as Noelle remained in Yasnia, she would always run into people Cedric knew.


    It was a matter of time. The day woulde inevitably.


    Cedric''s Adams apple bobbed. "I know."


    However, he didn''t know what to say to Noelle. He was scared that they wouldn''t


    be able to remain friends if she found out. He was living on borrowed time.


    "Give it a good thought. It''ll never stay hidden forever."


    He hung up immediately.


    Cedric rolled the car window down. He couldn''t help but light a cigarette as he watched the night sky outside. His thoughts were in a jumble. The red light glowed between his fingers.


    His phone pinged. Then, he came to his senses and watched the text Noelle had sent him. "Have you gotten home yet?"


    Cedric extinguished the cigarette and looked down to reply to her. "Almost there." He smiled without realizing it.


    Noelle was already in bed in her dorms. She sent him a picture of her with a bandage. "You caused my arm to be like this. I had to put on many bandages."


    Her limbs would probably be very sore when she woke up the next day.


    Cedric stopped in front of a traffic light and grabbed his phone. When he saw her text, his eyes darkened.


    He replied, "It wasn''t me."

 Chapter 362

    Noelle was speechless.


    Cedric tossed his phone aside. Then, he drove home in a good mood.


    When Noelle recalled his text, she couldn''t help but send him an angry emoji. She didn''t mean for the text to be an innuendo.


    ...


    The next day, Noelle was woken up by her phone''s ringing. She didn''t have ss


    in the morning, so she had been nning on sleeping in.


    After getting woken up, she asked unpleasantly, "Who is it?"


    "Noelle, I didn''t think you would be so ruthless and wanted me dead. I''ve already confessed to all those crimes. Why did you have to let the media know about that? Are you insistent on destroying my life?" Lucas was enraged.


    Noelle sat up and yawned. "There must be something wrong with you. When have I ever sent this to the media?"


    "Look at the news about the esports industry. Who else would do that apart from you?"


    Upon seeing the news, Lucas knew that his career was done for. His sponsors had been calling him non-stop, wanting to terminate their contract.


    The manager said that many teammates were nning on pulling out.


    Lucas was furious. "Noelle, I admit that I have my faults. Even if I were imprisoned, I''d resign myself to it. Why are you going to such extents?"


    Noelle turned on her phone and saw the news Lucas had been talking about.


    "Liddell Corporation has been used of stealing business secrets. An esports professional did the stealing himself."


    She eyed the contents of the article. It illustrated how Donovan''spany had stolen business secrets, but didn''t mention what exactly those secrets were. There was no mention of Noelle''s name either.


    However, their stocks had plummeted after the scandal broke.


    After reading it, Noelle said coldly, "No matter whether you believe it or not, I didn''t do it."


    "Who else would do that?"


    "If you''re insistent on believing that, I can''t do anything about it. After all, the contents of the article aren''t fabricated. It''s the truth."


    Noelle didn''t want to exin herself to them. They could misunderstand her all they wanted. It wasn''t like this was the only misunderstanding they had.


    "Noelle, I don''t owe you anything for the past few years. We''re even now!" Lucas then hung up.


    Noelle nced at her phone with a mocking glint in her eye. However, she was curious as well. Who had done it?


    She sent Alfred a text and asked, "Are you the one behind this?"


    He was the only person she could think of who could''ve done it.


    Alfred coughed awkwardly. "How did you know?" Had she found something?


    "I don''t know anyone else capable of doing this other than you. Justin will give you hell for this."


    After all, Xenia would be running to Justin.


    "You don''t have to worry about that asshole."


    Alfred paused before asking, "You know who I am now?"


    "Yeah, Cedric told me about it."


    Alfred was mind blown. How could he? Cedric threw him under the bus to save his own hide. Fine!


    "Noelle, it doesn''t matter who I am. After all, we''re friends. Tell me if Justin bullies you."


    She smiled. Justin wasn''t capable of that.


    Noelle blurted out, "How did you know Cedric? What did he work as?"

 Chapter 363

    Cedric seemed to be extremely mysterious. After Noelle asked Alfred about it, he remained silent.


    Noelle tested the waters by asking, "Is it a question that''s off limits?"


    Was Cedric''s identity kept secret?


    "Not exactly. You should ask him about it. I''ve got a meeting to attend to. I''ll be going now."


    After hanging up, Alfred felt his nervousness rise up significantly. Noelle wasn''t one to be deluded.


    He hurriedly called Cedric to warn him so that he wouldn''t expose himself in the future. It was all Alfred could do as his best friend.


    He even shouldered the me for being a sugar daddy for a college-aged girl. Alfred couldn''t do much else.


    Noelle considered what he had said. Did that mean Cedric''s job wasn''t one to be proud of? How mysterious.


    She nced at the headlines. It wasn''t going viral anymore. Someone had probably stepped in to suppress it. After all, it was affecting their stock prices. Donovan was probably having a migraine over this.


    Noelle put down the phone in a better mood.


    However, she could no longer fall asleep after getting disturbed. Noelle turned herputer on to examine the bugs in her artificial intelligence program.


    A message about the ck market popped up on her phone.


    She logged in and received a text from the manager. "Someone wanted to buy the code for the firewall program you made. They even suggested paying two million for you to write a code for theirpany to prevent theirpany from being hacked into."


    It was a simple task.


    Noelle replied, "Sure. But I want five million for it."


    After she sent the message, the manager only replied after a while. "They said yes, but they want you to go to theirpany to adjust it in person and prove that it works. Only then will they pay thest sum. They''ll also give you a million a year for maintenance."


    It looked like thepany had been gued by hackers for a long time.


    "Sure, what''s the name of thepany?"


    "They''ve asked for secrecy. You''ll know naturally when you are there in person."


    How mysterious. It looked like she had pissed many people off.


    Noelle didn''t ask any further questions. After all, on the ck market, people didn''t


    like exposing too much information about themselves.


    She could understand as long as they paid handsomely.


    Noelle epted it. After all, who wouldin about too much money?


    Noelle continued coding. After lunch, she went straight to Maple Enterprise. However, when she got to their floor, she saw many bodyguards standing around. Who was here?


    Noelle approached them. The manager came over immediately and said, "Noelle, the Liddells are here. They''re probably your two brothers. It looks like they''re here for business."


    Two brothers?


    Just as Noelle was about to walk in, Donovan walked out and said, "Noelle, here I was thinking you''d be able to hide for much longer. Did you think I really wouldn''t be able to find you?"


    Noelle eyed the office. Frank was there as well.


    Alfred was nowhere to be seen.


    Noelle frowned and went into the office. She asked, "What are you all here for?"


    Donovan probably knew that thepany belonged to Alfred. She wasn''t worried that Donovan would do something to threaten thepany.


    Donovan said, "Of course I''m here to get revenge against Alfred. Don''t think that I don''t know the media leak had to do with you."


    Donovan understood. He had just seen Alfredst night and got a talking to.

 Chapter 364

    Today, the media leak about what happened to Xenia had made a huge


    Noelle smirked. "Do you have evidence?"


    "Why would I need evidence for that?"


    Noelle mocked, "Didn''t you like talking about evidence whenever it came to me?"


    There was no evidence, so she had framed Xenia. Now he wanted to talk about evidence?


    Donovan was enraged by Noelle. He pointed at her and scolded, "Stop talking about that. Apart from the leak to the media, mypany''s firewall has been hacked into. The system is paralyzed from time to time. Did you do it?"


    What? The system was hacked?


    Noelle chuckled. "It looks like you''ve got a bunch of enemies seizing the opportunity to profit off your disaster."


    "Who else would do this apart from you?"


    Donovan was all worked up. He wanted to hit her, but put his hand down upon meeting Noelle''s beady eyes. He touched his arm subconsciously where Noelle had whacked him. A bruise had formed.


    Now, he didn''t dare to beat her. He knew he ran the risk of losing.


    Noelle red at his arm. It looked like violence was effective in the face of violence.


    Frank coughed and stood up. "Noelle, Donovan was too anxious. Don''t take his words to heart."


    She said impatiently, "You''re not wee here. Leave right now!"


    "I won''t leave without an exnation from you, Noelle. You hacked into my


    "You want an exnation?"


    Noelle turned Alfred''sptop on with pursed lips. Her fingers flew across the keyboard. Code ran across the screen as she hacked into the Liddell Corporation. Frank nced at her in surprise. He hadn''t expected her to be skilled now.


    She''d hacked into his system on a whim. They had spent a lot of money on the system. Normal people would''ve never managed it.


    Aplicated mix of emotions swirled in Frank''s eyes. They''d ignored Noelle for too long. She was the most talented genius in their family. Yet, she had been routinely ignored and oppressed by her brothers.


    Donovan snorted. "Noelle, you better fix the system right now."


    Donovan''s secretary, Peter Austen, interjected hurriedly, "Mr. Liddell, people from


    the office called to say that our systems arepletely down. Even the safe zones have been hacked into. We can''t ess or control them."


    "What?"


    Donovan turned to Noelle and roared, "Stop! What have you done?"


    He thought she was fixing the system. Who knew she wasn''t?"


    Noelle paused. She asked coldly, "Didn''t you say you wanted an exnation?" "What kind of exnation is that?"


    "If I was the one who''d hacked into yourpany, it wouldn''t be such a tiny inconvenience. If it had been me, it wouldn''t be just like this, got it?"


    Noelle''s expression was calm and her eyes seemed dead. Cold sweat trickled down Donovan''s back.


    His temples throbbed. "Y-you... How dare you?"


    "You were the one who didn''t believe me. I could only prove that it wasn''t me


    who''d hacked into yourpany''s system," Noelle said lightly.


    Donovan turned to Peter and roared, "What are you looking at me for? Ask the IT service to fix it. Does looking at me fix the problem?"


    Dumbasses!


    Noelle reclined in her chair watching Donovan throwing a tantrum. Solving the problem wouldn''t be an easy pursuit.


    Donovan approached her and mmed his hands on the table, eyes bloodshot.


    "Noelle, fix my system. You caused this problem!"


    She looked up at him and said, "Beg for it!"

 Chapter 365

    Watching Donovan rage made Noelle feel a little satisfied.


    Upon hearing what she said, he yelled, "Noelle, how dare you ask me to beg for


    it?"


    "Why not?"


    "I''m your brother."


    Donovan''s eyes were bloodshot. His chest heaved, staring at Noelle, both stunned and disappointed at once. She asked him to beg her!


    Frank walked over and pulled Donovan aside. "Calm down, Donovan!"


    "I can''t. Did you think it was easy for me to build the Liddell Corporation from the ground up?"


    He turned to Frank, pointed at him and scolded, "These years, I''ve been working my ass off and suffering to make enough money to provide for you all. Is this how you guys are repaying me for that?"


    Frank paused before saying, "Donovan, can''t you be nicer when asking Noelle to do things for you? Don''t make it seem like you guys are enemies."


    "I should be nicer? Haven''t you seen what she did?"


    Donovan was livid. He turned to Noelle and eximed, "I put in blood, sweat, and tears to build thispany. You lived off its profits to fund such a luxurious life!"


    Noelle chuckled and said, "What a braggart. You should take it up as a profession. You''ll make a fortune off it."


    Frank tried to ease the tension between them. "Noelle, why don''t you tone it down too?"


    "Why would I do that?"


    Noelle wouldn''t back down. "You brought a bunch of people into thepany and used me of hacking into the Liddell Corporation''s system. Now that I''ve proved it to you, you''re trying to frame it on me?"


    Frank replied nicely, "It''s your fault we didn''t believe you. Will you ept my apology?"


    "What good will an apology do? You''re good at apologizing. Does that make you a big deal?"


    Noelle was cold.


    Donovan couldn''t stand it anymore. He pointed at Noelle and said, "Frank has already apologized to you. What else do you want from me?"


    "If you think an apology is so useful, I''ll apologize for what I did just now," she said with a smirk. Then, she continued, "Yet, I don''t have an obligation to help you fix the system. After all, I''ve apologized about it. What else do you want from me?"


    It was just moral coercion. Noelle had perfected the skill to a tee.


    Donovan felt his temples throbbing. Yet, he couldn''te up with a rebuttal. Frustration bubbled within him.


    Frank smiled bitterly. "Noelle, have I made another mistake?"


    Why was Frank never able to do the right thing with Noelle? Why was he always pissing her off? He wanted to repair their rtionship.


    Noelle red at Frank. "You did nothing wrong. Continue what you''ve been doing all this while. No one''s forcing you to change."


    "That wouldn''t be fair for you."


    Wasn''t she disappointed and saddened by their prejudice against her and their ignorance? That was why she left, right?


    Noelle replied calmly, "I severed ties with the Liddells a long time ago. You don''t have to consider my feelings."


    There was no need to pretend to change on her ount.


    Peter said hurriedly, "Mr. Liddell, our information is getting leaked to the public. We''ve got to stop it as soon as possible. If not, the confidential information will be leaked as well. We''d be done for."


    Donovan clearly realized that. He couldn''t afford to waste anymore time. Anger gnawed at him till his voice went hoarse. "I''ve talked about it just now. I don''t want to repeat myself!"


    Donovan gritted his teeth. Noelle wanted him to apologize? Over his dead body!


    Frank said, "Noelle, I''m begging you. This is Donovan''s pride and joy. It''s also our parents''pany. Could you really bear to see thispany get into a crisis and go bankrupt?"


    Noelle pursed her lips and said, "Wasn''t their business liquidated?"


    After they passed away, everyone around them had changed. Thepany had gone bankrupt too.


    "It had gone bankrupt and got liquidated. However, there''s a branch office in Yasnia. Donovan got to where he was today based on this."

 Chapter 366

    Frank''s eyes seemed to yearn for something. "I''m begging you. Just do it for our parents. It''s the only thing they left behind."


    Noelle looked down. Her parents were her biggest weaknesses.


    She looked up at Donovan and said, "I can help fix it. However, you must apologize for what you said. You used me of something I hadn''t done."


    Donovan was still pissed. There was no way he was apologizing!


    Frank went over to coach him into doing it. In a low voice, he said, "Donovan, this is not the time to exert your dominance. Noelle is our sister. We''re family. There''s nothing wrong with giving in from time to time. You even carried her on your back when we were kids. Have you forgotten?"


    Donovan recalled what happened in their youth. Back then, he pampered Noelle. She was his only sister. He wanted to give her the best things in the world. Thus, when he made his first profit off thepany, he bought an antique tiara just because Noelle said she liked it.


    When had all of that changed?


    Donovan looked down and ruminated on it. He said stiffly, "I med you for hacking into ourpany without getting the facts straight. I shouldn''t have done that."


    Upon hearing this, Noelle remarked, "What a rare asion to hear you apologize."


    Donovan had always yed the role of their parent in the family. He worked tirelessly and had to suppress his temper outside. When he came home, he didn''t treat his family with patience. He was nice to everyone and left the worst part of himself to his family.


    She had never seen Donovan give in to anyone.


    Frank said hurriedly, "Noelle, look. Donovan apologized already. Shouldn''t you lend a hand? This is our parents''pany."


    "I know. I don''t need you to remind me about it."


    Noelle sat in front of theputer. Her hands flew across the keyboard as she coded.


    After a while, all the websites of the Liddell Corporation were up running.


    Donovan asked gravely, "How much confidential information leaked?"


    "A lot. However, the confidential information is still there."


    She nced at it before backing out.


    Donovan was a little nervous. "Why have you backed out? You haven''t fixed the rest."


    "I didn''t cause it. It''s not within my job scope."


    Noelle pulled a disc drive out. "Here''s all the IP addresses of those who took advantage of the situation. Look through all of them and you''ll probably find the culprit."


    Then, Donovan reached out to take the disc from her. However, Noelle didn''t hand it to her.


    Donovan''s eyes twitched. "What do you mean?"


    "This will cost you something else."


    Noelle smirked. She wouldn''t make a trade that brought her into debt.


    Donovan gritted his teeth and hissed, "How dare you talk to me about money? Why don''t you count how much I spent on you growing up?"


    "Donovan, don''t forget that every penny I spent while studying was from the trust fund Dad and Mom set up for me. As for everything else, I''ve paid Frank back."


    Frank grimaced. "Donovan, she has paid me back."


    "How much could she pay? It definitely didn''t cover the full amount she spent!"


    "Before Dad and Mom passed away, all the money I spent was theirs. After their passing, you all took Xenia home. You spent money on her. Barely any money had been spent on me."


    Noelle remembered it clearly. Her nightmare started after Xenia came home. She lived a life worse than even a maid.


    Donovan shot back. "No way. The allowance I gave you was higher than Xenia''s. You''re my biological sister. Why would I leave you to be in want of money?"


    "You''ll have to ask Frank about that."


    Noelle had a mocking grin. Frank was so diffident he could barely make eye contact. "Donovan, she''s telling the truth."


    "Why did you do that?"


    "It was to show that we were treating them equally You said that Noelle kept finding fault with Xenia. So, you docked her allowance and gave it to Xenia instead as a form of reparation."


    The more Frank spoke, the more he regretted it. Donovan felt like someone had given him a lobotomy. He looked horrified.

 Chapter 367

    Noelle was expressionless as she watched the scene y out.


    She said, "Did you hear that, Donovan? I owe you nothing. All that allowance you were talking about, all that you bought, all of it had been given to Xenia. I''d taken nothing."


    "But I bought you an antique tiara! It was the first time I''d profited from the start- up. I bought it just for you."


    "Yeah, but didn''t you know that it was given to Xenia as an apology present?"


    Donovan fell silent. He remembered something like that. He opened his mouth, trying to find aeback. However, thinking back on all those years, he couldn''t recall a single time he had given her a proper present.


    He couldn''t muster up a sentence.


    She mocked, "So, Mr. Donovan. Have youe up with a price for the disk?"


    He could no longer guilt trip her. Stiffly, he asked, "How much do you want?"


    "Well that depends on how much you think it''s worth. Most of these people are your businesspetitors. Or at least, they used to be. With this data, you would definitely reap more benefits."


    Noelle finished speaking and turned to Donovan.


    In the end, he said, "A million."


    "Two million."


    "Noelle, that''s too much! How could this be worth two million?"


    Noelle said lightly, "If you don''t want it, that''s fine."


    She threw it into a bin as though it was rubbish. After all, it wouldn''t bring her any benefits. He watched her dump it.


    It was just money. She threw it, foregoing the one million.


    Donovan was livid. In the end, hepromised. "Fine. two million it is."


    "Transfer me the money. I''ll give you the drive when the money enters my ount."


    Noelle was straight with it. After all, the data didn''t matter to her. It was a use of unwanted items considering how she could disgust Donovan and make some money at the same time.


    Donovan''s mood was considerably worse. He red at Peter and said unwillingly, "Get the treasurer to transfer her the money!"


    Peter suggested, "Mr. Liddell, why don''t we ask Ms. Liddell to help us fix it. After all, we asked so many people for help but no one managed to solve the problem."


    "Who asked for your opinion?"


    Donovan was embarrassed. He didn''t want to beg for Noelle''s help.


    Frank added, "Donovan, you''ve never trusted others as you were worried they''d steal our information. Noelle is our best bet. After all, she''s family."


    "I''m going to stop you right there. Whose part of your family? Don''t ask me about it? I don''t want to bear the responsibility if any problem arises."


    If something happened, they might all suspect her for causing it. Noelle had turned them down. It was non-negotiable.


    Donovan turned to Frank and said, "Heard that? She doesn''t want to do it. Stop sucking up to someone who doesn''t appreciate it."


    Frank smiled bitterly and turned to Noelle, excitement glinting in his eyes.


    She said coldly, "I won''t do it."


    Frank didn''t want to give in. "We can pay you the market rate. If you want any benefits, just say the word."


    Noelle was struck dumb. "Mr. Frank, is there something wrong with your ears? Didn''t you hear what I said?"


    Frank was about to say something else, but James interjected, "Mr. Liddell, if she doesn''t want to do it, don''t force her into it."


    He nced at James. Frank had only wanted her to interact more with them so that she still had a connection to the Liddells.


    James sighed. "Mr. Liddell, we''ll be able to find a suitable candidate for the job as long as we pay them handsomely. Didn''t Mr. Donovan say he''d found a professional on the ck market? They''ll be able to deal with this."


    Donovan huffed. "That''s right. I''ve found the perfect man for the job. Our system issues will be solved quickly. There are many professionals in this industry. As long as the price is right, there''s no problem that cannot be solved."


    Upon hearing them mention the ck market, a lightbulb popped up in Noelle''s head.

 Chapter 368

    It wouldn''t be such a coincidence, would it? Noelle was probably thinking too much. After all, the ck market was huge. There was no way the task she epted was to work for the Liddell Corporation.


    Noelle nced at her phone. A notification popped up, informing her that she had received two million in her bank ount.


    Leaning back in her chair, she pushed the bin toward Donovan and said, "Take it."


    She would not pick it up. If they wanted it, they would work for it.


    Donovan frowned. "Noelle, are you asking me to fish it out from the bin?"


    "Duh. I''m not going to do that. Whoever needs it will pick it up."


    "What kind of attitude are you giving me? I spent two million on this."


    Noelle''s re turned icy. "You could choose not to take it and I''ll refund your payment!"


    "You!"


    Donovan was livid. He hadn''t expected Noelle to be so unshakeable. Frank walked over and picked the disk drive out the bin.


    James felt bad and tried to stop him. "Mr. Liddell, let me do it."


    "No worries. It isn''t that dirty."


    Frank picked it up and wiped it down with a tissue. Then, he turned to Noelle. He knew she still cared about the Liddell family. If not, she would not have saved the data. Although they paid her two million for it, she deserved it.


    He asked, "Noelle, I heard that you''re getting along well with Alfred. But, do you know who he is?"


    Noelle didn''t like how Frank was looking at her. She scrunched up her eyebrows and replied, "I just found out. This is our business. It has nothing to do with you."


    Donovan couldn''t bite back his retort. "Noelle, you''re the heiress of the Liddell family and grew up surrounded by riches. How dare you be someone''s mistress? What would our parents in heaven think of you?"


    Noelle''s expression was downright murderous. ring at him, she growled, "Say that again, I dare you."


    "Donovan, please keep your mouth shut, alright?"


    Frank had worked himself up. His skin was pale but his cheeks were unnaturally flushed. It looked as if he would faint any minute now.


    Upon seeing his condition, Donovan knew he couldn''t say anything more.


    Frank turned around and couldn''t help but cough. James came over concerrnedly and passed him some medicine. "Take some."


    "No need. It''s not going to kill me."


    He suppressed his coughs and looked at Noelle, trying to discern concern from her expression. However, her face was a nk te. He saw nothing.


    Frank couldn''t conceal his disappointment. "Noelle, we heard about your rtionship with Alfred and came over to ask you about it because we were worried you''d be at a disadvantage in his hands. The Parhams are not your run- of-the-mill wealthy families."


    Even the descendents of the Liddell family couldn''t measure up to the Parhams.


    Noelle chuckled. "What? Are you worried that me being a mistress would embarrass the Liddells?"


    Donovan answered, "d you''re aware!"


    "However, I severed ties with the Liddells a long time ago. I don''t have to tell you my every move!"


    "Noelle, can''t you consider your reputation for once? Are you proud of this? You''re a girl! It''s just a few shares from a smallpany. Is that all it takes to be your sugar daddy?"


    Suddenly, the door mmed open with a thud.


    Cedric had kicked the door open. He walked in and red at Donovan,


    challenging him, "Why don''t you say that again?"


    Donovan scanned Cedric''s features and his expression changed.

 Chapter 369

    Cedric frowned as he approached Noelle. Watching Cedric kick the door in and barge in, Noelle was stunned. She noticed his horrible mood and tugged at his hand. "I''m fine."


    He could not make a move against them. They would exploit it as ckmail material. Donovan was definitely capable to do something like this. However, Noelle could not let Cedric fall into such a disadvantage.


    Cedric studied Noelle''s calm expression. She didn''t seem to be angry. Thus, his expression rxed.


    He looked up at Donovan. Had he been too soft toward the Liddells, allowing them to trample all over Noelle?


    Donovan studied Cedric''s features. Complicated emotions swirled within her eyes. He looked like that guy from the Greene family!


    He asked outright, "Who are you?"


    "His identity shouldn''t be your current focus."


    Alfred walked in, a proud sneer on his face. He no longer looked as approachable as he usually did.


    Donovan''s expression changed when he saw Alfred. "Mr. Parham."


    Although he didn''t have many interactions with the wealthiest families in the country, he had gone to a few events and seen Alfred twice.


    Frank stood beside Donovan. He was surprised. "Donovan, is he the one from the Parham family you were talking about?"


    Back then, he hadn''t known about Alfred''s background. It exined why finding Noelle after she moved out had been so difficult. Frank had thought it was Cedric who was from a powerful family. He hadn''t expected it to be someone else? Was Alfred the one with Noelle instead of Cedric?


    Donovan noticed Frank''s expression and asked, "Do you know him?"


    Alfred said, "I know him. I''ve seen Mr. Frank a few times, but they didn''t end on a good note."


    Donovan lifted an eyebrow. Why was he unaware of this?


    Frank noticed his action and exined hurriedly, "I hadn''t known about Mr. Parham''s background and identally offended him. After all, I was just trying to protect my sister."


    Alfred tutted and said, "If this is what protection looks like for the Liddells, Noelle probably isn''t surviving to see another day of sun."


    This unsettled Donovan. "Mr. Parham, you''re crossing a line."


    "Have I said anything wrong? Your protection and concern for her is conditional upon Noelle backing down, suffering and apologizing. Without this, you won''t be able to protect her, right?"


    Alfred had always had a sharp tongue. Upon hearing this, Donovan''s face fell. However, he didn''t provide a retort out of deference for Alfred''s identity. If the Liddells pissed Alfred off now, it would be difficult to establish a firm foundation in Yasnia.


    Frank nced at Noelle. "I''m admitting that we were wrong. However, Noelle is our only sister and she''s never been in need of money since she was a child. She''s not a girl you can push over easily."


    Cedric shot back coldly, "Isn''t Xenia your only biological sister?"


    Alfred added, "Yeah, haven''t you all demonstrated favoritism toward your fake sister? I''ve seen that you all are skilled at disgracing and oppressing Noelle. How could you say something like that?"


    Frank was swaying on his feet. These words were stabbing into his head. He tried to calm himself and prevent himself from considering these matters. After all, he couldn''t change what had happened. He could only try to make it up to her.


    Donovan noticed that Frank seemed off. He held him and said, "I''ve told you not toe. Yet, you insisted!"


    "How could I not? Mr. Parham, tell us what it''ll take for you to let Noelle go!"

 Chapter 370

    Frank red at Alfred. He would not allow anyone to make his sister filthy. Noelle would not be someone''s mistress!


    Alfred chuckled. "Fine! Give me all the assets of the Liddell family in exchange for Noelle!"


    Frank nodded. ''Alright."


    Donovan said stiffly, "I did not agree to this. After all, it was Noelle''s choice to debauche herself. It has nothing to do with the Liddells."


    Frank stepped forward and red at Donovan. "I''m willing to give up all my assets!"


    "How much is your worth? It''s not enough!"


    Alfred said mockingly, "It looks like the Liddells'' genuine intentions are nothing special!"


    Turning to Noelle, he smiled and said, "I said all that on purpose. Hasn''t it tested how much their genuinity is worth?"


    She smirked and replied, "I knew without needing you to test them."


    Donovan scolded, "Noelle, why are you acting so smugly? Since you don''t know what''s good for you, that''s fine. I''ll make things clear before Mr. Parham. You''ve severed ties with the Liddells. Whatever trouble you get into has nothing to do with Liddells anymore!"


    He had to rify this as soon as possible to prevent their family from being dragged into this.


    Noelle replied calmly, "Haven''t we been unrted for a long time?"


    Donovan wasn''t content. "Even if you get into prostitution, it will have nothing to do with the Liddell..."


    Before he could finish, Cedric hurled a cup at him. There was still water inside.


    Cedric threatened, "Say another word that the Liddell Corporation will be bankrupt by tomorrow."


    Donovan was drenched. He red at Cedric, unable to determine who he was. Considering how Alfred was there was well, he stomped off.


    Frank stood in ce and looked at Noelle. "No matter what Donovan says, you''ll always be my sister. If you run into any trouble in the future,e to me for help."


    Alfred mocked, "That''s enough. Haven''t youe to her for help upon running into problems? When has she ever looked to you for help? Save yourself the shame, won''t you?"


    Frank couldn''t help but cough with a hand over his stomach. However, Noelle remained unmoved, as though she hadn''t seen anything.


    James was concerned. "Ms. Liddell, do you have any more medicine for Frank?"


    Noelle smirked. "The medicine?"


    "Yeah, he only feels better after having some of the medicine you prepared."


    "That doesn''t sound right. He loved Xenia''s medicine, didn''t he?"


    Noelle would always remember how Frank praised the effort Xenia put into preparing medicine for him while leaving the bowl Noelle got up at four in the morning to brew for him untouched.


    He was regretting it now, but it was toote for that!


    Frank said frustratedly, "Noelle, I just found out that it was your medicine which worked instead of Xenia''s porridge. I made a mistake. I was too blind to see the truth."


    James helped him. "Indeed, Ms. Liddell. He found out about his mistake a while ago."


    Alfred interjected, "If he found out a while ago, why is he only talking about it now? If you''ve got a procrastination problem, you could say this in the next life, really!"


    James shut up.


    Frank tried to exin, "Noelle, I just didn''t know how to express it. I was scared you wouldn''t forgive me."


    The more he recalled what he did, the worse he felt and the more terrified he was of facing his problems head on.


    Noelle said coldly, "I''m giving you an answer now. I won''t forgive you!"


    No way!


    Frank stood in ce numbly, suppressing hisbored breaths.


    He asked hoarsely, "Would you forgive me if I died?"


    Frank bent down and picked up a ss shard from the floor to slit his wrist.

 Chapter 371

    Blood gushed out of Frank''s wrist and it sttered onto the floor. When Noelle saw the crimson liquid on the floor, she couldn''t breathe. She hadn''t expected Frank to do this to himself.


    She yelled, "Are you out of your mind?"


    James was terrified as well. He grabbed the shard and held Frank''s wrist. "Mr. Liddell, how could you not value your life?"


    It was as though Frank couldn''t feel anything. Looking at Noelle, he said, "After my death, I''ll leave thepany to you. Just remember me during my death anniversary."


    Noelle clenched her fists slowly, but Cedric took a step in front of her and blocked her line of sight.


    He looked down at Noelle and said, "Don''t look."


    Noelle stood in ce and looked down. Blood was pooling on the floor.


    "Mr. Liddell, let''s go to the hospital!"


    Frank remained unmoving, staring at Noelle insistently.


    James screamed, "Ms. Liddell, I''m begging you to let him go to the hospital! He might die here, really!"


    Noelle closed her eyes. Why did they all have to force her into this?


    She left Cedric''s embrace and nced at Frank. Noelle walked over. Hope sparked in Frank''s eyes. She wanted Noelle to see how genuine his apology was! He was willing to die for her.


    Noelle walked toward him and hit his neck. He fainted.


    "Get him to the hospital."


    James couldn''t pay attention to anyone else. He called the guards in to carry him out.


    Donovan waited in front of the elevator but no one came. In the end, he was greeted by the sight of Frank being carried out, all bloody. His face paled. "What happened?"


    James wailed, "Mr. Liddell wanted Ms. Liddell''s forgiveness and went about it in an extreme way."


    He had tried to talk Frank out of it, but to no avail. If not, they wouldn''t be here today!


    Donovan was also scared out of his mind. He stumbled after James to send Frank to the hospital. Blood dripped from the office to the elevator. Noelle noticed it, but chose to turn around so she couldn''t see it. She hadn''t expected Frank to go to such extents for her!


    Cedric took a tissue and wiped off the blood on her hands. "This is a personal choice. Don''t be affected by him."


    "Yeah, Noelle. This is a form of emotional ckmailing."


    Cedric added, "Guilt tripping."


    Alfred nodded and said, "Indeed. He''s hoping you''ll forgive him through his extreme actions. Let''s not fall into his trap!"


    Noelle sighed. She watched him wipe the blood off her hands. Her eyshes trembled. Noelle had did everything to stop the thought from growing in her heart. Yet, at this moment, it had grown into a huge tree. Her heart clenched, but she averted her eyes, terrified that someone would discern her mood.


    Cedric checked her fingers. After they were clean, he straightened up and flung the tissue into the bin. "Have you handled your work today?"


    "Not yet, I was nning to talk about how to get rid of the bugs in our code during the meeting. It hadn''t expected the Liddells toe over and make a scene."


    Noelle had an unnatural expression on her face.


    Cedric asked, "Shall we start a meeting in half an hour?"


    Alfred replied hurriedly, "It doesn''t have to be that urgent. We can do the meeting tomorrow too."


    Couldn''t he tell that Noelle wasn''t in a good mood? Wasn''t it too cruel to expect her to work?


    Alfred shot nces at Cedric, but he paid no attention.


    Noelle shook her head and replied, "I''m fine. Let''s start the meeting in 30 minutes."


    She would not let the Liddells affect her life.

 Chapter 372

    They were strangers.


    Noelle watched the people before her and said, "I''m heading to the toilet.


    She left the office. While there was still blood pooling the floor, cleaners were already working on it.


    After Noelle left, Alfred couldn''t help butin, "You are horrible at taking care of people. You could''ve helped her home and consoled her."


    "She''s not a delicate petal who needs that degree of care!"


    Cedric nced at the blood on the floor. "It looks like the Liddells haven''t been taught a hard enough lesson."


    "They should be taught a lesson. However, the Liddell Corporation used to be apany founded by Noelle''s parents. Even the name and the address had been picked out by them. If they went bankrupt, would they be sad?"


    After all, this was a form of inheritance.


    Cedric was stern as he turned and left toward the toilet. He had seen Noelle head to the fire escape. She sat on the stairs, lost in a daydream. The scene of Frank slitting his wrist was ying on repeat in her head. She couldn''t get it out.


    Cedric sat beside her and asked, "Do you need some constion?"


    She turned to him, not knowing whether she should''veughed or cried. "What are you doing here?"


    "I''m here to console you."


    Cedric patted his shoulders and said, "I''ll lend you my shoulder for free."


    She nced at him and leaned on the shoulder. Closing her eyes, she said, "Do you think I crossed a line?"


    "Have you forgotten how he scolded you? During your exam, Frank prepared broken stationery for you and that nearly cost you your grades."


    Noelle inhaled deeply and answered, "I know."


    Cedric tapped her forehead and said, "You''re too nice. Lower your moral threshold. Have you heard how people say that low moral thresholds are the key to a happy life? Didn''t you tell your fans in the livestream that you were an immoral woman?"


    Augh broke out of Noelle. "Stop talking. It''s not even funny."


    She paused for a moment before saying, "I do hate them, and I''ll never forgive them."


    She then continued, "However, when we were young, they were really nice to me. They cradled me in the palm of their hands and treated me with absolute care."


    However, this all came to a halt after Xenia showed up. Noelle had only been a few years old when her parents passed. When they were nice to her, it was amazing. However, when they mistreated her, it nearly cost her her life.


    Cedric looked down at her conflicted expression, feeling bad for her. "However, you''ve paid for the consequences. You don''t owe them anything."


    Noelle considered how she died in her past life. Indeed. She had died once and paid them back.


    After saying all this, she felt much more rxed. Noelle realized that she was leaning on Cedric''s shoulder. He had an arm slung naturally around her. From a distance, it probably looked like he was embracing her.


    Noelle looked down and didn''t move. They were silent, remaining in the same position.


    Her heartbeat picked up uncontrobly. Worried he would hear, she looked up hastily and asked, "Is it almost time?"


    Cedric looked down at the same time and his lips brushed across her forehead. It was an ident neither had seening.


    Noelle stood up hastily. "I''m heading off to the meeting."


    She nearly missed a step on the staircase. Cedric pulled her into his arms and said, "Be careful."


    Noelle''s ears turned red. They were very close. Everything was silent, except for their racing heartbeats.


    She looked up and made eye contact with Cedric. The distance between them decreased.

 Chapter 373

    Noelle watched his face close the distance. Her head had gone nk. Suddenly, they heard voices outside. The two of them then came to their senses. Noelle extracted herself from his arms and left without looking back.


    Cedric stood in ce. His eyes were dark as he lifted a hand to touch his lips. He had to admit that there were some things which were out of his control. His desire was to get close to her, hug her, and kiss her.


    He leaned against the wall and massaged his shoulder. Instinctively, he pulled a cigarette out and lit it.


    Noelle ran out. She stood outside and rubbed her face. In the mirror, she could see how flushed her face was. She walked over and sshed cold water on her face. After calming herself down for a while more, she left the toilet.


    She couldn''t help but watch the fire escape. Had Cedric left? Noelle didn''t walk over to confirm it and went back to her office.


    When she walked into the meeting room, everyone was present.


    Alfred sat in the center. Upon seeing Noelle return, he raised a brow. Why was she back this fast? Her face seemed a little flushed. How was Cedric consoling her? Noelle was silent and said nothing.


    Alfred said, "Since everyone is here, let''s begin."


    The manager remarked, "Mr. Greene isn''t here yet."


    Upon hearing the mention of Cedric, she felt like Alfred was looking at her. He smiled and said, "Don''t wait for him. Let''s begin."


    Noelle was dreaming a bit while looking at the documents in hand. However, she quickly adjusted. Noelle had found a solution to the bug they discovered and had written a proposal.


    When she focused on working, she forgot what happened.


    Alfred watched Noelle focus. He pulled his phone out and texted Cedric. "The meeting will begin now. Where are you? Noelle hasposed herself so quickly. Tell me how you helped her."


    Cedric replied, "Fuck off!"


    Alfred smiled mockingly. Hadn''t Cedric said she didn''t need to be consoled. In the end, he still went up and did it, hypocritical men.


    After the meeting, Noelle paused an drank water.


    She noticed that Cedric had returned to the office. Just now, she hadn''t paid him any attention. However, she averted her eyes quickly. When Cedric looked up at her, she turned to speak to her colleagues, looking very serious about something. However, she''d seem like a meek little kitten with no ce to go in the fire escape. She never made eye contact with Cedric after this.


    Alfred noticed. He mocked Cedric for it. Had Cedric fucked it up?


    After the meeting, everyone left gradually. Noelle tidied her documents and looked


    up at Alfred. "Right, I''ll be heading back to school. If there''s any problem with the project, I''lle over when needed."


    "Noelle, get some rest for the next few days. It''s the weekend after all."


    "Got it."


    Noelle nced over Cedric, grabbed her things, and left the meeting room. Cedric stood up and said, "I''ll take you."


    "It''s fine, I''ll take a cab back."


    Noelle walked even faster. Cedric watched her leave with Alfred saying, "How had you consoled her? Why is she acting like a mouse who just saw a cat?"


    "Don''t ask. You''re too single for this."


    Cedric left in her footsteps.


    Alfred was dumbstruck. He pointed at himself. "You''re calling me single? Aren''t you single too?"


    He was a long way from pursuing his girlfriend. His challenges had barely begun.


    However, after the doors to the elevator closed, it opened once more. Noelle watched as he strode in and stood beside her.

 Chapter 374

    Noelle knew that Cedric was here. She could see him in the mirror in the elevator. However, her face was growing progressively redder. She understood why people described how time stretched infinitely.


    When the elevator finally stopped at the ground floor, Noelle escaped with her tail between her legs. Cedric dragged her back and cornered her.


    Gazing down at her, he asked, "Why are you trying to run away?"


    Noelle was terrified. She turned away and said softly, "Let go of me first."


    "Answer my question first."


    "I''m not running away. I''ve always needed to get off on this floor. I hadn''t driven here."


    Cedric replied lowly, "But I drove."


    "What does that have to do with me?"


    "I can fetch you there."


    Noelle looked up at him. Her head was spinning. She had no idea how to reply. At that moment, the door opened. She heard voices outside. Noelle was extremely nervous and pushed at him. Others would see.


    Cedric remained unmoving. He said calmly, "I''ll fetch you there."


    He was not giving her the opportunity to negotiate. The elevator doors opened. The voices outside had ceased. Noelle was in a tizzy. "Fine, get off me first."


    He backed away slowly and nced at the people outside, a warning glint in his eye.


    However, the people outside turned to Noelle and enquired, "Do you need help?" Noelle shook her head and said, "It''s fine, thanks."


    She ran out of the elevator, her face flushed. Cedric stood behind him and said, "Never seen someone appease his girlfriend?" He strode past them, leaving the bystanders confused. They had never seen people sweet-talk their girlfriend like a gangster.


    Noelle rushed forward with her face flushed. How embarrassing. What was Cedric on?


    The sound of a horn ring from behind stunned her. Cedric rolled the windows down and said, "Get on."


    Noelle ignored him. She was a little angry.


    Cedric followed her. "With those short legs of yours, you wouldn''t be able to get home if you walked for 24 hours."


    "I''ll get a cab!"


    Noelle continued walking with Cedric tailing her. She felt a little anxious. "Noelle, get into the car!"


    She ignored him and gged a cab. Then, she got in and left.


    Cedric watched her leave helplessly. He parked the car by the roadside and texted Noelle. "Are you mad?"


    Noelle received his message but sent him a fist emoji.


    There had been people outside of the elevator. How could he be so shameless?


    Cedric sent her an apologetic emoji.


    Noelle couldn''t help but giggle. He was getting smoother. Then, her phone rang. Upon seeing the caller ID, she didn''t pick up. However, another call came in subsequently. She still didn''t pick up.


    One was from Donovan and the other was from Lucas. After a while, James called her. After a moment of hesitation, she picked up. James was one of the few people who were nice to her in her past life.


    She asked coldly, "What do you want from me?"


    "Noelle, Frank is in the emergency room. We have no idea whether he''s dead or alive. Lucas received a notice and he''ll be detained for investigation soon. Are you happy now?"


    It was Donovan.


    Noelle stared at the sky outside and said, "It had nothing to do with me."


    James said hurriedly, "Ms. Liddell, he''s not doing well. If something happens to


    him, would youe to see him for thest time?"


    Noelle pursed her lips. Thest time?

 Chapter 375

    Noelle said nothing for a while.


    Donovan continued, "Noelle, you''re not allowed to see him at the hospital. You were the one who caused Lucas and Frank to be in this situation. You should be too shameless toe!"


    James was extremely anxious. He asked, "Mr. Liddell, how could you say that?"


    "Am I wrong? Why is Frank in the emergency room?"


    "However, he did this willingly. The person he wants to see the most is Ms. Liddell. Those are his wishes. You can''t stop him!"


    James begged, "Ms. Liddell!"


    "I didn''t say I''d go to the hospital. He just lost some blood. Frank''s not going to die."


    Noelle wasn''t dumb. She wouldn''t go running to the hospital just because he inflicted some pain on himself.


    She had died alone in her past life. All her brothers were by Xenia''s side. Noelle just hung up.


    James watched her hang up. He felt helpless and couldn''t even straighten up.


    Donovan stared at his phone incredulously. "Did she just hang up like that? Is she really not going to take a look at him? The patient in the emergency room is her own brother!"


    "Mr. Donovan, hadn''t you prohibited her froming?"


    "I said it in a fit of rage. How could she note?"


    James smirked. "Mr. Donovan, there''s no need to insult your family. Peaceful interaction should be the goal."


    "Am I not interacting with her peacefully?"


    "Mr. Donovan, you were able to navigate insults from your enemies with grace. Why do you have to be so mean toward Ms. Liddell? I don''t understand. Shouldn''t you be more patient and epting of her?"


    James didn''t get it.


    Frank understood now, but Noelle had been devastated. It was toote for regret.


    Donovan didn''t know what to say. He didn''t think he was wrong. Noelle had made a mistake. Did she want him to apologize to her and appease her? He was her elder brother! No way!


    Xenia would''ve never behaved like that. Frank was wheeled out of the operating theatre in the middle of the night. Although he was half-conscious, he was mumbling Noelle''s name.


    Donovan felt bad. "You''re in this condition. Yet, you''re still thinking of that ungrateful girl, Noelle?"


    Amos said, "Mr. Liddell, there are no longer hackers moving in on the system. However, our stock prices are plummeting. The shareholders are asking for an exnation."


    "Got it. We''ll talk about this tomorrow."


    He turned to James and asked, "You have seen Alfred in Aldoria before, right? Who was the man beside Noelle?"


    "He was the school medic in Noelle''s high school. He''s got a good rtionship with Mr. Parham."


    Donovan narrowed his eyes. "Is he just a school medic? Have you looked into him?"


    "We have. He''s just a regr school medic. Back then, Ms. Liddell left home to stay with him. However, she was protected by Mr. Parham so we failed to find where she was living with."


    Was he just a regr school medic?


    It looked like Donovan had been wrong. After all, Alfred seldom went to public events. He wouldn''t be able to enter their circle of friends.


    He probably wouldn''t go to a high school to be a small school medic. After all, he came from such a prominent background.


    They probably knew each other out of blind luck. Donovan sighed in relief. As long as he wasn''t, it would be fine.


    Noelle didn''t go back to school. She went back to her ce. She still needed to do her live streams.


    Upon getting back, she saw the male shoes by the side of the door. She kicked them aside before stuffing it into a drawer.


    Noelle did not have much of an appetite, so she didn''t eat much. When she turned on her stream, she wasn''t in a good mood. However, she still began a PK ranked match.


    The game had released a new character, so Noelle showed them how to y it. Before finishing her stream, she chatted for a bit. Someone mentioned the stock prices of the Liddells plummeting.


    Noelle nced at thement and replied, "I no longer have anything to do with them. I don''t care."


    She had argued with amenter ferociously. Everyone knew that she was amazing at roasting others.


    After the stream ended, Noelle rubbed her stomach. She was feeling a little hungry.

 Chapter 376

    Noelle had just turned herptop off when she heard knocking at her door.


    She went to the door and asked, "Who''s that?"


    "I''m delivering food."


    Noelle opened the door. "I hadn''t ordered anything."


    "I haven''t got the wrong address. Your name is Noelle, right?"


    "Yeah, that''s me."


    After confirming her name, he handed her the food and left.


    She found this a little weird. There were only three people who knew she lived there. Cedric, Alfred, and Grace.


    Noelle received a text from Cedric saying, "Remember to eat."


    She nced at the food. He was the one who ordered it for her.


    After sitting down, she replied, "Who asked you to order food for me? I can order it myself."


    "Aren''t I trying to make you feel better?"


    Noelle smiled when she saw his text. However, she forced her upturned lips back to their original position.


    She did not have much of an appetite just now, but now she was hungry, not to mention how the food was to her liking.


    After finishing her meal, she nced at their chat but didn''t reply.


    The next day, Noelle woke up without an rm. At night, she had to attend an esports g.


    She took her phone and replied to Grace''s message. She was waiting for her toe back to the ce and change before heading out together.


    A message popped up which said, "Open the door. Lunch is here."


    Her mood improved greatly. She texted Cedric, "Thanks, man."


    "You''re not angry anymore?"


    "I was never angry in the first ce."


    When Cedric saw the text, he smirked. She was saying that she never felt angry?


    Cedric put down the phone. He heard Magnus scream, "Cedric, you''re back? Why didn''t you tell us?"


    Cedric red at Magnus and pushed him away.


    Emma walked out and said, "Magnus, you''re at this age already. Stop clinging on to Cedric."


    "I just want to speak to him."


    Magnus wanted to know whether he agreed to Noelle''s conditions! He didn''t want to back out.


    Emma felt her temples pulsing as she turned to Magnus. "Weren''t you going to some esports event? Go early."


    Cedric turned to Magnus and asked, "What kind of event is it?"


    "It''s a gathering. I heard that Team Yole was invited as well. My manager really wants to hire the captain of Team Yole."


    Magnus had said this on purpose to convince Cedric to go. Emma was curious. "Are they very skilled?"


    Cedric frowned. There was a warning in his eyes when he turned to Magnus, who slunk away in response.


    Emma shook her head and sighed. "I would regard it as a blessing if he was half as mature as you. It''s a rare asion for you toe home. The Merlocks have asked multiple times when we''re free to have dinner with them."


    "Mom, I''m really busy. Don''t agree to those events on my part. You''ll be the one embarrassed."


    Emma was about to say something else. However, Gordon interjected, "Mr. Greene, Mrs. Greene is waiting for you in the back garden."


    Cedric stood up and walked over.


    Anastasia was in her chair. Waving to Cedric, she said, "Come over and help me with the upkeep of the branches."


    Cedric took the shears from her.


    "I heard that you met a girl you like in Aldoria?"


    "Grandma, it''s nothing conclusive."


    "My grandson is really handsome. As long as you''re willing to pursue her, who wouldn''t fall for you?"


    Cedric paused. He turned to her and hesitated. With a bitter smile, he said, "Grandma, she''s the girl from back then."


    The cup in her hands shattered onto the ground.

 Chapter 377

    Anastasia hadn''t expected this. She stared at Cedric withplicated emotions swirling in her eyes.


    After a while, she said, "You know that it''s impossible for the two of you. With that ident..."


    No one could forget the death of their parents.


    Cedric bent down in front of Anastasia.


    She said, "If you feel bad, you canpensate her for it. This is your best option."


    With a lowered voice, he said, "I know."


    However, he couldn''t control it. His heart had sparked for her, and eventually he fell for her.


    Sighing, Anastasia said, "It looks like she''s a good girl. That''s why you fell for her, right?"


    "Grandma, you have no idea how bad she''s been doing. All her brothers ignored her and oppressed her."


    He paused before continuing, "I thought I''d been logical enough. I thought I''d be logical enough to not get into a rtionship. However, I couldn''t stop myself from developing feelings for her."


    Anastasia knew Cedric. If he hadn''t fallen for her, he would not have told her about it. She was wise enough to pick up on the nuances.


    He knew what he wanted. He had fallen for Noelle. Since he liked her, he would do his best to make it happen. This was why he came home.


    Anastasia hit him and asked, "Hey, what are you trying to trick me into doing?" "Grandma, I don''t need anything from you, but I need your support."


    She considered it for a moment and said, "At the end of the day, the ident wasn''t your doing. It was just that, an ident. She was unlucky. I don''t understand. The ident wasn''t that serious. Why did it blow up all of a sudden?" If only her parents hadn''t died.


    Cedric said hoarsely, "I haven''t told her anything."


    He didn''t know whether he had the right to. He was on the brink of backing away, yet he hesitated.


    "If you like her, go for it. Let her see your intentions. However, you''ve got to find


    an opportunity to tell her who you are, and be forting about what happened back then."


    Cedric nodded and said, "I know. Would you ept her?"


    "I don''t approve of your rtionship."


    Cedric said nothing.


    Anastasia could tell what his stance was. "You shouldn''t be worried about whether


    I ept her or not. You should consider whether she epts you after knowing the whole story."


    "I''ll find a way."


    "Let her go as soon as possible. It''ll benefit the both of you. There are so many girls in the world. Why are you so insistent on choosing her?"


    She knew him well, but she was concerned that both parties would be hurt.


    Cedric said nothing. He snipped at her bushes.


    There were many girls in the world but there was only one Noelle.


    He turned and went into Magnus'' room. He was spooked and began hiding his things away. Upon seeing that it was Cedric, he sighed and said, "It''s you, Cedric. Why didn''t you knock? I''ve got a right to my privacy."


    "Why are you hiding your dirty magazines away?"


    Cedric saw what he was hiding away. He pulled a chair out and asked, "What time are you going out tonight?"


    Cedric stared at him intently and said, "There''s something I need you to do. You must protect her during the event so she never gets hurt. Don''t let others bully her, got it?"


    "Got it. I didn''t need you to say that. I''ll protect my sister-inw!"


    Magnus pped his chest and said softly, "Noelle didn''t give you any oundish conditions, did she? For example, did she ask you to pull out of thepetition?"


    Cedric patted his forehead and said, "She''s not someone like that."


    "Why did she ask a question like that?"

 Chapter 378

    "Don''t ask questions you shouldn''t be asking."


    Magnus stuck his hands on his hips and said, "Cedric, you''re the one asking me to protect Noelle. You better respect me. If not, I won''t do it!"


    Cedric''s temples pulsed. He went forward and pressed Magnus onto the bed.


    "I''m in pain. Cedric, you''re murdering your own brother! I''ll tell Anastasia you''re beating me up!"


    Cedric asked, "Who were you telling to be respectful?"


    "I''m talking about you! You were the one who was begging me for something!"


    Magnus felt like he could finally triumph over Cedric. He would take this opportunity to lord over him! Cedric dragged him out of bed and out of the bedroom.


    While he walked, he said, "Let''s talk this out in the gym."


    Magnusid on the floor and screamed, "Help me! Mom, save me! I''m dying, Cedric is trying to beat me up."


    Upon seeing them, Emma turned and stared at the ceiling. "I forgot to put my mask on."


    He was dragged into the gym. Shrieks began ringing out.


    However, all the maids had gotten used to it, so no one cared. After a while, Magnus pped a hand over his ass and limped out with a ck eye.


    Anastasia and Emma sat on the couch.


    Magnus wailed, "Grandma, he beat me up!"


    She eyed him and said, "Why are you beating him up? Don''t do it again."


    Cedric said slowly, "I was just checking whether hisbat skills had gotten worse."


    "You were just taking the opportunity to beat me up!"


    Turning to Emma, Magnus said, "Mom, you saw what happened. Why didn''t you stop him?"


    "Your brother definitely did it for a reason."


    Emma was ecstatic. Finally, someone was here to deal with the little devil.


    He yelled, "I can''t stay here anymore!"


    He would go to the event and tell everyone Cedric''s true identity so that he wouldn''t be able to bag his girlfriend.


    Outside the g, Noelle and Grace got out of the car in gorgeous gowns.


    Grace was very excited. "I''ve never gone to a g like this. Many famous people from different teams participated."


    "We can ask for more signatures and give them out as gifts."


    Noelle was in a good mood as well. They signed Team Yole''s name on the registration counter. After all, she was here to bag sponsorships for the team.


    After Noelle went in, people came up and greeted her. After all, everyone knew how capable she was. The manager of Team Celestial wanted to recruit her for their team. However, no one seeded. Noelle wanted their signatures as well.


    Michael approached her and said, "You asked for signatures? There are so many people lining up for yours."


    "I''m asking for signatures for our team members as a gift for them. They''ve been improving."


    He couldn''t help and sigh. "It would be so great if you entered my team, wouldn''t it?"


    "Everyone has their own dreams."


    Noelle''s dream had been to get into Team Yole in herst life. Not only had she gotten in, she was team captain.


    After a moment of hesitation, Michael asked, "I heard of what happened with the Liddells. Are you alright?"


    "I''m fine. They deserved what they got."


    "They really did. You''re growing bolder by the minute."


    She turned around and saw a man and womaning over. They were old acquaintances of hers.


    It was Xenia and ke. She hadn''t expected him to be out this quickly.


    ck said seriously, "Noelle, now that I''m back, I''m going to teach you a lesson."

 Chapter 379

    Noelle listened to ke''s familiar intonations and felt like giggling.


    How could he be so confident that he would still be able to control her life?


    Noelle raised a brow and questioned, "Who do you think you are?"


    "I''m your brother. Have you forgotten how I taught you?"


    ke observed her rebellion and couldn''t suppress the anger growing within him. "That''s why everything in our family has been going to hell. Noelle, look what you''ve done."


    The firewall for the system in Donovan''spany wasn''t functioning properly while Frank lost his bid and subsequently half of his assets. Lucas was even detained for investigations. All of this had to do with Noelle.


    She chuckled and said, "This has nothing to do with me."


    "How dare you say that? Weren''t you behind the problem with thepany''s firewall malfunctioning?"


    "When they were hacked their systems failed, he begged me to help him fix it."


    ke''s expression froze on his face. Was that the truth? This was different from what Xenia told him.


    Upon picking up on that, Xenia exined, "ke, I said that she intentionally hacked into the system to force him to bend to her will."


    After ke heard her exnation, he turned to Noelle. He never knew how powerful she was.


    However, upon seeing her icy expression, he said, "Donovan put so much effort into founding hispany. As part of the Liddell family, you should take the initiative to help him. How dare you wait for him to beg for your help?"


    Xenia added, "I heard she even took two million inpensation from Donovan."


    ke was even angrier. "Noelle, do you even have a semnce of kindness? How dare you take so much from him?"


    Noelle dug at her ear and shot back. "What else should I have done? I''m not an idiot who would offer help for nothing."


    "Noelle, we haven''t seen each other in months. Why have you be like this?"


    ke was enraged. He stepped forward and grabbed her wrist. "Come with me to the hospital to see Frank and apologize."


    Noelle pushed him away.


    He stumbled and nearly fell over. ke stared at her incredulously. When had she be so powerful?


    Noelle wiped her hands. "Don''t touch me."


    "Noelle, Frank is half-dead in the hospital. He nearly died because of you. Why aren''t you going to at least take a look?"


    "I wasn''t the one who told him to self-harm. Don''t try to guilt trip me."


    Noelle knew that Frank slit his wrists just to force her into giving in. She nearly thought that it was really her problem and gave in.


    Thankfully, Cedric stayed by her side and helped her calm down.


    Frank really knew the right buttons to push. Every time she got into a fight with Xenia, he tried to mediate and solve their problems.


    However, Noelle was always the one who suffered in the end. Even the horrors she had gone through before the university entrance exams was regarded as things which could be water under the bridge with just an apology.


    ke''s eyes were bloodshot as he asked, "You''re utterly ungrateful. I''m asking you for thest time. Are youing to the hospital with me or not?"


    "No."


    "If you don''t go, I''ll never forgive you. I won''t give any fucks about you as well."


    In the past, she used to be terrified of pissing ke off. She was scared he would ignore her for the rest of their lives.


    Noelle chuckled. "What a perk! Do keep to your word."


    She turned around and left.


    ke was livid. He tugged at his tie and warned, "You better not regret this, Noelle."


    Upon seeing how angry ke was, Xenia consoled him, "Don''t be angry, ke. Noelle''s just holding a grudge."


    "She''s been holding a grudge for such a long time. It should be enough. How much are we supposed to give?"


    ke hadn''t thought so much had happened since he left.

 Chapter 380

    Noelle was getting more extreme by the day.


    Xenia sighed. "ke, it was all my fault. Noelle doesn''t like me."


    "It''s not your fault."


    "However, Noelle''s about to sign a contract severing her rtionship with the Liddells. Frank and Lucas feel bad for her, especially Frank. He doesn''t even like me anymore. They think that my presence in the Liddell family frustrated her enough to leave home."


    ke felt bad for her. "Don''t me Frank for this. He''s always pampered Noelle. Don''t worry. With me here, I won''t allow you to get hurt."


    "I''ll listen tot whatever you say, ke."


    She nodded obediently and said, "ke, I''d like to develop my career and try out in the entertainment industry. After all, I''m an adult. I shouldn''tze around the house. I would like to make money and earn my own keep."


    "Alright. I''ll arrange it for you and make you into the next biggest celebrity."


    "Really? I''ve got a friend, her name is Samatha. She really likes your shows. Could you give her a signature and take a picture with her?"


    "Of course. I''ll do it for you."


    "In that case, let''s head over. Are you going to continue trying to talk Noelle out of this?"


    ke''s expression turned even colder. "No need for that."


    Giving her the silent treatment for a while after making a mistake would make her realize her mistakes.


    He would leave her alone and teach her a lesson.


    ...


    Noelle went to the buffet area and snacked on some food.


    Michael approached her and said, "Are you alright? Why are all your brothers like that? You''re their biological sister?"


    Michael was getting pissed as he watched on from the sidelines.


    Noelle sneered. "They''ve always been like that."


    "That exins why you wanted to break ties with them. If it were me, I would''ve blown them up."


    How anger inducing.


    Not only were they not treating her as their own sister, they weren''t even treating her with the respect warranted by a person.


    Noelle smiled and changed the topic. "Most of the sponsors for the team have pulled out. I need to find new ones. Do you know any ones you could introduce me to?"


    "Easy. Come with me."


    Noelle followed Michael to the other side of the room. There were many people grouped together. However, they were decked out in suits and ties. Clearly, they were corporate yers.


    Michael walked up to them and struck up a conversation. "Some introductions are in order. This is Noelle Liddell, she''s the captain of Team Yole and will be participating inpetitions next year. You''ve probably heard of her."


    Noelle went over and greeted them. Then, she gave a simple introduction for her situation and said how they would enter thepetition next year. In the end, she mentioned the issue with sponsorship.


    One of the managers said, "Everyone is excited for Team Yole''s achievements next year. There shouldn''t be a problem with sponsorship. We can talk about it at ater date."


    "Ourpany can help as well. Here''s my card. We''ll talk about it soon."


    Noelle sighed in relief. It looked like sponsorship problem had been solved.


    "You should reconsider whether you want to sponsor Team Yole. They don''t even want sponsorship from the Merlocks, let alone the rest of you."


    Samantha sashayed out in a luxury dress with Xenia and ke nking her. Xenia watched on from the sidelines. She would not allow Noelle to achieve her dreams.


    Noelle''s expression turned cold. "Samantha, would you like me to tell everyone about the moneyundering businesses of the Merlocks so everyone can learn from your experience?"


    Noelle told everyone about their moneyundering scandal. Since Samantha wanted to cause trouble with her, Noelle wouldn''t hold back.


    ke roared, "Careful with what you''re saying! Are the Merlocks people you can afford to piss off? Apologize to Ms. Merlock, you hear me?"


    Noelle smirked. "Who are you to tell me that?"


    ke raised his voice and said, "Noelle, don''t force me to hit you and teach you a lesson. Apologize!"

 Chapter 381

    Noelle nced at ke mockingly.


    Upon seeing her expression, his anger reached new heights. ke raised his hand to hit her but she stood in ce, her gaze dark.


    ke tried to hold himself back. However, in the end he grabbed her arm and attempted to drag her to Samantha to apologize.


    As his hand approached her, Noelle took it and twisted his arm. He turned pale. Although ke wanted to fight back, struggling only caused him further pain.


    Samantha''s expression changed. She stepped forward to stop her. "Noelle, what are you doing? Let him go!"


    "Noelle, let go. Are you trying to break his arm?"


    Xenia was anxious. However, satisfaction glimmered in her eyes. After all, ke was an award-winning celebrity. He wouldn''t forgive Noelle for treating him like this in public.


    Since Frank and Lucas were now on Noelle''s side, she had to stop her other brothers from crossing over.


    Noelle let go and said lightly, "Mr. ke, you were the one who started this. It''s just self-defence."


    ke was embarrassed. He hadn''t expected Noelle to be such a skilled fighter. Was she still the cowardly, timid sister he remembered?


    Xenia stood in front of ke and said, "Noelle, you''re too much. He did this for your own good."


    "I''ll give it to you. I don''t need it."


    ke''s embarrassment morphed into anger. "Alright, fine. Noelle, I know what kind of person you are now. This time, I was going to give you a lift in your job. Since you look down on everything in the Liddell family, you can''t me me for giving it all to Xenia."


    In the past, Noelle was terrified that he would do so.


    However, ke didn''t see even a hint of terror on her face. This scared him. Was he not scared that he would give everything to Xenia ?


    Noelle said coldly, "Whatever. I never wanted any of the resources you could provide me."


    She had always been trailing behind ke, helping him write scripts and mapping out his new television series. It was because she wanted to have a good rtionship with him and help him. It had never been to get anything from him.


    ke didn''t believe her. "We''ll see how long you think so."


    Xenia was ecstatic, but she couldn''t show it. "Noelle, ke''s kidding. How could I get resources which we were supposed to go to you?"


    "Xenia, don''t say that. ke will keep to his promise. Since she''s ungrateful, there''s no need for me to treat her this well."


    ke was humiliated. He turned on his heels and left. Noelle found this hrious. All the resources he was going to give her went to Xenia.


    They used these resources to threaten her. However, she never cared about things like this in her life.


    Xenia was in a great mood as her n had seeded. ke would not forgive her.


    Samantha felt bad for ke. She red at Noelle in anger and scolded, "I''ve never seen a woman as ungrateful as you are. He treated you so well but you didn''t give a damn."


    Xenia replied, "Ms. Merlock, Noelle is quite famous now. I heard that her signing bonus amounted to a million dors. She probably thinks she doesn''t need ke''s help."


    "Is that a lot? It''s not even close to how much I get for allowance per year."


    Michael couldn''t help but mock, "However, all of her money was self-made. You asked daddy for money. How could this be the same thing?"


    Samantha was rather humiliated. She red at Michael and said, "How dare you scold me? When I get back, I''ll ask daddy to teach you a lesson. You''re just a small gaming team!"


    She came here just to teach Noelle a lesson!


    Michael leered, "Rumors about the Greenes and the Merlocks have been flying


    around for a long time, but no one has ever seen the infamous Greene show up in public with Laura. He hasn''t announced her identity as well. It''s not even confirmed yet. Why are you sucking up to them?"

 Chapter 382

    Noelle looked at Michael in surprise. Was there a story behind this?


    She had heard rumors about the Greene heir getting engaged to the Merlock daughter, but it had never been proven in public. It seemed to exist as just a rumor.


    Samantha was livid. "You''re just a random employee. What do you know? My brother-inw has been really busy. He''ll onlye home in the next few days where we''ll then have dinner together and talk about the engagement."


    Why else would she have apologized to Noelle in public? It was all for Laura''s engagement with the Greene heir.


    "Samantha, you must be mad. When has my brother ever agreed to dine with the Merlocks?" Noelle looked up to see that Magnus had arrived. He had a huge pair of sunsses perched on his nose, looking very mysterious.


    Was he here to exin all the rumors?


    Upon seeing him, Samantha''s face fell. "That''s the truth. We''vee to an agreement a long time ago."


    "That was my mom discussing with you guys. What does that have to do with my brother?"


    "Your mother was representing him in the engagement talks."


    "In that case, ask Mom to marry Laura. After all, it has always been my mom talking about marriage. The two of them belong together."


    Magnus'' words stunned the audience.


    Samantha burst into tears. "Magnus, don''t cross the line. Your mom agreed to the engagement herself. Aren''t you embarrassing her by saying so?"


    "I''m her disobedient child anyway. It''s not the first time I''ve embarrassed her."


    It was enough to have Cedric making Emma proud. It wouldn''t matter if he humiliated Emma a little.


    Samantha couldn''t stand the eyes on her. Yet, she couldn''t overpower Magnus. However, Xenia didn''t leave. She stared at Magnus in surprise.


    She hadn''t expected the captain of Team Celestial to be the second son of the Greene family. He was rich as fuck, much richer than Justin was.


    Xenia was excited. She had to bag him. Approaching him, she said softly, "Mr. Greene, Samantha has always been a little childish. She was just talking about the sponsorship for Team Yole."


    "Does Team Yole need sponsorship?"


    He ignored Xenia and headed toward Noelle, asking, "Why didn''t you tell me about this?"


    If she needed sponsorship, a word from her and it would be done. Thosepanies should''ve been ttered that she wasing out to speak to them personally.


    Noelle nodded. "In the past, the Merlocks were our main sponsors. Because of a few hups, they pulled out."


    She didn''t mention what happened.


    Magnus looked around at the sponsors and said, "What are you all standing there for? It''s an amazing chance that you should be valuing. If not, you''ll never have the chance to do so in the future."


    Noelle pulled him back and said, "I''ve spoken to them just now. We''ll iron out the details at ater date."


    "Yeha, Mr. Liddell. We never said we wouldn''t sponsor her."


    "That''s right. We''re willing to do it. After all, Ms. Liddell is amazing. She''ll be the underdog who wins the race."


    Magnus nodded with satisfaction and said, "That''s right. My s- Noelle is my friend. Take care of her."


    It was a direct order from Cedric.


    All of a sudden, Noelle realized that everyone''s attitude toward her had improved markedly. Xenia was furious.


    Why had all this gone to Noelle?


    She couldn''t let this slide. She went over shamelessly and remarked, "Noelle,


    when did you get so familiar with Mr. Greene?"

 Chapter 383

    Noelle watched Xenia while smirking internally. Was she eyeing Magnus as her next target?


    Noelle kept her distance. "I don''t know you well."


    The expression on Xenia''s face froze. She looked devastated. "Noelle, we grew up together in the Liddell family. Even though I was adopted, I treated you as a sister despite your dislike for me."


    Noelle grimaced. She was starting up again. How annoying. It was always this tactic.


    After putting on her pitiful act, she turned to Magnus and said, "Mr. Greene, my apologies for subjecting you to that. Noelle has always thought I''d take her brothers away from her, but that''s not what I''m trying to do at all."


    He raised an eyebrow and remarked, "Since Noelle doesn''t like you, you should take the hint and not appear before her."


    Noelle had made it clear she didn''t like Xenia. So, he wouldn''t like her as well.


    She stiffened, not expecting Magnus to say so. Didn''t men adore girls who seemed to be timid? Why weren''t her methods working on Magnus?


    Noelle looked at her with a smirk. "Did you think everyone would be as dumb as the idiots in the Liddell family for you to run circles around them?"


    The smile on her face nearly fell. However, she had to keep up her reputation before Magnus.


    She simpered, "Noelle, Frank is in the ICU. Lucas has been taken away and detained for questioning. Their team is on the brink of getting dissolved, and they even have to pay up for the breach of contract. Aren''t you concerned about your family members at all?"


    She wanted to wreck Noelle''s reputation before Magnus. There was no way she would allow Noelle to do better than her.


    Chuckling, she replied, "I''ve broken ties with the Liddell family a long time ago."


    "Noelle, how long are you going to hold his grudge for? Frank slit his wrists for you. Doesn''t your conscience hurt?"


    Xenia made a performance of a heartbroken sister, soft and naive. It managed to inspire pity in the men present.


    A man in an esports shirt approached Xenia and said, "You''re too kind. As an adopted child, you''ve given up enough in the Liddell family."


    Xenia nced at the ogre-like man before her. Who was this ugly man?


    However, she could benefit off him if he was willing to speak for her.


    Xenia wiped at her tears and turned to Noelle sadly. "I know you hate me, but Frank does care about you. He even wanted to give thepany to you as an apology gift? I''m begging you, go see him at the hospital."


    The suitor beside her was horribly saddened. He said, "Noelle, you''ve got no heart. It''s your own brother but you wouldn''t even take a look at him. It was all Xenia taking care of him."


    "It''s only natural that I take care of Frank, but I really hope that Noelle can go see him."


    Dabbing at her tears, she turned to Magnus. "Mr. Greene, you''re friends with Noelle. Can''t you talk some sense into her?"


    Would this help Magnus to see the real side of Noelle? Xenia wasparatively kind and obedient.


    Magnus nced at Noelle. She was emotionless. He had heard that she severed ties with the Liddells and that all her brothers pampered an adopted girl over her, giving her a hard time.


    During the finals, he heard how Noelle was oppressed and guilt-tripped by Donovan.


    Magnus chuckled and said, "I do need to talk some sense into her."


    Xenia smiled through her tears. "Magnus, you''re such a kind man. Thank you for helping me."


    She knew that no one could resist her acting.


    "I want to persuade Noelle to leave the Liddells forevermore. You''re all bloodsucking leeches."


    As he spoke, he shifted aside in disdain, looking at her with hatred.


    Xenia paused. Magnus hadn''t fallen for her tricks. He was speaking for Noelle? This wasn''t right.


    Xenia wanted to make her case. "Mr. Greene, I don''t know what Noelle told you, but the Liddell family''s door will always remain open for her. She''ll always be a part of our family. That won''t change."


    Her suitor echoed, "Xenia''s right. Noelle is an ungrateful bitch."


    Magnus pushed her and said, "Be respectful. You know nothing. Yet, you''re using her of things she hasn''t done. I''ll beat you up, yeah?"


    Xenia stuck a hand out and said, "Mr. Greene, don''t fight for me."


    "Who the hell is fighting for you? There must be something wrong with your head.


    I heard how you guys tried to morally coerce Noelle backstage at the finals. Stop pretending to be the good guy."


    After Magnus was done, Xenia''s pleasant expression was gone.

 Chapter 384

    Xenia hadn''t expected Magnus to have overheard the entire conversation that day.


    She braced herself to say, "You''ve misunderstood, Mr. Greene. Noelle has always disapproved of us."


    "With a family like you bunch of parasites, it''s no wonder Noelle disapproves. Hell, even I do! Now get out of my sight!" Magnus rolled up his sleeves.


    Xenia was reluctant to back down. "Noelle, Frank really wants to see you for thest time. Are you sure you''re gonna be this cruel?"


    Magnus grabbed a ss of champagne and sshed it on her. "Shut up."


    Did Xenia think he couldn''t see through her schemes? He despised such pretentious acts the most.


    Xenia screamed. She wore an expensive new dress today, but she dared not lose her temper in front of Magnus for fear of offending the Greenes.


    Instead, she turned to the man beside her and feigned weakness. Her protector indignantly stepped forward. "Magnus, don''t think you can pick on anyone you like just because you have the Greene family to back you up!"


    "Let me handle this."


    Noelle walked over with a ss of champagne and fixed her gaze on Xenia. "Stop with the guilt trip. Stay away from me!"


    Xenia hid behind her protector. She refused to embarrass herself in front of Magnus and had no choice but to retreat. She had to clean up her ruined dress.


    After she left, Noelle set down the ss of champagne and looked at Magnus. "You didn''t have to get involved."


    Outsiders might be inclined to believe she was cold and unfeeling for not visiting Frank onest time.


    "I can''t stand bitches like her. Samantha''s mother, Ruth, is one too, and she drives me nuts."


    Magnus had disliked Ruth since he was a kid. But unfortunately for him, she was Emma''s best friend, so he couldn''t escape the Merlocks.


    Plus, he ought to protect Noelle.


    Michael approached and advised, "Don''t let their words get to you, Noelle. The Liddells are clinging to you now because of your sess. They''re just trying to leech off you."


    "Exactly. It''s best that you avoid an emotionally maniptive family like the Liddells."


    Noelle nodded at their words. "I understand." She had long made that decision and would stick to it for a lifetime.


    Later, Noelle mingled with several industry contacts and exchanged numbers. One of them asked, "Ms. Nelly, are you single?"


    "Yes, I currently am," Noelle replied.


    A young man interjected, "How are you a step ahead? I''m your fan, Queen Nelly.


    If you don''t have a boyfriend, what do you think about me?"


    "Ms. Nelly, look at me too!"


    Magnus rushed over as he watched his unfold. He flusteredly drove them away. "Stay away from her! Don''t even think about it!" She was Cedric''s after all.


    "That''s not fair, Magnus. This is fairpetition."


    "Get lost! None of you stand a chance. Cross me, and I''ll flip out!" Magnus drove them away and wouldn''t let anyone bother Noelle. He knew Cedric wouldn''t let them off lightly if he found out.


    Noelle sighed and thanked him softly. "Thank you."


    "No problem. It''s my job to protect you. I''m a professional bodyguard, after all."


    Noelle nced at Magnus. She contemted briefly and said, "About what I asked if you''d quit the finals for someone else, don''t misunderstand. I didn''t mean anything by it."


    "I get it. You''re not like that. I trust you." Since Cedric had reassured him that Noelle wouldn''t get him to quit, Magnus thought not much about it.


    Noelle finally rxed after seeing how unfazed Magnus was. She set down the ss of champagne and said, "I''m going to the restroom."


    In the restroom, Noelle adjusted her dress and stepped out of the stall to see Xenia standing outside looking sour.


    Noelle ignored her and washed her hands.


    Xenia fumed. She lowered her voice and remarked, "I''ve underestimated you, Noelle. You''re cozying up to the Greenes'' youngest heir. Aren''t you afraid of the Parhams finding out?"


    Magnus'' protective behavior signaled his interest in Noelle. She wondered why thetter was this popr.


    Noelle flicked water off her hands and continued ignoring Xenia.


    But as she exited the restroom, she was blocked by ke, who sneered. "How dare you dream of climbing up the socialdder of the Greenes! Nowe with me!"

 Chapter 385

    Noelle looked at ke standing in front of her and snapped. "Move!"


    But ke didn''t bulge. "I was wondering why you''d suddenly changed this much. Turns out you''ve got a man backing you. Have you no shame?"


    Noelle coldly replied, "How am I shameless? Magnus and I are just friends."


    "It''s obvious to anyone that Magnus is into you after how he defended you earlier, but if Alfred finds out about what''s going on between you and Magnus, won''t he be furious?"


    Xenia''s words were meant to provoke. She hoped to see the panic on Noelle''s face, but thetter remained unfazed.


    Instead, ke was stunned. "What do you mean, Xenia? What does she have to do with Mr. Parham?"


    He had no idea about the events that had happened since he just returned.


    "I heard from Donovan that apparently, Noelle and Alfred are very close. He even gave her shares in a small techpany."


    ke immediately understood. So it was a sugar daddy situation.


    He red at Noelle and scowled. "It seems I''ve underestimated you. No wonder you''re so bold now since you''vetched onto Mr. Parham."


    He was utterly disappointed that Noelle had stooped to such behavior.


    Noelle''s gaze turned icy. "I''ll say this onest time. Alfred is my friend."


    She didn''t want to waste time arguing and turned to leave, but ke said, "I''m not done talking! Who said you could leave? If Mom and Dad knew about your disgraceful behavior, they''d be rolling in their graves!"


    Noelle''s expression darkened. She stepped forward to grab ke by the cor. "You''re not worthy of bringing up Mom and Dad."


    "How am I not worthy? Are you?"


    Noelle threw a punch and knocked ke to the ground. He could no longer get back up and stared at her in shock. He''d thought the previous incident was an ident, but now it was clear that Noelle''s skills were far superior.


    He looked at the unfamiliar Noelle and felt deeply conflicted.


    Noelle turned to Xenia, who instinctively stepped back in fear. "W-What are you doing?"


    She stepped forward and grabbed Xenia by the throat. Then, she slowly tightened her grip and uttered in a low voice, "Did you think you''d get away scot-free just because Frank took the fall for you?"


    Xenia struggled and coughed. "Let me go! It wasn''t my fault he chose to do that!" Frank had done it all willingly.


    Noelle watched her squirm with a cold gaze. "Your joy won''tst long. I''ll make sure you lose everything until you''re begging for death."


    She''d make sure Xenia ended up just like how she had been in herst life, locked in a mental hospital and tortured to death.


    "Fine, I trust you! Now let me go!" Xenia was genuinely terrified. Since when did Noelle be so strong? She didn''t want to die just like that!


    Noelle finally let go, and Xenia fell to her knees gasping for breath like a fish on the brink of death.


    ke climbed to his feet. "How dare youy a hand on Xenia! Her father saved your life!"


    "That''s why I spared her," Noelle replied.


    ke tried to stop her but realized he was no match for her. As he watched her walk away, he felt a growing unease. She had grown stronger, and this wasn''t the sweet sister who used to cling to him.


    Once outside, Noelleposed herself as if nothing had happened.


    The dinner party soon ended. Noelle found Grace and asked, "How''s the autograph collection going?"


    "Pretty smoothly. I told them I was from Team Yole. A lot of ssmates were fans and were happy to get autographs and take pictures."


    "It''s gettingte. Let''s go."


    As they were leaving, Noelle walked over to Magnus and Michael to say goodbye.


    Magnus followed her. "Let''s leave together. This dinner party is pretty boring anyway."

 Chapter 386

    Noelle nced at Magnus'' sses. "You''ve been wearing those sunsses all night. Is this your signature look or something?"


    "Ahem, yeah! It''s just for style! Pretty stylish, huh?" Magnus awkwardly adjusted his sunsses and struck a cool pose.


    Grace enthusiastically yed along. "So cool!"


    The group exited the venue.


    Noelle and Grace got into a cab and left, while Magnus stood there waving as the cab drove off.


    Michael walked over with aplicated expression. "Magnus, you have feelings for her, don''t you?


    Magnus had been glued to Noelle''s side all evening and acted like a protector. Anyone could notice his unusual behavior.


    "Nonsense! She''s my future sister-inw!"


    "Your sister-inw? So I wasn''t mistaken when I saw her in Aldoria with Cedric, was I?" Michael had always assumed he''d been mistaken.


    Magnus'' curiosity was piqued. "What was Cedric doing in Aldoria?"


    "I don''t know for sure. I just saw him with Noelle once, and I wasn''t certain it was him." Now Michael was clear that it had been Cedric.


    He raised an eyebrow and asked, "What about those long-standing rumors about Cedric being engaged to Laura, the eldest daughter of the Merlocks? Are they true or not?"


    If the rumors were false, how could they havested for so long?


    "Nothing''s set in stone. It''s all my mom''s wishful thinking. Cedric never acknowledged it, and she thinks he''ll give in if she waits long enough. That''s impossible."


    Magnus knew Cedric well. No one could change his mind once he made a decision.


    Michael suddenly grabbed his sunsses. "Who gave you that ck eye?"


    Magnus snatched them back and quickly put them on. "Cedric of course!" Cedric had punched him under the pretense of training and checking his skills.


    Then, he smacked his forehead as a thought struck him. "I almost forgot something important!"


    He had to tell Noelle about Cedric''s identity. He med Cedric for the countless beatings he endured and felt it was only fair to warn her.


    But since Noelle had left, all Magnus could do was text her. "I have something very important to tell you. Text me as soon as you''re home."


    He had to confess the truth tonight.


    Noelle noticed Magnus'' text in the cab. She couldn''t figure out what he might have to say.


    Grace hesitated before saying, "I think Magnus might have feelings for you, Noelle."


    "You noticed too?"


    "It''s hard not to. He stayed by your side all night, helped smooth things over, and made sure no one had the guts to offend you."


    Noelle felt a headacheing on. She didn''t have feelings for Magnus. Though she wasn''t sure if he was the man from her past life, she felt no romantic feelings for him either.


    Could this be fantasy meeting reality?


    ...


    The cab dropped Grace near the school and sent Noelle back to her apartment.


    Just as she got out of the cab, a sleek ck luxury car pulled up next to her, and ke stepped out. "So this is where you''re staying. Let me guess-did Alfred buy this ce for you?"


    Noelle''s face fell. "Why did you follow me?" Thest thing she wanted was for her address to be exposed to the Liddells.


    "I know you left home out of spite and need money to prove yourself, but you can''t resort to something as disgraceful as being a man''s mistress! You''reing home with me today!"


    Noelle defiantly red back. "Try me."


    ke waved, and a van pulled up at his signal. Several men in ck suits got out and surrounded Noelle.


    "Noelle, listen to me. Don''t go further down the wrong path."

 Chapter 387

    Noelle noticed the bodyguards close in around her and knew ke hade prepared.


    She took a few steps back and reminded him, "What you''re doing is illegal."


    "You''re my biological sister. Even if you call the police, they''d take it as a domestic affair."


    ke closed in on her step by step. "So what''s it going to be? Are youing with me, or should I make my move? Choose."


    Noelle sneered. "Do I even have a choice?" It was clear she didn''t and had to follow him. ke was the same as always and waspletely unyielding.


    ke walked up to her, snatched her phone, and red at her contacts. "This is the school doctor you mentioned, right? Too bad he can''t save you this time."


    Noelle looked at the bodyguards closing in and knew she couldn''t fight her way out. There were too many of them, and she''d only get hurt if she resisted.


    She knew ke well enough to know that a confrontation wouldn''t end well for her, so she gave up resisting and allowed herself to be dragged into the car.


    ke sat beside her in the car, and his tone softened slightly. "You''ve upset Frank so much he''s fallen ill. You''ve also thrown Donovan''spany into chaos, but you''re still our sister no matter what. Just apologize, and all this will be water under the bridge."


    Noelle stayed silent with a cold expression.


    ke red at her. "I''m talking to you. You''ve always been obedient and sensible, and everyone around me praises me for having such a wonderful sister. Don''t disappoint me."


    "Are you done talking?" Noelle snapped and turned to him. "Did they tell you I''ve severed ties with the Liddells? Donovan agreed to it himself."


    "He may have agreed, but I didn''t," ke replied.


    "That''s not what you said at the dinner party, Mr. Liddell," Noelle coldly said.


    When ke had been humiliated at the dinner party, he''d dered he''d no longer acknowledge her.


    "I''m your brother, not some Mr. Liddell! I was just mad, and I couldn''t lower myself to give in to you with so many people watching, could I?"


    ke took out an Herm¨¨s box. "I bought two scarves. One for you and the other for Xenia. They''re thetest styles alldies are into. You can pick them first."


    Noelle nced at the scarves and mockingly said, "Give them both to Xenia." "No way. One of these is for you."


    "Mr. Liddell, Xenia''s father has been a great help to the Liddells. If you can''t give both scarves to her, what will people say about the Liddells?''


    After she spoke, ke grabbed her chin with force and had an icy expression. "Noelle, you know I''m not a patient man. It''s been a long time since I''ve taught you a lesson. Don''t test my limits."


    "Ha! Did I say anything wrong?"


    "You did. In my eyes, you''re my only sister. Xenia doesn''t matter as much as you do."


    Noelle''s eyes glinted with sarcasm. "Being your sister is truly unfortunate since she always ends up taught a lesson."


    "If you get that a lot, it''s because you don''t behave. I used Xenia to discipline you, and it worked. Over the years, you''ve be much more obedient, but you''ve started acting up againtely."


    ke''s handsome face twisted with a cruel edge. "But you''re my sister, and I''ll teach you well."


    "Go ahead and try," Noelle taunted. She swung her fist and put all her strength into a punch to strike him square in the face.


    Her earlierpliance had been because of the bodyguards. Fighting them would''ve been futile and would only get her hurt.


    But now, it was just the two of them in the backseat of the car.


    Her punchnded so hard that ke instantly passed out. Blood streamed from his nose.


    The driver nced back at themotion in the rear seat and panicked. "Mr. Liddell!"


    "Pull over!" Noelle grabbed ke by the throat and threatened the driver. "Or I''ll snap his neck."


    The terrified driver immediately pulled to the side of the road. Letting ke go, she took the chance to get out of the car and escaped.


    But just as she turned, ke regained consciousness. He pressed a cloth over her mouth and nose before dragging her back into the car.


    ke''s voice echoed in her ears. "I prepared this for you earlier, Noelle. You were so cooperative I didn''t have to use it, but you''ve disappointed me."


    Noelle realized the cloth wasced with anesthetic. Her vision blurred, and she lost consciousness.


    ke released her and took the napkin handed to him by the bodyguard.


    The driver nervously suggested, "Maybe we should tie her hands, Mr. Liddell." Noelle seemed stronger than she looked.

 Chapter 388

    ke pped the driver across the face. "Whose hands were you nning to tie up? She''s my sister and the daughter of the Liddells. Understood?"


    Trembling, the driver immediately shut his mouth.


    ke closed the car door. "To the hospital."


    He touched his swollen face and winched slightly. Noelle had been training recently and knew how to fight back now.


    The car arrived at the hospital.


    ke carried Noelle and took her to a private VIP ward. He proudly announced, "Frank, guess who I''ve brought!"


    "Noelle? Why is she unconscious?" Frank''s eyes lit up with surprise and joy when he saw Noelle, but he soon noticed she wasn''t awake.


    "ke, what happened to Noelle?"


    ke pointed at his swollen face. "Let me tell you, bringing her here wasn''t easy."


    Frank gave up his hospital bed and carefully checked Noelle''s condition. Frowning, he turned to ke and asked, "How exactly did you bring her here?"


    "We were having a friendly conversation when she suddenly punched me so hard I passed out. Frank, she''s gotten pretty strong and a lot harder to control." Though ke was pleased with Noelle''s newfound strength, her defiance and hostility toward the Liddells annoyed him.


    "You''ve gone too far, ke. You can''t do that to Noelle. That substance harms her health."


    "Rx, Frank. I know what I''m doing," ke replied as he settled in a chair. A nurse came in to apply ointment and ice packs to his swollen face.


    Frank sighed. "Noelle is older now, and she has her thoughts. We can''t treat her the same way we used to."


    "But look at her. After the college entrance exam, she left home and went to Yasnia alone to attend college. Now she''s offended the Merlocks and caused Lucas to end up in detention.


    "If you''d been more assertive and kept her by your side, none of this would''ve happened," ke retorted.


    "This time''s different. We''re in the wrong." Frank hade to realize that none of this was Noelle''s fault.


    ke nced at the unconscious Noelle. "I was forced into istion and couldn''t go near her. On top of that, I had trouble with the production crew, so I had no choice but to leave. If I''d been around, I wouldn''t have let her end up like this." From when she''d been little, he had always taught her how to behave.


    Frank took off Noelle''s shoes and tucked her in. He lowered her voice and said, "I''ll handle Noelle, ke. Give me your word that you will not use those old methods again!"


    "Fine," ke replied rather impatiently.


    Just then, ke''s manager approached. "You have a schedule tonight, Mr. Liddell. Why are there injuries on your face?"


    "It''s nothing."


    "How can you say that? For an actor, your face is everything!"


    ke got up rather unfazed and nced at the sleeping Noelle. "Talk to her, Frank. I''lle back when I''m done."


    "Leave, but don''t treat Noelle like this again."


    "You''re happy to see her here, aren''t you?" ke countered with a question.


    Frank was at a loss for words. While he was d Noelle hade to visit, this wasn''t the way he wanted it to happen. It was like adding fuel to the fire.


    ...


    Noelle''s phone started ringing the moment ke left.


    Frank nced at the caller ID and noticed it was from Cedric.


    He pressed his lips and hung up the call without hesitation. Then, he set the phone to silent mode.


    Deep down, Noelle would always be part of the Liddells.


    After doing this, he turned around only to meet Noelle''s gaze.


    Feeling slightly guilty, he said, "You''re awake."


    Noelle wore an expressionless face as she got off the bed barefoot.


    Frank quickly fetched her slippers. "Put these on. The floor is dirty."


    Noelle extended her hand. "Give me my phone."


    "Now that you''re here, can''t you stay with me a little longer?" Frank asked almost pleadingly.

 Chapter 389

    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!"

 Chapter 390

    Noelle coughed somewhat awkwardly. "A doctor isn''t necessary."


    "Ms. Liddell, please. This isn''t the time to joke around."


    "I''m not joking. I knocked him out. He took my phone and wouldn''t let me leave," Noelle confessed somewhat unnaturally.


    James sighed in relief. "He wasn''t trying to stop you. He just wanted you to stay a little longer."


    "But they''d never asked if I wanted that. They''d never asked if I was willing to stay with them."


    James gave a bitter smile. "I understand, but Mr. Frank wouldn''t listen no matter how much I tried to reason with him. There''s no point in regretting it now."


    Noelle grew irritated knowing she couldn''t leave.


    Frank regained consciousness not long after. His eyes lit up with delight after seeing Noelle sit on the couch. "You''re still here, Noelle."


    Noelle coldly replied, "I''m going home to get some rest."


    "Sure. Have something to eat before you leave. I''ll have James send you home afterward."


    "I lose my appetite when you''re around. I just want to leave now." Noelle snapped. Her patience was running thin.


    Frank looked hurt. He knew Noelle had knocked him out earlier.


    James quickly stepped in. "Mr. ke''s men are guarding the door. Let Ms. Liddell


    go. Forcing her to stay will do more harm than good."


    Trying to force kindness onto someone would just backfire.


    Frank finally nodded. "Alright. Let me send you home."


    "No need."


    "You can''t leave if I don''t send you home myself. You know how ke is."


    Noelle had no choice but to reluctantly agree. The situation left her feeling deeply irritated.


    When Noelle and Frank walked out of the ward, none of the bodyguards had the guts to step in and stop them.


    James drove Noelle back. Thetter decided there was no point in hiding her address since ke knew where she lived.


    Frank tried to initiate a conversation throughout the drive, but Noelle remained silent and stared out the window.


    Frank sighed as he remembered how talkative Noelle used to be. After a long day at work, she''d always chatter away and share amusing stories to cheer him up.


    How had they ended up at this point as siblings?


    The car pulled up at the entrance of her apartment.


    Frank carefully said, "I''ll make sure Xenia stays away from you, Noelle. She won''t harm you anymore."


    "You do realize that Xenia isn''t the only one who''s hurt me, don''t you?" Noelle shot him a sarcastic look before getting out of the car.


    As soon as she stepped out, she spotted a familiar figure. "Cedric?"


    Cedric turned around and tucked his phone away when he saw her. He walked toward her hurriedly and asked in a voice filled with concern, "Why didn''t you answer your phone or reply to my texts?"


    "There was a sudden emergency." Noelle hadn''t expected ke to kidnap and send her to the hospital.


    Cedric studied her intently and sensed she wasn''t telling the truth.


    When Frank noticed Cedric, he quickly got out of the car and followed. The two men locked eyes, and the air was thick with hostility.


    Noelle shot Frank a cold look. "Leave."


    "I know I''ve made mistakes, Noelle. I was blind and clouded by my selfishness. I''ve made tons of mistakes."


    Cedricmented rather sarcastically, "Just a few words of apology, and you think you''ve done enough, huh? Isn''t the foster daughter still livingfortably with the Liddells?"


    "And let''s not forget that the surveince footage was destroyed. Donovan didn''t believe what I said."


    Frank looked troubled. "I can''t drive Xenia out now, Noelle. Her father died saving Mom and Dad, after all. He saved your life too."


    Cedric coldly countered, "How are you so sure that the driver saved Noelle''s life?"

 Chapter 391

    Cedric knew exactly what had happened back then.


    Sean hadn''t saved anyone after the incident. Instead, he''d run off.


    Cedric had gone over to check the situation and pulled Noelle out from under the


    car.


    Noelle stared at Cedric beside her and was startled. Why would he say something like that?


    Frank frowned. "You know nothing. Only Noelle was left crying by the roadside in the car ident. Mr. Quigley and my parents died in the explosion, and Mr. Quigley''s body was found near the car door. It was clear he returned to save them."


    Noelle knew that that was the conclusion of the police investigation, but why was Cedric questioning it now?


    Cedric avoided Noelle''s eyes when he met her questioning gaze. "Maybe it was some passerby who helped."


    He couldn''t understand why Sean had turned back either. It might''ve been thetter''sst pang of conscience, but now that he was dead, no one could ever know the truth.


    Frank countered, "That''s impossible. That road was newly established. There were no cameras around, and hardly anyone passed by."


    Noele turned to Cedric. "It''s a shame I can''t remember what happened during the ident. Otherwise, I''d know who pulled me out."


    She wouldn''t have ended up sitting on the side of the road crying for no reason. Someone must''ve saved her.


    Cedric''s gaze was dark and unreadable. In the end, he said nothing more because he couldn''t possibly tell the truth that he''d been present at the scene.


    Frank spoke with conviction. "This has been investigated thoroughly, Noelle. Sean saved you, and that''s the truth though you might have issues with her."


    Though Xenia had questionable character, it didn''t change the fact that Sean had done the Liddells a great favor.


    Noelle''s eyes filled with mockery. "I''ve never denied that. Looking at the life Xenia has had with the Liddells all these years andparing it to mine, I don''t think I owe her anything."


    Her tone was cold. Xenia had killed her in her past life, and she owed no one in the Liddell family anything.


    Frank gave a bitter smile. He understood that all too well.


    Noelle coldly continued, "If you want to repay her favor, do it yourselves. Don''t drag me into this."


    With that, she grabbed Cedric and walked off.


    Frank had wanted to stop Cedric from approaching Noelle, but he dared not go after them at this point. He could tell that if he did piss Noelle off, she mightpletely cut ties with him.


    Shortly after, she received a call from ke. "Frank, I heard you sent Noelle home."


    "I did. She can''t stay in the hospital forever, can she?"


    "I''ll go to her after work. There''s something I need to rify. She''s now suing Lucas. His career is ruined, and he''s now aughingstock."


    Frank sighed somewhat helplessly. "This isn''t Noelle''s fault. Lucas and Xenia brought this on themselves."


    "Isn''t this Lucas'' doing? What does Xenia have to do with it?"


    "That''s what Xenia told you, wasn''t it?" Frank questioned in return. He could guess Xenia must''ve pulled her tricks and would never admit the truth to ke.


    "I understand you don''t like Xenia, but you can''t doubt her just because you''re leaning toward Noelle."


    Frank decided to tell the truth. "Xenia copied Noelle''s files, and Lucas saw it happen without stopping her."


    ke hesitated briefly before replying, "That doesn''t sound possible."


    Xenia had always seemed obedient and considerate. She''d never had to be taught to behave.


    "There''s video evidence of it, and you just have to check the records at the police station. Xenia orchestrated the whole thing, and it had nothing to do with Noelle."


    With that, Frank hung up the phone. He wouldn''t allow the Liddell family to fall apart no matter what. The six siblings had to stay united.


    He resolved to sort out all misunderstandings of the past.


    Noelle and Cedric returned to the apartment. Though the former was in a poor mood, she didn''t let it show in front of Cedric.


    She nced at him and said, "Sorry about the mess. I''ve been busy these past few days and haven''t had time to clean up."


    "Did you visit Frank at the hospital?" Cedric asked.

 Chapter 392

    "Something like that. I''m going to change my clothes," Noelle said as she turned and headed to her bedroom. She needed a moment to calm herself down.


    Cedric was waiting outside when Noelle''s phone suddenly rang.


    ncing at the screen, he saw it was Magnus calling and answered the call without hesitation.


    Magnus'' voice came through. "I''m guessing you''re home now, and I have something really important to tell you."


    "What is it?" Cedric asked.


    His words were met with a heavy silence on the other end of the line.


    Magnus broke out in a cold sweat and asked, "Why are you the one answering the phone?"


    "Disappointed? Go on and say what you wanted to say."


    Cedric''s eyes narrowed slightly. It waste, and judging from how Magnus was calling Noelle, what could he have wanted to tell her that was of such importance?


    "I-I just wanted to say that you''re really amazing! Oh no, my phone''s about to die. Gotta go!" Magnus stammered and hurriedly hung up.


    He panicked and decided he''d have to lie low for a while. This could get dangerous.


    Cedric stared at the disconnected call. He doubted Magnus had anything good to say about him.


    Noelle came out not long after. She looked changed and much calmer. "Thank you for worrying about me."


    Apart from Cedric, no one else in this world would rush to find her simply because she hadn''t answered her phone or replied to texts.


    Cedric looked at her deeply. "Are you sure you''re okay?"


    "I''m fine. Frank has seen Xenia''s true colors. He''s now walking on eggshells and won''t do anything to harm me." Noelle avoided mentioning ke.


    Cedric seemed to notice but didn''t press. After a moment of silence, he asked, "Is it true that you remember nothing about what happened during the ident?"


    "Nothing. The doctors said it was post-traumatic amnesia. My body has sealed the memory to protect me."


    Noelle had never tried to recall the car ident on purpose, but today she felt she should. She wished to learn if it had been Sean who''d saved her.


    Cedric didn''t push further. "It''ste. Get some rest, and call me if anythinges


    up."


    "Okay."


    After watching him leave, Noelle shut the door and copsed onto the floor.


    She didn''t want Cedric to get involved. ke had an unpredictable temper. He''d started mingling with criminal gangs since middle school and now had connections that could smooth over a lot of trouble.


    He relied on his handsome looks to enter the entertainment industry and eventually became a movie star.


    ke had just been nominated for the Best Actor Award and had narrowly missed winning itst year. This year, he was likely to im the title with the help of a blockbuster movie and a popr TV series, both of which she''d written the scripts


    for.


    But Noelle was determined to stop him from continuing to threaten and intimidate her. She''d formted a n, and it''d just depend on how much ke valued this year''s Best Actor Award.


    The next morning, Noelle woke up after a full sleep and decided to head to the base in the afternoon to check on their progress.


    When she arrived at the base, she saw a crowd gathered outside. Some held support banners with ke''s name written on them. Noelle frowned and wondered why he was there.


    She walked into the base and saw ke surrounded by fans.


    The moment he spotted her, he walked over and smiled warmly. "Let me introduce a very important family member. This is Noelle Liddell, my sister."


    The fans around them screamed in excitement.


    Noelle kept a straight face and lowered her voice. "What are you doing? I have nothing to do with the Liddells anymore."


    Was that another guilt-tripping attempt?


    "You''ve misunderstood. I''m here to make peace. Frank told me about everything that''s happened, and Xenia misled me into treating you the way I did."


    ke had verified the footage earlier that day. It was clear Noelle had nothing to do with it.


    He continued, "I didn''t mean to upset you. Calm down, alright?"

 Chapter 393

    Noelle looked at ke''s handsome face and didn''t believe a single word he said.


    She knew all too well how much ke loved putting on an act both on the job and in real life.


    ke leaned closer with a faint smile and whispered, "I heard your team''s looking for a sponsor, so let me help you. Cooperate, alright?"


    Noelle had no intention of cooperating, but ke held her firmly by her shoulders and feigned intimacy.


    As they walked in together, media photographers waited. It was clear that ke had arranged all of this in advance.


    If they were somewhere else, she wouldn''t have hesitated to refuse, but this was the case now. If she made a scene, it would only bring negative attention to the team.


    ke had always kept his family life private and changed his stage name after entering the entertainment industry. Noelle couldn''t understand why he was doing this now.


    ke faced the cameras and said warmly, "Everyone''s curious about how I got the injuries on my face. Noelle did it. We''ve been sparring recently, and she''s improved a lot. As her older brother, I can''t even beat her now."


    ke''s public image was that of a warm caring brother.


    Sure enough, fans gushed and expressed their envy toward Noelle for having such a wonderful sibling. But Noelle''s expression remained cold.


    Suddenly, someone in the crowd called out, "ke treats you so well by giving you exposure and securing sponsorships. Why the long face?"


    Noelle looked up and saw Samantha and Xenia standing among the fans. That got her wondering if Samantha was ke''s fan.


    Xenia chimed in, "Smile a little, Noelle. People might think you''re mad at ke." Noelle''s hands clenched slightly. How irritating.


    ke nced at her sideways and lowered his voice. "Just cooperate. This is for your good, isn''t it?"


    Noelle fumed. She''d never asked for that!


    That was what the Liddells had always done. They''d force their so-calledpensation onto her and do what they thought was the best for her.


    "Why should Noelle cooperate with family members who have mistreated her? She cut ties with them, and I''m sure everyone is well aware." Ady in a baseball cap stepped forward.


    When Noelle saw her, her eyes reddened slightly. It was Rachel, her former ss president.


    Xenia froze and was surprised to run into a former ssmate.


    ke''s expression turned cold, though he maintained his smile. "This is something I''ve recently learned about. Noelle did have some serious disagreements with the Liddells, but she''ll always be my irreceable sister."


    Rachel pointed at Xenia and said, "What about her? You treated your adopted sister better than Noelle."


    Xenia bit her lips at the word "adopted". She hated to hear anyone bring up her background.


    Tears welled in her eyes as she said, "We were in the same ss, Rachel. I understand you were close to Noelle, but you can''t just make things up. The brothers have always been fair and treated us equally."


    "Fair is making Noelle run errands and fetch meals even when you two were sick. Fair is forcing her, a top scorer in the college entrance exam, to give up a spot at Yole University and attend amunity college with you. I''m sure no one would want that kind of fairness."


    Rachel knew exactly what had happened during those three years of high school.


    The crowd erupted in shocked murmurs. Even the reporters were stunned and hadn''t expected such sensational revtions.


    ke''s expression darkened. He leaned to Noelle and whispered, "Your ss president friend is loyal, but she shouldn''t have said all this in front of such arge crowd. Do you think I should teach her a lesson?"


    "You''re not allowed to touch her," Noelle warned. She knew what ke was capable of.


    ke''s smile widened. "Exin everything then, or your friend might find herself in trouble."


    Noelle clenched her teeth and turned to Rachel. She was grateful for thetter''s support, but she couldn''t let anything happen to her.


    She forced a smile and said, "That did happen, but they have nothing to do with ke. He''s always treated me well."

 Chapter 394

    ke''s smile widened after hearing Noelle''s response. He leaned in close and murmured, "That''s my girl."


    After interacting with fans for a while longer, ke wrapped up the meet-and- greet and left through the back of the base.


    Once ke left, the fans gradually dispersed.


    Samatha eagerly ran off after ke, while Xenia shot Noelle a jealous re. She hadn''t expected ke to show up and boost Noelle''s poprity. That didn''t make sense. She worked hard to drive a wedge between ke and Noelle at the dinner party.


    Something felt off, and Xenia resolved to approach ke and get to the bottom of


    it.


    Once everyone was gone, Noelle turned to Rachel and asked, "What brings you here?"


    "I went to the finals and heard you''ve been elected the captain of Team Yole. I''ve been meaning to visit you, and I didn''t expect to run into a situation like the one you''ve just been in. I had to speak up for you."


    "Why didn''t you text me beforehand?"


    Rachel smiled shyly. "I was too embarrassed."


    Their interactions in high school had been limited, and it wasn''t untilter that they grew closer.


    Rachel had always felt guilty about beingplicit in isting Noelle during those years, and it made her hesitant to reach out.


    "There''s nothing to be embarrassed about. Let me show you around the team. Didn''t you once say you''d love to visit Team Yole?"


    Seeing a former ssmate had lifted Noelle''s spirits considerably.


    But Rachel was concerned. "What''s going on with ke? Why is he trying to guilt trip you again?"


    She''d seen ke''s attitude toward Noelle and witnessed him p her in the infirmary. He didn''t seem like a good person at all.


    Noelle''s smile faltered slightly. "You know he''s always loved ying the role of a perfect older brother in public. That''s probably his way of exining the injuries on his face."


    "Wait, did you really do that?"


    Noelle nodded. "Yes."


    Rachel burst intoughter. "Good job!"


    Noelle gave her a tour of the base. Then, she introduced her to Grace and Tianna.


    Since Rachel rarely visited, Noelle decided to treat her to dinner with the team that evening.


    They left the campus together after practice, but a van parked by the road caught Noelle''s eye. She paused slightly and pretended not to notice.


    Then, her phone rang. There was a call from ke.


    Noelle knew that if she ignored him, he wouldn''t let it go.


    She stepped aside and answered the phone. "What do you want?"


    "Get in the car. I have something to tell you."


    "I''m about to have dinner with friends. Just say whatever you want to now."


    ke''s tone turned impatient. "I''ll say this onest time. Get in the car unless you want your friends to face trouble."


    Noelle gripped her phone tightly and nced at the van. In the end, she had Grace and Tianna take Rachel to the restaurant and promised to join themter.


    She walked over to the van and got in.


    Once she got in, she noticed ke and Xenia, who sat quietly with her head hung low as if she''d been crying.


    ke patted the seat beside him. "Noelle,e sit here."


    "I''m fine here. What is it that you want to say?"


    "I understand I was harsh at the dinner party and wronged you, but that''s because


    I was misled by Xenia."


    Noelle couldn''t figure out what he was up to.


    ke turned to Xenia. "Come here and apologize to Noelle."


    Xenia hesitated briefly before slowly lifting her head to reveal a noticeable handprint on her cheek.

 Chapter 395

    Noelle was surprised to see the p mark on Xenia''s face. It shocked her to learn that ke would actually p Xenia.


    She remembered how protective ke had always been of Xenia and how he always talked her into giving in to thetter''s whims.


    When she''d fallen into the water in her past life after an argument with Xenia, ke hadn''t bothered to ask what happened before ming her and pping her in the infirmary.


    Now his sudden change in attitude didn''t bring Noelle any relief. Instead, it made her feel he''d be more unhinged.


    Tears welled up in Xenia''s eyes as she choked out her apology. "It''s all my fault, Noelle. I shouldn''t have stolen your ideas or gotten Lucas and Donovan to nder you."


    Noelle remained unmoved despite her tearful apology.


    ke looked at Noelle and uttered in a gentle tone, "I''ve seen the video myself. It''s clear Xenia was at fault, and it had nothing to do with you."


    Noelle found his wordsughable. Did they all think this was enough to brush the matter under the rug?


    Her voice was cold as she said, "Got it. Is that all you wanted to say?"


    "Noelle, I''ve exined everything and had Xenia apologize to you. Stop sulking. You''ll just cause discord in the family."


    ke''s words sounded like a negotiation but felt more like a threat.


    Noelle looked up slightly. "I''m not sulking. Why should I go back when the Liddells treat me poorly?"


    "You''re right. I''ll talk to Donovan about this. Don''t you worry," ke replied. Then, he waved his hands in a magnanimous manner. "You have ns with your friends, don''t you? Go ahead."


    With that, Noelle immediately left the van.


    Once she was gone, ke''s smile disappeared, and his face turned cold. He turned to Xenia and warned, "I''ve always treated you well, haven''t I? I hate being lied to. Remember that."


    "Got it. I''ll never lie again," Xenia replied as tears brimmed in her eyes. It was only now that she remembered what kind of person ke was. His kindness toward her over the years had nearly made her forget his terrible temper.


    When she''d misled him at the dinner party, she assumed her tactics had worked. But the truth came out far sooner than she anticipated.


    ke''s tone softened. "Go home and put some ice on your face. I''ve arranged a role for you in my new movie. Here''s the script, and read it through."


    "Thank you, ke." Xenia''s expression lit up with delight at the sight of the script.


    "This is nothing. I remember how you brought reinforcements when I was ambushed by enemies back then."


    Xenia quickly lowered her eyes to hide her guilt.


    In truth, Noelle was the one who had gotten help, but Xenia couldn''t possibly reveal the truth now.


    ke hadn''t cared much for Xenia as an adopted sister back then, and it was only after this incident that he showed a change in attitude toward her.


    Xenia vowed never to expose this secret. Everything she owned right now was rightfully hers.


    After stepping out of the van, Noelle took a deep breath and finally felt better.


    She turned to nce back at the van icily.


    She wouldn''t let the situation drag on for long. If it hadn''t been for her concern about ke targeting Rachel, she wouldn''t have cooperated with his media stunt at all.


    After dinner, she saw Rachel off and returned to her dorm.


    Grace came up to her and said, "ke posted the interview from today at school on Instagram."


    Noelle tapped on it to take a look. The video was titled, "Meet my sister who gave me a beating."


    The video gained a lot of goodwill from casual viewers, and many praised him as a devoted and loving brother.


    Grace hesitated before saying, "Thepetitorpeting with ke for the Best Actor Award was recently exposed by an ex-girlfriend for domestic violence. ke''s timing and captions seem deliberate."


    Noelle''s lips curled into a mocking smile. "Exactly. ke never does things that don''t benefit him."


    His n exined his injuries, discredited apetitor, gained public goodwill, and forced her into cooperation. What a win.


    Yet, he imed his actions were just to reconcile with her.


    In her past life, Noelle naively believed her rtionship with ke was the


    strongest among the siblings. But when her attempt to expose Xenia''s giarism threatened his interests, he discarded her without hesitation.


    ke''s greatest skill was manipting emotions.


    Noelle tapped on WhatsApp and noticed Magnus'' text from yesterday.

 Chapter 396

    Magnus had mentioned having something important to tell Noelle, but she hadpletely forgotten about it after everything that happenedst night.


    Now she felt conflicted and wondered what Magnus had wanted to say.


    She noticed he called her. There was a call duration, which meant Cedric had picked up.


    Noelle texted Cedric. "Do you think Magnus has a girlfriend?"


    Cedric felt a sudden sense of unease when he saw her question. He frowned and replied, "As far as I know, no. Why are you asking?"


    "Does he like someone then?"


    Cedric immediately sat up straight when he read that text. He called her, and she picked up almost instantly. "Hello?"


    Noelle was surprised he had called. Could something have happened to Magnus?


    After a long pause, Cedric asked, "Why are you asking many questions about Magnus'' love life?" His tone was low and tense, and he was clenching his jaw.


    Noelle hesitated and replied, "It''s nothing. I''m just curious."


    She figured she might''ve been overthinking it. Magnus'' important matter could very well be entirely something else.


    Cedric narrowed his eyes slightly. "There must be a reason. You wouldn''t ask out of nowhere."


    After some time, Noelle said, "You answered Magnus'' callst night, didn''t you?"


    "Yes."


    "What did he say?"


    Cedric''s lips pressed into a thin line. "Nothing much."


    "Oh really?"


    "What do you think he said?"


    "I wouldn''t be asking you if I knew," Noelle replied matter-of-factly.


    Cedric pondered briefly and was relieved that Magnus hadn''t gotten the chance to say anything yet.


    Both sides fell silent after that, and Cedric was the first to speak. "If there''s nothing else you want to say, get some rest."


    "Alright, goodbye."


    After hanging up, Noelle decided to head to the gym and work on her boxing skills. If she were stronger, she wouldn''t have been so powerless in the situation she encounteredst night.


    ...


    Soon after, Noelle receive multiple calls from sponsors offering to support the team''s base.


    She knew it was all credited to ke''s interview. Now everyone at school knew she was the sister of a celebrity.


    It felt sickening as if she''d swallowed some disgusting spit. ke had done it on purpose.


    She looked over the recent expenses for the team and realized they were running low on funds. Sponsorships were essential.


    Just then, Cedric called again and asked in a deep voice, "Are you running out of money?"


    "Not me, but the team is. I had a conflict with Samantha, so the Merlocks have stopped their sponsorship and pressured otherpanies to cut ties with us as well."


    "Maple Enterprise is more than happy to sponsor. Why not ask?"


    Noelle hesitated. "I wanted to see if we could secure sponsorships without relying on connections."


    "Networking is a skill in business. Quit being that stubborn."


    Noelle chuckled slightly. "Thanks for the sponsorship boss."


    After hanging up, she was approaching the dorm entrance when someone


    suddenly sprayed her with white streamers. "Noelle, withdraw yourwsuit and let Lucas out!"


    Noelle raised an arm to shield herself. She noticed the group held signs supporting Lucas and was clearly his fans.


    She snatched the items from them.


    ke rushed out to step protectively in front of her. "Please calm down, everyone. Lucas'' incident is under investigation and has nothing to do with Noelle."


    "But we heard it was Noelle who filed the charges. What kind of vicious sister sends her brother to prison?"


    "You''ve misunderstood. Noelle wouldn''t file awsuit. She isn''t someone like that."


    ke turned to Noelle with a smile. "Right? Why don''t you exin to everyone?"

 Chapter 397

    Noelle eyed ke and quickly pieced together what was happening. It seemed they were trying to force her into agreeing not to press charges.


    The corners of her lips curled into a sneer. "Of course, I won''t press charges."


    ke smiled in satisfaction. He had expected Noelle to be smart enough to know what to say and what not to.


    But she shoved him aside and continued, "Because I was never the one pressing charges in the first ce. Lucas stolemercial confidentiality, and it''s Maple Enterprise that''s suing him."


    ke''s smile froze. He hadn''t expected Noelle to be this uncooperative.


    Noelle crushed the cans of streamers under her foot with a decisive stomp. Then, she shot the group of rabid fans a chilling look before walking away.


    The fans were intimidated by the sight of crushed cans and dared not stop her.


    ke had the fans cleared out and went after Noelle. "Stop right there! Did I say you could leave?"


    His face darkened as he caught up to her. "Xenia apologizedst night, and I''ve talked to Donovan. Everyone acknowledges their mistakes, and I was trying to give you a way out. What more do you want?"


    "Shouldn''t I be asking you that? The public doesn''t know Donovan was involved. If that gets exposed, what do you think will happen to you, a nominated Best Actor?" Noelle snapped.


    Her words "nominated Best Actor" hit ke right where it hurt.


    His face contorted in anger. "Is that a threat? You''ve grown up to the point where you don''t listen to our words anymore, haven''t you?"


    Noelle didn''t back down either. "I''m saying this for your good. Stay out of this mess."


    "I''m just trying to keep our family united and at peace. Donovan made a mistake, and I''ll get him to apologize. Just name whateverpensation you want, and I''ll make it happen."


    Noelle sneered. "I want you to stay away from me."


    With that, she turned and walked away, but ke wasn''t giving up. He quickly followed. "Do you think the media will believe your petty tricks and words over mine, a celebrity''s?"


    "You''re wee to try," Noelle replied.


    "If you leave, Noelle, your dear ss president and roommate will have a rough time."


    Noelle stopped in her tracks, and annoyance flickered in her eyes. She turned to face ke, and her voice dripped with sarcasm as shemented, "Threats are the only thing you can manage since we were young. What more are you even capable of?"


    "Say that again. I dare you!" ke''s expression darkened as he grabbed her wrist.


    But Noelle easily shook him off. She had such huge strength that he couldn''t restrain her at all.


    ke was stunned to see a different side of Noelle. She had always been the most obedient and fearful.


    Noelle''s expression was cold. "You can''t overpower me anymore." She would no longer stand by and suffer his p.


    "And you''re not afraid of what might happen to those around you?" ke taunted in an evil tone.


    "Did you forget I wrote the scripts for your recently aired TV series and uing movie? They bear your and Xenia''s names. Have you perhaps forgotten?"


    ke''s eyes shed with a dangerous glint. "What are you getting at? Those scripts were a group effort, and it wasn''t just your work."


    "Keep telling yourself that, but if I were to show everyone our chat history and your audio recordings getting me to write those scripts, your Best Actor nominee persona would crumble overnight."


    "Don''t you dare, Noelle!"


    Noelle''s expression remained indifferent as she countered, "Try touching the people around me and see."


    With a mocking glint in her eyes, she turned and left the campus. She breathed a sigh of relief and noted that ke cared deeply for the Best Actor Award.


    Later, she went to the gym and resolved to be stronger. Though her words might''ve made ke wary, she knew he was vindictive and would undoubtedlye up with new schemes.


    This time, however, she would neverpromise.


    ...


    After a few days of peace, Noelle arrived at the base only to find a production crew shooting a project.


    ke sat under a sunshade wearing sunsses. Her mood instantly soured at the sight.


    She knew he wouldn''t give up and would find ways to have her yield. How annoying.

 Chapter 398

    ke saw Noelle and got up. "You''re finally here, my dear sister. Do you want to act? I can arrange a role for you."


    "No ended. Who gave you permission to film at the base?"


    "The school did. I spoke to them, and we''re shooting a youthful TV series about Team Yole."


    ke''s face was all smiles as though their fight from a few days ago had never happened.


    Noelle figured that was why he was so quiettely. It seemed he had been lying in wait for her.


    "Why don''t you cameo in a role, Noelle? It''d be great to have the whole family in the same scene." Xenia stepped forward in a preppy id skirt and school uniform. Her hair was tied in a ponytail, and she looked as innocent as ever.


    Noelle''s expression turned cold. "Who said I''m part of the family?"


    Xenia walked closer to take her hand. "Noelle, I know you''re still mad at me¡ª"


    "Get lost!" Noelle yanked her hand away, and Xenia dramatically stumbled to the ground.


    Everyone nearby turned to look.


    Just as Xenia''s eyes reddened, and she seemed ready to use Noelle, ke helped her up with a smile. "What happened? Did you lose your bnce and fall over?"


    Xenia shrank back. "Noelle identally pushed me a little."


    "That''s not possible. Noelle isn''t that strong to push you over. You must''ve lost your bnce, didn''t you?"


    Under ke''s warning look, Xenia hesitated and reluctantly nodded. "I-I lost my bnce."


    "Now that''s more like it."


    ke''s smile widened as he turned to Noelle. "See? I''m on your side, so don''t go around saying I y favorites."


    Noelle found it all tooughable. She didn''t hesitate to raise her hand and p Xenia across the face.


    Xenia screamed, "What are you doing?"


    "pping you, obviously. Do I have to pick a special day for it?"


    Noelle had seen through Xenia''s fake stumble and wasn''t about to y along. Then, she turned away and walked straight into the base. They better not dream about getting her to cooperate with their act.


    ke quickly had his manager exin to fans that the earlier incident was just a rehearsal and not an actual conflict.


    Xenia stood pitifully at ke''s side. "My face is swollen, ke. I can''t shoot today."


    "I understand. Let''s take the day off, and we''ll resume tomorrow," ke uttered in


    a gentle tone. "And if your fans or ssmates ask about what happened earlier, you know what to say, don''t you?"


    "I do."


    ke''s voice turned cold. "That''s more like it. I''ll have to think of a solution to teach Noelle a lesson. If only she were as obedient as you are."


    Xenia seized the chance to say, "You told everyone that I was rehearsing with Noelle, but what if words get out that she''s not actually in the crew? Why not give her a role?"


    If Noelle got on set, she''d have plenty of chances to get back at her.


    "Good idea," ke echoed.


    "But I''m worried she might not agree."


    ke responded in amanding voice, "She doesn''t have a choice."


    Soon, Noelle received a call from the school. They pressured her into cooperating with ke''s request and taking a role in the drama.


    As the captain of Team Yole, she had little room to reject the order unless she were to step down from her position, but why should she give up her dreams for the Liddells?


    ke strode into her office and looked down at her with smug confidence. "I told you there are many ways to make someone fall in line. Are you going to cooperate or not?"

 Chapter 399

    Noelle seethed. Her expression was cold as she asked, "Are you sure you want me to shoot the TV series? Aren''t you afraid I''ll ruin it?"


    ke replied, "It''s fine. You''re my sister, after all. I can tolerate yourck of acting skills, but I won''t tolerate your disobedience and constant defiance."


    He ced the script on her desk. "Take a good look at your role. Xenia is the protagonist, and you''re the supporting bitchy character."


    "Bitchy character? You should get Xenia to y that. She''s a professional."


    "Jealous, are we? Admit that I''m your brother, and I''ll make you the lead. Xenia can be the supporting character. That way, you can''t use me of favoritism anymore."


    Noelle stared at ke''s insidious smile and coldly replied, "Donovan will think you''re ungrateful if he finds out what you''re doing. Xenia has done the Liddells a favor, after all."


    "Donovan cares too much about his ego. She''s just the daughter of a driver, so how could she everpare to you?"


    "Don''t you think your words are contradictory?" Noelle asked and recalled how ke used to treat Xenia quite well.


    "You''ve always believed I treat Xeiua better than you, haven''t you? But there''s a reason for that¡ªshe saved my life."


    Xenia had saved ke''s life? Noelle didn''t recall having any memory of that.


    When ke was in school, he often got into trouble and brawls. Plus, he was frequently surrounded by street punks.


    Once, he was ambushed and hacked. He fled all the way to an alley and bled heavily.


    When Noelle ran out to get help, she came across Xenia, who was passing by after school.


    After she exined the situation, the gang chasing ke caught up and recognized her.


    Xenia pointed them in ke''s direction, so to save him, Noelle ran in the opposite direction to lure the gang away.


    She was caught and nearly killed. She was only saved when the patrolling police officers intervened.


    When ke woke up, his attitude toward her soured, and he grew closer to Xenia. Could that be the reason for their misunderstanding?


    ke gritted his teeth, and his voice filled with hatred. "It seems you''ve forgotten, Noelle. But I remember it all too well."


    He was on the verge of death back then, and Noelle abandoned him just to run away. ording to Xenia, Noelle had fled in fear.


    From that moment onward, ke harbored a deep resentment toward Noelle. He showered Xenia with kindness and ignored Noelle on purpose.


    He relished the sight of Noelle being scorned and misunderstood. It was his way of finding sce.


    Noelle remainedposed. "Why don''t you tell me when Xenia saved you exactly?"


    "It was when..."


    Halfway through ke''s words, his manager knocked on the door. "There''s something to discuss, Mr. Liddell."


    ke collected himself and cast a final nce at Noelle. "I don''t believe you''ve forgotten. Stop pretending you have amnesia."


    "It''s true that I don''t remember."


    "Enough. Back then, you insisted on buying a cake, and it ended up killing our parents. You survived and forgot everything about the ident, and that''s why we haven''t been able to find the real culprit."


    Noelle''s expression changed slightly. She pressed, "What do you mean?"


    "That driver was just a scapegoat, and someone else was in the car, probably the real driver. But you conveniently forgot everything, yed victim, and pretended to have amnesia."


    Noelle shot to her feet. "I wasn''t pretending to have forgotten. I genuinely don''t remember!"


    "Ha! You use us of favoritism, yet you killed our parents and made us suffer all these years. You''re lucky we didn''t kick you out of the family, so how dare you talk about favoritism? Do you even deserve that?"


    ke stormed out and was too furious to say more. He didn''t believe Noelle had forgotten the incident where he had nearly died. To him, she was just unwilling to admit her mistakes.


    The same was the case for the car ident. Her denial deepened his resentment.


    Noelle sat in her chair as ke''s words reyed in her mind. No one had ever told her about this.


    Could there have been someone else in the car during the ident?


    She clutched her head and tried to recall, but her memory of the car ident remained nk.


    After much deliberation, Noelle picked up her phone and called Frank.


    "Noelle, you called! What''s happening?" Frank''s voice was filled with surprise and delight.


    Noelle hesitated briefly and asked, "Is it true that we never found the real culprit behind the car ident?"

 Chapter 400

    "Why do you suddenly ask? Did you remember something?" Frank replied.


    "No, but ke told me there''s more to the car ident back then. Is it true?" There was a heavy silence after Noelle''s question.


    Finally, Frank said, "This isn''t something that can be exined over the phone. Come to the hospital in a bit."


    "Can''t we just talk over the phone?" Noelle refused to visit the hospital.


    Frank responded with an almost pleading tone, "This is too important, so we have to talk face to face. Do you hate seeing me that much?" His words trailed off with a cough.


    Noelle heard him coughing violently along with the voices of doctors and nurses. "You can''t dy your condition any longer, Mr. Liddell. Please eat your meals."


    "If this continues, we might have to conduct gastrectomy."


    Noelle heard those words and felt a mix of emotions. He seemed to be in worse condition than in her past life.


    Soon, James took over the call. "Mr. Liddell is about to start his treatment, Ms. Liddell. Could youe over?"


    Noelle was silent for a long time before replying, "I''ll see if I can." With that, she hung up the phone.


    She checked her phone and noticed articles about Xenia''s p. The official statement rified it as a rehearsal scene.


    Feeling frustrated, she left the base through the side gate and went straight to the gym.


    After changing into her workout clothes, she approached the boxing ring and saw a familiar figure. She called out in surprise, "What brings you here today?"


    Cedric was dressed in gray athletic wear, looking youthful and vibrant.


    "Just checking to see if you''ve been cking off," he replied.


    His gaze was warm as he extended a hand toward her. "Come on up."


    Noelle looked up at him, and her restless mood instantly calmed. She took his hand and climbed into the boxing ring.


    She gave it her all sparring with Cedric, but he could always seem to dodge no matter how much she attacked.


    She eventually copsed onto the mat in exhaustion. "You''re a liar. You''re not an amateur at all."


    She couldn''t beat him despite her progress.


    Cedric handed her a towel and a bottle of water. "Never fully trust a man''s words."


    "You''re different," she replied.


    He gave her a nce. "I''m still a man, after all."


    Noelle checked the time and closed her eyes for a rest.


    "You keep checking the time. Got ns forter?" Cedric asked.


    "Yeah. I do."


    Cedric''s hands paused briefly at her words, and he casually probed further. "Is it with a man or a woman?"


    "A man." Noelle got up to change without exining further.


    Cedric watched her walk away and instinctively frowned. A man?


    When she returned fully dressed, Cedric was waiting outside. "Men sure are quick at getting ready," shemented.


    "Where are you going? Let me take you there." His tone was calm and natural as


    if it were a casual offer to help.


    Noelle didn''t exin further. "Sure."


    After they got into the car, Cedric couldn''t resist asking. "Are you dating someone?"


    Noelle could no longer hold back herughter. "No, I''m going to the hospital." Cedric''s eyes narrowed sharply. "Visiting Frank?"


    "I need to ask him something. ke mentioned earlier that there was something more to the car ident back then, and there was someone else in the car. I want to know who it was."


    Cedric suddenly mmed on the brakes.

 Chapter 401

    Startled, Noelle nced at Cedric beside her and tentatively asked, "What''s wrong?"


    The sudden braking surprised her, and she thought something had happened.


    "I got distracted for a moment," Cedric replied. He stared at the cars ahead, and his mind went nk as he wondered if the Liddells had found out.


    Throughout the journey, he wished the road would stretch on forever because things would never be the same again once Noelle arrived at the hospital and got answers from Frank. However, the road was clear, with no traffic or dys.


    As they arrived at the hospital, Noelle nced outside and said, "You can go ahead if you have anything else to deal with. I''ll just grab a cab."


    "I''ll be here waiting for you." Cedric''s gaze was deep and unwavering. He needed answers the answer that concerned him.


    Noelle nodded and turned to leave, but before she could walk away, Cedric called out, "Noelle."


    She turned back and saw him hesitating to speak. Frowning slightly, she walked back to the car and asked, "What is it?"


    Cedric''s hands were damp with sweat. Then, he pressed his lips together and said, "It''s nothing."


    "If you have something to say, just say it. Don''t drag it out."


    "I just want you to know that no matter what happens, I''ll always be your strongest support."


    Noelle smiled. "Got it. I''ll text you if anything happens." With that, she turned and walked into the hospital.


    As Cedric watched her disappear from sight with an unreadable expression, he couldn''t help lighting up a cigarette. Time had never felt so unbearably slow. Had this day finallye?


    Noelle entered Frank''s ward and saw James persuading the former to eat.


    As soon as Frank saw her, his face lit up with joy. "You''re here, Noelle. Have you had lunch? If I''d known, I would''ve sent James to pick you up."


    "No need. I decided toe at the veryst minute," she coolly replied. Her eyes were cold as she looked at Frank and demanded, "I want to know the truth about the ident."


    "Ms. Liddell, could you wait until Mr. Liddell finishes his meal? His stomach..."


    "No need. I''m not hungry. Let''s not keep Noelle waiting." Frank cut off James'' words and moved to get out of bed.


    Spotting the bruises on the back of his hand from multiple IV injections, Noelle lowered her gaze slightly. "You should eat first."


    James was pleasantly surprised. "Look. Even Ms. Liddell is telling you to eat. Shouldn''t you at least listen to her?"


    Frank hesitated before sitting back down to pick up his spoon.


    As he ate, he wiped the welling tears in his eyes and mumbled, "It''s been so long since our family sat down for a meal together."


    He remembered how Noelle used to cook for their family gatherings. She''d always make sure everyone''s preferences were considered.


    But ever since she left, the Liddells had never gathered again. The Liddell residence in Yasnia had since remained empty and lifeless. Noelle said nothing, and the ward plunged into eerie silence.


    As he watched Frank eat, James smiled at Noelle and said, "Mr. Liddell hasn''t been eating welltely. It seems only you can convince him."


    "Don''t put such abel on me. I did nothing." Noelle was wary of such statements. James hurriedly apologized. "That''s not what I meant."


    After finishing his meal, Frank watched as James cleaned up and left the ward. It was only then that Noelle finally spoke. "Could you tell me now?"


    "Investigation for the ident has ended, Noelle. If you don''t remember anything, why burden yourself with it? Knowing too much isn''t necessarily a good thing sometimes."

 Chapter 402

    This was why the Liddells hadn''t told Noelle the truth back then. Noelle frowned. "I''m an adult, and I''m not a child anymore. I have the right to know the truth."


    "Fine. ke told you there was someone else in the car, right? Based on our findings, the person in the car was either rich or powerful. It must''ve been someone from a renowned family in Yasnia."


    "Did you not find out who it was?"


    Frank shook his head. "No. That road was newly built, and the surveince cameras weren''t operational yet. Plus, it was at night, so the person in the car must''ve escaped under the cover of the dark."


    "But if they were just a passenger, they weren''t the ones driving, right?" The driver would''ve been the one running the red light.


    Frank nodded. "That''s true, but the fact that they ran away makes me suspect they were the ones behind the wheel. Why else would they flee?"


    Noelle agreed that made sense. Why else would they run unless they had something to hide?


    She frowned. "But I can''t remember anything from that night, and I don''t even know if the driver was the culprit. Are you disappointed in me?"


    It''d been her birthday, and their parents had forgotten to buy her a cake. She''d thrown a tantrum about wanting cake, so her parents had taken the newly built road to save time, and that was when the ident happened.


    "That''s right. We are." Donovan strode in, followed by ke and Lucas.


    Frank''s expression changed drastically. "Donovan, why are you here?"


    "It''s a good thing I came, or I wouldn''t have known Noelle had the audacity to ask that."


    Donovan turned to re coldly at Noelle. "Just because ke let something slip, you think finding the culprit will redeem you? Does that bring our parents back?"


    Noelle''s eyes were instantly red. Frank stepped in front of her. "That''s harsh, Donovan. She was just a child; how is it her fault?"


    "That''s right. Noelle may be a little rebellious now, but she''ll understand with some proper teachings." ke tried to smooth things over. One way or another, they could tame her.


    Donovan snorted. "There''s nothing I can do about that. She''s grown wings now, hasn''t she?" His tone wasced with sarcasm.


    ke smirked and turned to Noelle. "Now that''s your fault, Noelle. When you made that mistake, we all hid the truth and bore the pain for you. Donovan insisted oning to Yasnia to track the culprit, but what did you do?"


    Noelle forced back her tears. Then, she met ke''s gaze and said, "I didn''t force them into doing anything illegal. How is that my fault?"


    "I understand. Lucas and Xenia caused that mess. Xenia has apologized, and now we just need Lucas to do the same.


    "Why don''t we work together as a family? Shall we stand firm in Yasnia and find the culprit to avenge our parents?"


    "I''ll handle the revenge myself, but I have no say in thewsuit," Noelle stated. She knew what ke was trying to do, and she wasn''t going to fall for it.


    ke sighed and turned to Lucas. "Honestly, how could you have fallen for Xenia''s terrible ideas? No wonder you ended up taking the fall."


    Lucas remained silent, while Donovan was displeased. "What do you mean by that? Xenia is young, and her father died trying to save our parents. We can''t send her to prison, can we?"


    "You just care too much about your pride, Donovan. We''ve repaid our debt to Xenia over the years, and let''s not forget Noelle is our sister. Xenia deserves a lesson after everything she''s done behind the scenes."


    ke realized Xenia''s true colors only after seeing the video footage. If she hadn''t saved his life, he would''ve long kicked her out of the Liddell family.


    Donovan frowned. "That''s not an option. We''ve decided that Lucas will take the me."


    ke turned to Lucas and urged, "Say something. Your bail period is running out, and if you don''t say anything now, it''ll be toote."


    Lucas lifted his head with difficulty and looked at Noelle. He''d lost everything after all this time, and it was only now he realized how wrong he''d been.


    Noelle didn''t bother ncing at him and walked to the door of the ward.


    Donovan spoke up, "Actually, I''ve found a clue on the person who ran away that night."


    "Who is it?" Noelle''s heart clenched as she turned back.


    "I can tell you what the clue is, but Lucas can''t go to prison. This is your choice to make."

 Chapter 403

    Noelle stared at Donovan. It was shocking to learn thetter had clues.


    She vaguely remembered that in her past life, Donoan had somehow offended a powerful family, and hispany had nearly gone bankrupt. She wondered if that could be the reason.


    Lucas approached her, and his eyes were filled with guilt. With a hoarse voice, he said, "When we were kids, Noelle, I used to take you out to y all the time. I picked you up and dropped you off at school. Whenever ke scolded you, I would step in to protect you.


    "But this time, I admit I had selfish motives. I wanted to get back at you for quitting the team and making me lose that match in humiliation.


    "Now that I''ve lost everything and my reputation is in shambles, could you let this go for the sake of our past sibling affection and not press charges?"


    Noelle wasn''t surprised at all. He''d said so many sentimental words just to get her to withdraw thewsuit.


    ke chimed in, "Lucas'' team has disbanded, Noelle, and he''s paid a hefty sum in penalties. He''s suffered enough. Isn''t that enough for you?"


    Seeing how pathetic Lucas looked, Noelle didn''t feel any sense of dissatisfaction. All she wanted was to know who''d escaped the car ident back then, and she wanted them to go to prison and pay the price.


    Donovan pressed. "Noelle, have you made up your mind?"


    "I told you this isn''t something I can decide. Maple Enterprise is the one pressing charges for corporate espionage," Noelle snapped.


    "You''re on good terms with Alfred, aren''t you? He''d let it go if you begged him a bit. A rich guy like Alfred wouldn''t care about something so trivial, so as long as the project stays with Maple Enterprise, everything else can be negotiated," said ke dismissively.


    He knew how these things worked better than anyone.


    Noelle stated, "I''m just friends with Alfred."


    "That makes it even easier. Getting in with the Parhams would benefit the Liddells, too. Right now, you''re stronger than any of us brothers.


    "With you here and Donovan backing us up, we can definitely uncover the truth behind the car ident."


    Noelle nced at ke. "I''ll investigate myself. If you want a settlement, talk to Maple Enterprise." She''d never make the sole decision to agree to their demands.


    Donovan''s expression darkened with rage. "Stop right there! You''d rather protect Maple Enterprise''s interests than find out the truth about the car ident.


    "How could you be so selfish? You''ve made a truly disappointing choice, Noelle."


    Noelle pressed her lips. "Mom and Dad will understand." She wouldn''t allow Donovan to guilt-trip her.


    Donovan raised his hand in anger. "Say that again!"


    Frank quickly stepped in. "Let''s talk it out, Donovan. There''s no need for us to resort to violence."


    "Don''t stop me! Did you just hear what she said? She doesn''t care about the clue on the case, and nor does she care about Mom and Dad''s deaths! She''s a cold- blooded monster!"


    Donovan''s eyes were red with fury, while Noelle stood with a calm gaze. "Think whatever you want."


    She wanted to know the truth about their parents'' ident more than anyone, but if she had to trade it for this, she couldn''t do it. She might as well investigate on her own.


    ke stepped in front of her. "Fine. Donovan was wrong to force you to make this choice. No one would use such a condition to pressure anyone."


    Noelle coldly snapped, "Move." She knew ke had more to say.


    Sure enough, ne continued in a gentle voice, "But you''re in the wrong for Lucas'' case. He always protected you when you were little, right? You were close in age, and he took care of you the most.


    "If you drop charges, just think of it as repaying him for everything he did. You want to cut ties, don''t you? Settle the debts first."


    What did he mean by settling debts? Hadn''t she paid enough? Hadn''t she tragically died in her past life?


    "What nonsense are you sprouting, ke? Siblings don''t talk about settling debts!"


    Frank stepped in to intervene. He looked at Noelle and sent her away. "Go home. This isn''t something that can be decided in one day."


    ke frowned. "Don''t stop me, Frank. Be careful, or you''ll get hurt."


    Yet Frank persisted and shielded Noelle from him. "She''s young, so give her time


    to think. Noelle, hurry back and tell me after you''ve gotten safely to school."


    Noelle walked away without looking back.


    Seeing how much weight Frank had lost, ke decided against pushing further. He''d just give Noelle one day to reconsider.

 Chapter 404

    Noelle walked out of the hospital, and her mind waspletely nk. She wandered the streets alone without thinking about anything. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn''t remember anything from that year.


    Cedric followed her from a distance and dared not approach. It wasn''t until she''d walked far enough that he finally couldn''t hold back and honked. "Noelle."


    When she heard someone calling her name, Noelle stopped to see Cedric. Immediately after, tears streamed down her face. She was just too sad.


    Cedric hurriedly got out of the car and walked up to her, only for her to hug him. "Let me hold you for a while... just a little while."


    He stiffened and was caught off guard. It took him a long moment before he finally spoke. "What''s wrong?"


    Noelle let go and wiped her tears. "Take me home."


    After getting into the car, Cedric nced at her and was unsure what to do. She was obviously in a terrible mood, and he dared not ask or probe. When the car stopped downstairs at her apartment, he offered, "Let me walk you up."


    "No need. Just go home. I want to be alone."


    Cedric''s fingers trembled slightly, and he dared not argue. Noelle returned to her apartment toy in bed. Her mind was a mess.


    The next day, she was woken up by a phone call from Grace.


    "You didn''te backst night. Are you skipping your morning sses?" Grace asked.


    "Yeah. I don''t feel like going. Help me take my attendance."


    Noelle''s mood was low. After hanging up, a notification from the ck market caught her eye.


    She opened the app and saw a message from the administrator. "The client is satisfied with the firewall system you designed, and they wish to meet you in person. Here''s thepany address."


    Noelle checked the address and found it familiar. It seemed to be Donovan''spany. She''d wondered about the possibility that this might happen, and sure enough, it did.


    Then, she immediately typed her reply. "I''m sorry, but I''ve decided not to proceed with the partnership. I won''t provide them with the firewall system either." She would never work with the Liddells.


    "And why''s that? Could you tell us the reason?"


    Instead of replying, Noelle went back to sleep till the afternoon. Then, she got up and headed to school.


    The team had been training in the afternoon, and as the captain, she had to be there to check everyone''s progress. After leaving the apartment, she took a cab to school.


    Cedric''s car remained in the same spot, not far away. It was parked there all night, and the area by the car window was littered with cigarette butts. A faint stubble had grown on his chin.


    Watching Noelle leave, he couldn''t gather the courage to go after her. It''d never crossed his mind that he would learn what it felt like to be afraid one day.


    When Noelle arrived at school, she went straight to the training base. Sure enough, she saw ke filming on-site. Arge crowd of fans had gathered around and was unwilling to leave.


    Upon seeing therge crowd, she pulled her cap lower and nned to slip in through the side entrance when a voice called out, "You''re finally here, Noelle! Everyone''s been waiting for you!"


    It was the sharp-eyed Xenia who''d noticed Noelle and called out to her loudly. Everyone turned to look at her because of that one call.


    ke walked toward Noelle. His tone was gentle as he said, "I knew you didn''t sleep wellst night, so I didn''t call you over earlier. I''ll just treat the crew to a meal; I''m sure they won''t mind you arrivingte."


    Noelle took a step back to put distance between them. No one had told her she was supposed to be here this afternoon!


    ke grabbed her wrist tightly. His gaze grew threatening as he questioned, "But that''s not important. Have you made up your mind? Are you choosing Mom and Dad or outsiders?"


    "Don''t let me down, Noelle."

 Chapter 405

    Noelle shook off ke''s hand and didn''t bother showing him any respect. Then, she coldly snapped, "You''ve disappointed me too many times already."


    ke was mindful of the surrounding fans and dared not act out. Still, his tone turned noticeably colder. "Tell me then, when have I ever disappointed you? Didn''t


    I always stand up for you when you were bullied as a child?"


    "You standing up for me? You''re the reason I got bullied, and you''re the one bringing me danger.


    "Don''t try to pressure me with this kind brotherly act. You know that you''re not one." Noelle''s eyes were full of mockery.


    With that, she turned around and walked straight toward the gaming training base. ke fumed at her doubting words. Back then, he''d nearly been hacked to death while Noelle had turned and ran.


    Seeing that Noelle left without a care, Xenia pretended to exin to the fans. "Don''t misunderstand. Noelle has been really busytely, and she hasn''t resolved her conflicts with the Liddells. That''s why she''s acting this way."


    Some fans were displeased. "But that shouldn''t be the reason she acts so snub and makes the crew wait for her."


    "Exactly. I saw her throwing a tantrum at ke, too."


    Xenia forced a sigh. "That''s just how she is. We always let her have her way at home."


    That was when ke approached. "I''m sorry. Noelle''s a little stubborn and not as considerate as Xenia, but she''s really talented. I''m asking you all not to hate on her, for my sake."


    The fans saw ke approach and instantly screamed in excitement. After greeting them with a smile, ke led Xenia back under the sunshade. As he turned his head back to them, his expression darkened. "Who told you to talk nonsense?"


    "I was just trying to exin on your behalf. Otherwise, Noelle''s behavior would''ve had a negative impact on you."


    "The worse Noelle treats me, the better it is for me," ke exined. He''d spent years in the entertainment industry and knew exactly how this game worked.


    ring at Xenia, he continued, "As for you, if I catch you pulling tricks like this again to smear Noelle''s name, you can get the hell out of the Liddell family."


    "ke, I didn''t mean to..."


    ke gripped her wrist tightly and lowered his voice. "You think I don''t see through your little schemes? I would''ve taught you a lesson if there weren''t people around."


    Xenia endured the pain in her wrist and nodded pitifully. "I understand I''ve made a mistake. I won''t do it again."


    "There won''t be a next time," ke warned. He flung her hand away and immediately switched to his friendly demeanor. "My sister, Noelle, is here. Let''s head over to the training base for the shoot."


    Xenia stood frozen in ce as she rubbed her sore wrist. She hadn''t expected ke to be this hard to deal with, but then again, he''d always ignored her ever since she was taken in by the Liddells.


    If it weren''t for the time ke got injured and she instigated things by iming Noelle escaped, he probably wouldn''t have cast him a proper nce. But it didn''t matter.


    Once she became a famous and sessful actress, no one would dare look down on her again. And that mama''s boy, Justin, would have to publicly announce their rtionship, too.


    Ever since the bidding incident, Alfred must''ve said something to Justin''s mother and forced Justin to break up with Xenia. Thetter had been too much of a coward to resist, so now they could only pretend to have broken up and keep their rtionship on the low.


    As Noelle entered the base, she immediately noticed the cameras set up inside. It seemed that was where the crew was filming.


    Grace approached her. "Are you okay? You don''t look well."


    "I''m fine. How''s the training in the afternoon going?"


    "Well, we were supposed to train, but the production crew wanted to shoot a scene instead. They''ve been teaching everyone how to act and coordinate, so training never happened."


    Noelle''s expression turned ice-cold.

 Chapter 406

    ke was definitely doing it on purpose. He knew full well that the team had a major tournament next year, and everyone was using their spare time to practice. Their training time was precious enough.


    At this moment, ke walked in. "Is everything ready? Just do it the way I taught you earlier."


    Noelle''s expression was stern as she turned to him. "When will the shooting end?"


    "That depends on how well everyone cooperates and the actors'' performances," ke said as if nothing had happened. "If your acting isn''t good, it might take longer. We might even have to continue tomorrow."


    Noelle grew irritated. "I remember there are only two scenes. One is shot here, and the other outdoors."


    "That''s right. You can go over your lines now. We''ll start with the male and female leads'' scenes."


    Noelle returned to her office and grabbed the scripts. She found it easy to get into character since she''d written scripts before.


    When she returned to the main hall, ke looked at her. "Are you ready? We''re about to start."


    "Yeah." Noelle took her seat. Her role was simple-she had to y the captain of the gaming team.


    It was a viinous role. She was tasked to look down on the female lead and was eventually proven wrong by thetter''s strength. Her scene was a one-on-one game battle against Xenia''s character, but as soon as the match started, thetter was quickly defeated.


    Xenia pouted. "This is just acting, Noelle. You should go easy on me a little, or how will we shoot the scene?"


    Standing off to the side, ke calmly demanded, "Reshoot."


    A hint of smugness shed in Xenia''s eyes. She finally had the chance to beat Noelle at something, and she would turn out to be the winner no matter what.


    Though Noelle was unwilling, she had no choice but to go easy on Xenia, but thetter lost even with that. Noelle was growing impatient. "Did you leave your brain at home today? How could you still lose? How did you evenpete in tournaments?"


    Xenia''s eyes turned red-rimmed with tears. "I didn''t mean to..."


    ke walked over. "If you refuse to lose to Xenia, Noelle, we can''t shoot today. We''ll have to wait until tomorrow."


    "No. We''re shooting today." Noelle refused to waste more time.


    But ke shook his head. "Let''s take a break, everyone. I''ll go over the scene with Noelle. She''s a newbie, so let''s be patient with her."


    The rest of the team said nothing. As ke led Noelle to the office upstairs, thetter furiouslyined, "Xenia is just terrible at the game. If I throw the match too obviously, anyone will see right through it. People might think Team Yole''s skills are this bad."


    The teen TV show was meant to promote Team Yole.


    "I know it''s not your fault. Xenia is just bad at the game," ke casually


    Noelle stared at him. "So you''re just wasting time on purpose?"


    "Yeah, I am." ke smiled somewhat devilishly. He knew Noelle wanted the team


    to focus on training for next year''s tournament.


    Furious, Noelle snatched the cup from him and threw it straight into the bin. Her expression was cold as she asked, "What exactly do you want?"


    Instead of getting mad, ke grabbed a tissue from the table and slowly wiped his clothes. Then, he calmly uttered, "I''m teaching you a lesson. This is what happens when you don''t listen to your big brothers."

 Chapter 407

    ke continued, "Do you understand now?"


    He refused to believe he couldn''t deal with Noelle. Noelle burst outughing, yet her eyes filled with cold amusement. Upon seeing the smile on her face, ke grew uneasy.


    "What are youughing at?"


    "Are you that obsessed with me, your sister?" asked Noelle as she leaned back in her chair. A faint smirk formed on her lips. "Otherwise, why do you keep trying to force me back to the Liddell family? Isn''t having Xenia enough for you?"


    ke''s expression turned cold. "I don''t like that look in your eyes, Noelle."


    "Good, because I don''t like yours either. I guess we''re even."


    Noelle spun her chair once and continued saying, "I remember when we were kids, you''de home to take it out on me whenever you were looked down on and humiliated outside. So tell me, who looked down on you this time?"


    "You''d better think before you speak, Noelle. Making me mad won''t do you any good. Think about your friends and your team."


    "At worst, we''ll just go down together!"


    Noelle got up and grabbed ke by the cor. "Only cowards get bullied ande home to take it out on their family. You''re still a coward even after all these years."


    Though ke knew exactly how to control her, she knew what he cared about the most. Sure enough, ke was enraged. He raised his hand and was ready to strike, but it hovered in midair before being lowered down once more.


    Noelle''s gaze was icy as she taunted, "Go ahead and hit me. Why aren''t you doing it? Is it because you can''t win anymore?"


    ke''s eyes burned with frustration, and his eyes were bloodshot. That was because Noelle was right; it was true because he couldn''t win against her now. ke let out a coldugh.


    "I won''ty a hand on you, but there are plenty of other ways to make you suffer. Forget about getting your team some proper training. You better prepare to keep your head up for the rest of your life."


    With that, he turned and walked out of the office. Noelle stood still and watched his figure disappear before mming her fist against the desk in frustration.


    Grace rushed in. "Your hand is hurt! Did ke threaten you?"


    Noelle nced at her hand and muttered, "The family was a mess when our parents passed away. I grew up living with my brothers, so I learned to read their moods and please them ording to their personalities."


    Grace''s eyes reddened instantly. "But you''re their biological sister! How could they treat you that way!"


    Noelle lowered her gaze. "Because to them, I''m the one to me for our parents'' death, so I endured everything. They got used to how things were, and now they''re desperate to force me back into that role."


    She''d died once in her past life, so she''d never return to the Liddell family and live that life again.


    Then, she turned to Grace and announced, "I might have to leave the team."


    The lunatic ke wouldn''t stop until he got what he wanted. Everyone had been training so hard for the tournament, and she couldn''t be the reason they lost their chance.


    Grace''s eyes welled with tears of distress. "No! We won''t let this interfere with our training!"


    Tianna entered and chimed in, "That''s right. We''ll adjust the training schedule. I believe he can''t keep this up forever."


    Noelle''s eyes turned red. "I''m sorry."


    "You don''t have to apologize. We all know what you''ve been through and how unfair your family is. We''re a team, so we stand together."


    Noelle wiped her tears away. She vowed to do something that would stop ke from threatening her again.


    All she ever wanted in this life was to stay far away from the Liddells, but since they refused to leave her alone, none of them would have peace.


    After she returned downstairs, the filming dragged on with endless retakes. She crushed Xenia''s in-game character several times over until her mood improved. On the other hand, Xenia was barely holding herself together.


    ke noticed the production crew was growing impatient, so he said, "Let''s call it a day. I''ll treat everyone to dinner tonight."


    Once the crew started packing up, he turned to Noelle. "It seems like you''re not worried about your team''s training being dyed at all."


    "Since filming takes time, you should be the one who''s worried, not me," Noelle curtly replied. She looked at ke calmly and waited to see who would oust the other.


    Suppressing his anger, ke put on a fake, gentle tone. "Come for dinner. I picked your favorite restaurant."


    Noelle responded with a cold smirk. "You remembered wrong. Xenia is the one who loves that restaurant, not me."

 Chapter 408

    ke''s expression flickered with a trace of unnatural awkwardness. "I must''ve remembered wrong, I guess. I''ve been too busy with worktely."


    "If you can''t even remember, stop pretending to be a good brother. There are no cameras here," Noelle snapped.


    ke''s expression darkened further.


    Xenia stepped in to smooth things over. "That''s just how Noelle talks. Don''t take it too seriously."


    Seizing the opportunity to retreat, ke turned around and left the base.


    Grace huffed in frustration. "He shouldn''t aggressively force you into doing that! That nice-guy act of his is all fake. I wish we could expose his true colors!"


    "He''s a celebrity. No one will believe a word you say without solid proof." Plus, ke had always had the persona of a caring big brother. Simply speaking out wouldn''t be enough to convince his fans.


    Noelle turned to the team. "Alright, let''s start training. You all will take turns going against me. I want to see how much you''ve improved."


    They trained together until curfew before calling it a night. After returning to the dorm, Noelle took a shower. When she came out, she noticed a package on her desk.


    The packaging was familiar. After opening it, she found medicated patches inside. She snapped a picture and sent it to Cedric.


    "Received it. Thanks."


    Cedric stared at her message and was momentarily unsure how to respond. Her attitude made him uncertain about where he stood.


    Alfred nced at his phone. "If Nelly responded, it means she''s still being rational. She knows you weren''t the one driving the car, so you have nothing to do with the ident directly."


    "But she doesn''t seem to know the full truth either." Cedric hesitated while staring at the chat window.


    Alfred continued, "You have a point. Since it was your stepmom who handled the ident back then, you could ask her. Your identity might''ve never been revealed to Noelle."


    Cedric nodded. That made sense since he had to return home anyway. Magnus had to be dealt with for trying to sell him out.


    Meanwhile, Noelle finished drying her hair and noticed Cedric hadn''t replied. Instead, she received several texts from the ck market.


    The administrator contacted her. "They''re very sincere and would like to increase the offer. If you have any other conditions, feel free to mention them."


    "It''s not about the offer. The deal is off." Noelle had no interest in working with Donovan''spany.


    "Do you have beef with thepany?" the administrator asked.


    Noelle replied, "Yes, I do."


    "Isn''t this the perfect chance to make them apologize? They need you, so don''t waste such a golden opportunity."


    Staring at the text, Noelle was suddenly struck with an idea. Since Donovan had a clue about their parents'' car ident, she wondered if she could use this deal as leverage to trade for those clues.


    Donovan had spent years in Yasnia and found only a little information. That meant the culprit was extremely difficult to track down. If she were to investigate, no one knew how long it''d take.


    Though she refused to be involved with the Liddells, she wanted the truth and to find the person who''d escaped that night. With that, Noelle typed her reply. "Good point. I''ll visit Liddell Corporation tomorrow morning."


    Some things had to be discussed face-to-face.


    After her sses in the morning, Noelle headed straight to Liddell Corporation. With her backpack slung over one shoulder, she walked into the building and approached the receptionist. "I''m here to meet Mr. Liddell."


    "Do you have an appointment?"


    The receptionist looked up and froze once she saw Noelle''s face. "Are you... Noelle Liddell?"


    Noelle nodded and didn''t bother denying it. Then, the receptionist led her upstairs to the president''s office.


    Donovan looked up when she entered and was visibly surprised. "What are you doing here?"


    Noelle got straight to the point. "I want information on the person who fled that night."


    "So you''ve made your choice and decided to drop thewsuit, huh? Guess you still have some sense. You should''ve done this sooner; I guess Mom and Dad didn''t raise you for nothing."


    Donovan''s mood improved. Looking down at her from his desk, he said, "But if you want those clues, you have to beg for them."

 Chapter 409

    Donovan''s voice wasced with cold amusement. "Looks like it''s your turn to beg me now."


    He vividly remembered what''d happened at Maple Enterprise and how Noelle had forced him to plead with her. That incident had left him fuming, and now he could finally say the same words to her. He''d wondered how long she could hold out.


    Yet, Noelle coldly replied, "No. You''re the one who still needs to beg me."


    Donovan scoffed. "I''ve tolerated you again and again for Mom and Dad''s sake. But if you still don''t know your ce, get out of the office before they find out and feel heartbroken."


    Noelle nced around the office. She quickly spotted the framed writing their father had written. "Nothing Worth Having Was Ever Achieved Without Effort."


    She remained where she was and said, "Actually, you''re the one who called me here."


    "Called you here? Don''t be ridiculous; why would I ever call you?


    "Leave now. I have work to do. I found someone else to rewrite the code for the firewall system even without your help." His tone was full of mockery as he added, "No one is irreceable."


    "You''re right, but I''m the person you found on the ck market," Noelle calmly stated.


    "That''s impossible." Donovan denied it almost immediately. "I sought out someone with a strong reputation on the ck market. How could a kid like you be famous out there?"


    Noelle''s voice remained steady. "I took the job as a frence gig to earn some money. Designing firewall systems isn''t new to me, after all.


    "I''m familiar with the process. But when I realized it was you after seeing thepany address, I turned it down."


    Her calm gaze locked onto Donovan, whose expression turned ugly. The expert he''d contacted indeed turned down the offer after seeing thepany address. He lowered his gaze to the documents on his desk and was momentarily at a loss for words.


    Noelle continued, "The first time I registered on the ck market was when


    Frank''s techpany ran into trouble. I wanted to teach myself programming so I could help.


    "Later, Frank found out and forbade me from getting involved with the ck market again."


    It was only now that Donovan replied, "You must be feeling pretty smug now, aren''t you? Are you here just to mock me?"


    She met his eyes and responded, "Honestly, I don''t have time for that."


    "Yet you came just to prove that without you, I can''t find anyone trustworthy, right?" Donovan frustratedly yanked at his tie.


    "Mr. Liddell, let''s make a deal. I''ll rewrite your firewall code while you give me the clues in exchange. It''s a fair trade for you." Noelle''s gaze was firm.


    Donovan sneered. "And what makes you think I''d agree? I don''t even trust outsiders, so why would I trust you? Do you know how much trouble you caused after hacking into the system?"


    He wasn''t about to let that happen again.


    "But you went to the ck market, which means you haven''t been able to find anyone suitable, have you?"


    Noelle stood up and added, "I''m not in a hurry, and you know where to find me if you change your mind. If you don''t want anyone to know that I wrote the firewall software, we can sign a non-disclosure agreement."


    She knew Donovan was too proud to have anyone in the Liddell family find out he''d turned to her for help. With that, she turned to leave. But Donovan called after her, "You''d rather make a deal with me like this than let Lucas off the hook?"


    She stopped. Sarcasm filled her eyes as she replied, "Isn''t it tiring for you to always guilt-trip me?"


    Donovan was instantly enraged. He pointed at the framed writing and shouted, "How dare you say that in front of Dad''s words!"


    "What about you? Can you look at those words and honestly say you''ve worked hard to reap everything you''ve achieved? Do you not feel even a shred of guilt?"


    Noelle refused to back down and pressed, "At least I don''t lie to myself or guilt-trip others, all the while pretending my hands are clean."


    With that, she turned and walked out. Behind her, a loud crash erupted as Donovan swept everything off his desk in a fit of rage. She could hear him shouting from the hallway, "Come back here!"


    Noelle''s lips curled slightly. She''d known all along that Donovan wouldn''t hold out for long.


    Outsiders might leak Liddell Corporation''s secrets, but she had no reason to. This was, after all, the branch office their parents had found. She stepped back into the office.

 Chapter 410

    The secretary soon readied the contract. Noelle nced at it and signed without hesitation. Then, she handed it over and demanded, "What are the clues?"


    Donovan''s expression was stiff. "I thought you were cold-hearted and didn''t care about finding who escaped back then."


    Noelle frowned. "Don''t waste my time."


    "It took me years to find even the smallest clue. It''s rted to the Merlocks."


    "The Merlocks? Samantha''s family?"


    Donovan nodded. "That''s right."


    Noelle thought about how the Merlocks had shielded Samantha. That meant the driver back then was most likely someone from the Merlock family, and they had a scapegoat to take the fall instead.


    "Even if you know, you won''t be able to investigate, Noelle. You''re too weak on your own."


    Noelle jeered. "If I''m that weak, why are you still demanding that I work with you?"


    She watched as Donovan''s expression instantly darkened. Her mood improved as she turned and left thepany.


    She hadn''t expected the car ident to be connected to the Merlocks. Right now, she had to figure out how to investigate who from the Merlocks had been in Aldoria back then.


    After returning to the training base, the production crew was still shooting on-site, but the number of onlookers had decreased significantly.


    "You''rete again, Noelle."


    ke sat under a sunshade and watched her calmly. "Though you''re my sister, it''s not great for you to keep everyone waiting all the time, right?"


    Standing aside, Xenia was enjoying the spectacle. "That''s right. You''re the only one who hasn''t filmed your scenes."


    Noelle''s expression was icy. "I think it''s fine. I''m not in a hurry."


    "What kind of attitude is that?"


    "I''m not your sister, so I should at least have that much dignity, right? The team has trainingter, so I don''t have time for filming."


    Noelle left after throwing those words behind and wasn''t bothered by how ugly ke''s expression was. The pressure wouldn''t be on her as long as she wasn''t the one in a hurry, and she''d have ke clean up the mess since he loved ying the role of a kind brother in public.


    Once he couldn''t take it anymore, he''d naturally stop making things difficult for her on purpose. Noelle had just returned to the office when ke furiously stormed in. "You did that on purpose, Noelle!"


    "Yeah, I did. It''s not my money they''re wasting anyway," Noelle said, looking at him with a half-smile.


    "Great. You''ve gotten smarter, but don''t think you''ve won. We''re filming outdoor scenes tonight; you won''t have training then, will you?" ke annoyedly snapped.


    "Fine." Noelle hummed and agreed immediately. Since ke wasn''t nning to drag things out here, she had no interest in wasting time with him either. She didn''t have time to waste, after all.


    ke left, still fuming. Grace then walked in with a smile. "Does this mean he won''t keep dragging things along anymore?"


    "I guess so. ke cares too much about his reputation, and there''s no way he''ll drag this out forever."


    "But from the way he looked, I doubt he''ll give up easily. You have to figure something out to deal with him soon, Noelle. You shouldn''t make him threaten you like that."


    Noelle nodded. "I''ve gathered dirt on him over the past few days. Once I expose it, he''ll be utterly humiliated and lose his chance at this year''s Best Actor Award."


    After she spoke, she noticed a shadow outside the slightly ajar door. She looked over and called out, "Who''s there?"


    No one answered, so Grace walked to the door and checked. "No one''s here."


    Around the corner, Xenie hid and nced at the recording on her phone with a triumphant smile. If ke heard this, he''d definitely teach Noelle a lesson.


    "Noelle, you brought this on yourself," Xenia muttered inwardly.

 Chapter 411

    Noelle nced out the door and fell into deep thought.


    Perhaps it was time to end everything. ording to the old ke she knew, he would never let it go if she kept refusing to admit her so-called mistakes.


    Now that she''d gotten clues from Donovan, there was no need to keep ying it safe.


    That night, they filmed an outdoor night scene at an abandoned building. The scene involved the supporting female lead luring the protagonist over and putting thetter in danger, only for the male lead toe to the rescue.


    After filming, Noelle waited on the side to remove her makeup, but the makeup artist ignored her. She could tell that the crew was holding a grudge against her.


    There was no doubt that Xenia had been adding fuel to the fire to tarnish her reputation, but she didn''t care. She had no interest in staying in the entertainment industry anyway.


    When most people had left, she had no choice but to grab some makeup remover herself, clean off her makeup, and leave.


    "Noelle, stop right there!"


    ke red at her with a thunderous expression, and his eyes were dark and dangerous. "I heard you''ve been collecting dirt on me. You''re nning to expose me and ruin my career, huh?"


    Noelle''s gaze flickered to the stun baton in his hand. She instinctively took a few cautious steps back and asked, "Who told you that?"


    "It doesn''t matter who did, but I''m going to teach you a lesson today. You better not run, or you''re doomed for."


    Noele turned and ran. She noticed ke wasn''t alone; he''d brought ten tattooed men. Most of the crew had left, and no one woulde to the abandoned building now.


    "You can''t escape, Noelle. Just behave and apologize to me, and I''ll go easy on you. But if you insist on running, I guess I''m not showing mercy," ke taunted as he walked.


    Noelle ran for a while and soon found herself surrounded by tattooed thugs, so she had no choice but to turn and face the approaching ke. "Looks like you haven''t changed all these years, ke. The moment something doesn''t go your way, you resort to violence."


    "When you misbehaved as a kid, I hit you for your good." Gripping his baton, ke stepped closer at a slow, deliberate pace.


    There was a chilling smirk on his face. "Go on and run. Why aren''t you running? Why did you stop?"


    Noelle''s voice grew high-pitched. "You''re a star now. Aren''t you afraid of ruining your reputation by doing this?"


    "My reputation will stay intact as long as you don''t expose what you have. I''m doing this to teach you a lesson since you''ve caused so much trouble at home while I was away.


    "Tell me, do you admit to your mistakes?" ke was standing right in front of her now.


    "I did nothing wrong." As Noelle spoke, ke swung his baton at her.


    Noelle raised her arm to block, but the impact sent her crashing to the ground. She clutched her arm and red at him. "They''re the ones who broke thew; what does that have to do with me?"


    "You always think we''re biased, Noelle. But have you ever reflected on what you''ve done?"


    She let out a coldugh. "All I know is that I was the top scorer in the college entrance exam, yet y''all forced me to stay and attend an ordinary university. Is that what you mean by love?


    "If that''s what love is, why don''t you take it for yourself? Would you want it?" Noelle questioned as she locked eyes with ke.


    "How dare you talk back. We shouldn''t be this petty and calctive as a family, and it looks like you do need a lesson." ke didn''t hesitate this time. He raised the baton again and struck.


    He''d been waiting for this moment for too long. Raising her arms to protect herself, Noelle cried out in a trembling voice, "Please stop... It hurts."


    "Oh, you do know it hurts. Toote. Weren''t you acting all tough?"


    "Fine, I''ll listen! I''ll do whatever you say. I can drop out of Yole University and


    Noelley curled up on the ground and shielded her head as if she waspletely surrendering. Hearing her beg for mercy, ke felt an overwhelming sense of satisfaction.

 Chapter 412

    ke had always believed Noelle could be disciplined. Just like when they were kids, one beating was all it took to make her behave.


    He stopped and squatted in front of Noelle. "See? I warned you several times not to provoke me, but you just wouldn''t listen. Now you know it hurts, don''t you?"


    Covering her face, Noelle remained sobbing softly.


    A smirk curled at ke''s lips as he uttered in a gentle voice, "Don''t cry. I was just giving you a lesson. I won''t actually beat you to death; you''re my only little sister, after all."


    Suddenly, Noelle moved her hands away to reveal no streaks of tears on her face. She looked up at ke and shed a bright, almost dazzling smile.


    The moment ke saw that smile, a chill crept up his spine. An ominous feeling struck him. He frowned and snapped, "What are you smiling at? Haven''t you had enough beating?"


    Just then, Xenia scrambled up the stairs, panting heavily. "ke, she took a video! She recorded everything!"


    ke''s expression changed drastically. His eyes darted to Noelle, and he immediately reached for the tiny camera hidden in her cor to yank it off and stomp it into pieces.


    Her pupils were tinged with red as he gritted his teeth. "How dare you set me up! Are you courting death!"


    Noelle shoved his hand away. "Nope, you''re now the one who''s doomed, not me." "Ha. I destroyed the video you recorded. What else can you use to threaten me?" Calming down, ke crushed the device under his foot once more and bent over to search for the memory card.


    Xenia was on the verge of tears. "She''s streaming live, ke! A lot of people saw it already!" It was toote to destroy the footage.


    "What? A livestream?" ke''s face turned deathly pale. How was that possible? He grabbed his phone, only to find a dozen missed calls from his manager. Among them was a message warning him Noelle was streaming live.


    But he''d put his phone on silent so he could teach Noelle a proper lesson. He hadn''t received the notifications.


    His hands trembled violently as a wave of sheer terror crashed over him. Given Noelle''s fanbase, if it was a live stream, the video would have probably spread all over the Inte by now.


    Cold sweat started drenching his back. Never in his life had he been this scared. He was done for. Given how much he knew about the entertainment industry, a scandal like this promised the death of his career.


    Noelle slowly pushed herself up from the ground. As she moved, pain shot through her arm and made her inhale sharply. She''d taken a few real hits to make her act more convincing.


    But thanks to Cedric''s self-defense techniques, she knew how to protect herself and minimize the damage in situations like this. She looked up at ke, who was drenched in cold sweat. "How was my acting?"


    "Are you insane! Ruining me won''t do you any good!" ke''s voice was hoarse and trembling.


    Xenia rushed over and added to the usation, "ke treated you so well, Noelle. He''s protected you since you were young, and is this how you repay his kindness? By destroying his career?"


    If ke lost everything, all the resources he promised her would disappear, too. How dare Noelle livestream everything!


    Noelle looked at the two, whopletely broke theirposure andughed out loud. "Since you think he''s treated me well, Xenia, why don''t you take a few hits and see how it feels?"


    Xenia immediately shrank back. "I always behaved."


    ke took a step toward Noelle, and his eyes were bloodshot with fury. "This is the second time, Noelle. You almost got me killed once when we were kids, and now you''re trying to ruin me again."


    "Second time? Tell me, when was the first time?" Noelle frowned. She refused to be wrongfully used.

 Chapter 413

    Noelle red at ke, and the look they exchanged was nothing short of hostile. ke sneered. "You don''t even remember, but I''ve never been able to forget."


    "Because I never did anything wrong, and I have nothing to feel guilty about!" Noelle was certain she''d never done anything to betray him. When she was younger, she''d always been well-behaved and never dared defy her brothers. How could she possibly have stabbed him in the back?


    Upon hearing that, Xenia panicked. She couldn''t let ke say it, given the consequences she''d face if he did. She stepped forward to grab ke''s arm.


    "This isn''t the time to talk about that, ke. We need to find a way to fix this mess. The video has gone viral all over the inte!"


    ke couldn''t afford to fall, at least not until she sessfully broke into the entertainment industry. He nced at her and nodded. "You''re right."


    Crisis management was their utmost priority right now. He immediately called his manager and instructed. "Get the best PR team. Fix this immediately."


    The nearly frantic manager responded, "I''ve hired the top crisis management firm from Greene Corporation. They''re on their way to the scene, and they''ll take care of it soon."


    "There''s nothing to worry about then. We''ll just tell everyone that Noelle and I were rehearsing a scene, and the livestream is just a surprise teaser for the audience."


    With that, ke turned his cold gaze to Noelle. "Did you think your little trick would work? Dream on."


    Xenia''s eyes lit up. "Yes! Just say it was a rehearsal. Noelle is just a rookie, and as his older brother, it makesplete sense that you were training her."


    That exnation would make sense.


    After hanging up the call, ke red at Noelle with unmasked malice. "Now that the live stream is over, how do you think I should repay you for that little surprise?"


    Xenia eagerly chimed in, "Why not teach her a lesson? But don''t go too far; we don''t want the media getting suspicious."


    She worried ke might lose control if he got too mad. If Noelle ended up seriously injured, they could never exin it as just a rehearsal. But ke shoved her aside as his entire being radiated hostility.


    "Since when do you get to tell me what to do?"


    Xenia stumbled and fell hard as pain shot through her body, yet she dared not make a sound. ke was unlike the other brothers, after all. He was aplete lunatic.


    He loomed over Noelle with a menacing look brimming in his eyes. "Choose. How do you want to die?"


    Before he could react, Noelle threw a punch at his face, followed by a sharp kick that sent him flying. Was she supposed to just sit and take the beating? He could keep dreaming!


    ke crashed into the ground hard, and his face contorted in pain. "Grab her! You''re dead, Noelle! You''vepletely pissed me off now!"


    Noelle swiftly pulled out a can of pepper spray from her bag and sprayed it in all directions at the approaching tattooed thugs. Momentster, the sound of police sirens echoed outside.


    ke immediately sat up. "Noelle... you called the cops?"


    Noelle was equally surprised. She hadn''t called the police since there hadn''t been time, but she wasn''t about to deny it. "Perhaps you should start thinking about how you''ll exin to them."


    ke realized things had spiraled out of control. He should''ve left earlier, but now the police had him cornered. He grabbed Xenia''s hand. "Go stall them. You know what to say, right?"


    "I do. Get out of here first, ke." Xenia wanted nothing more than to protect him.


    With the help of his men, ke struggled to his feet and limped toward an exit. Before leaving, he turned to re at Noelle. "This isn''t over. I won''t go easy on you next time."


    Noelle sneered. "Right back at you."


    After watching him leave, she finally let herself slump to the floor. Damn, that hurt. Watching ke trying to escape through the back exit, she turned toward the iing officers. "He''s there! He''s trying to run!"


    ke''s men immediately attempted a different escape route, only to fall straight into an abandoned sewer pit. As a loud scream tore through the night, Noelle smirked. The pain in her body lifted almost instantly.


    Poetic justice, huh? Suddenly, the sound of helicopter des whirring overhead filled the air.

 Chapter 414

    Noelle looked up at the pitch-ck sky and faintly made out the silhouette of a helicopter as if it were a scene from a movie.


    Cedric stepped off the helicopter with a stern expression and an unapproachable presence. Alfred followed right beside him. "We''ll split into two groups."


    When Noelle heard footstepsing from upstairs, she was worried that they might not be the police and thus decided to head downstairs. But as she reached the stairway, she saw that arge number of people had already surrounded the


    area.


    Cedric was at the front of the crowd. His eyes widened in an instant when he saw that Noelle was covered in wounds.


    He ran up to her immediately, his voice hoarse. "Why didn''t you give me a call?"


    He had only known that something had happened to her because of her livestream notification. Noelle''s lips curled up slightly. "Everything happened so suddenly."


    Moreover, she had only suspected that the eavesdropper was Xenia, and she was not exactly sure. ke was extremely sensitive when it came to cameras, so any slight mistake would have been enough to alert him. As such, there was only one chance.


    Cedric held himself back from saying everything he wanted to say and just pulled Noelle into his arms. "I''m taking you to the hospital now."


    "Not now. I need to go to the police station first. The media should have arrived by now," she replied.


    It was the moment she had been waiting for. Noelle pushed Cedric''s hand away and continued, "Don''t worry, these are all just flesh wounds. I''ve followed what you taught me on how to avoid getting hit in vital areas."


    Cedric felt his heart aching when he saw her swollen arm. He was getting a little furious. "Noelle! Why don''t you ever take care of yourself?"


    Noelle instinctively covered up her injuries. She had no other choice. If she wanted to deal with ke, she had to strike in one clean shot. As she limped forward, Cedric stepped in to support her by the shoulders.


    His tone carried a hint of anger. "Watch where you''re going. I don''t want you to fall and crack your head open."


    Alfred followed behind them with a shlight in hand to illuminate their path ahead. "Can you not say such scary stuff?"


    As Noelle stepped out of the abandoned building, the police immediately approached her and said, "You should go to the hospital first."


    She calmly replied, "I need to have my injuries examined first."


    Cedric frowned. "You''ll still have to get to the hospital regardless."


    When Noelle nced around and saw that no reporters were present, she felt a little disappointed.


    Cedric led her to the car and talked to her as if issuing an order. "You want to use the media to show what happened here, right? I''ll help arrange it for you once we''re at the hospital.


    "But for now, your top priority is getting medical attention. Do you understand that?"


    Noelle nodded in response. "Alright."


    Just then, Xenia approached the car. She stared at Noelle and said, "Doing this will only make the Liddells hate you even more. I never expected that you could be so ruthless! Are you and ke really blood-rted?"


    Xenia was visibly shaken, as she knew that ke would not be able to make an escape.


    Noelle red at Xenia for a while before turning to the police. "She''s involved with all of this as well. She''s the one that deliberately sowed discord between me and ke, which caused him to attack me!"


    Xenia''s voice turned sharp. "What the hell are you talking about, Noelle?"


    As the police stepped forward and took her away, she turned back to Noelle and shouted, "Noelle! You-Donovan will definitelye and save me!"


    Noelle sneered as she knew that it would certainly not be the case. Someone like Donovan only looked out for his own interests and would do whatever it took to protect himself when being threatened.


    Not long after that, ke and his gang of tattooed thugs were brought out of the building. All of the thugs were in handcuffs while ke was lying down on a stretcher. He seemed to be badly injured, with his face covered in blood.


    Noelle walked over to him on purpose, and when she saw his bloodied face, she was startled for a moment. She did not expect him to be so badly injured.


    ke''s eyes were burning with rage. "Noelle! What the hell are you looking at? If my face is ruined, I swear that I''ll make you pay!"

 Chapter 415

    Noelle shook away ke''s hand and slowly replied, "Didn''t you fall in and hurt yourself? Or are you saying that I pushed you?"


    "It''s all because of you!" ke shouted. As he raised his voice, he also pulled at his injuries and caused his body to tremble in pain.


    "Oh no, ke. What''s wrong? Don''t get too worked up, okay? Or the wound on your face will get even bigger!" Noelle then pressed down on his injured arm with a faint smile. "It hurts, doesn''t it? Good."


    ke was in so much pain that he could not even speak, his face turning deathly pale. Even his eyes were turning bloodshot. "I''m going to kill you, Noelle! I''ll fucking kill you!"


    Noelle had ruined everything in his life. She pressed down even harder in response, and ke immediately shut his mouth while breaking out into a cold sweat.


    ke''s manager, Eion But, rushed over in a panic. "You''re pressing on his wound, Ms. Liddell! Are you trying to kill him?"


    "Get your facts straight. The one trying to kill me is him, my own brother! The whole world has seen it on the inte now!" Noelle replied.


    With that, she released her grip on ke and returned to the car. Eion was panicking. "Hurry up and get him to a hospital! Can you take responsibility if anything were to happen to his face?"


    Alfred took a look at a message he received from Cedric. "Block the ambnce!"


    He immediately raised his hand, and an entire fleet of cars pulled up in front of the ambnce to block the road entirely. The ambnce could not get through the roadblock at all.


    He then leanedzily against a car with a smirk. "Ah, so sorry, it seems that one of our cars broke down. We''ll clear up the road once it''s fixed."


    Eion did not dare to make a scene when he saw Alfred, as he was not someone they could afford to make enemies of.


    Xenia, who was standing at the side, was also panicking. "There was a helicopter just now, right?"


    Alfred clicked his tongue and exined, "Listen, girl. That helicopter was solely used to find Noelle. It''s not something that some random nobody like you could step on to."


    Xenia''s face turned red from anger. "How can you say that, Mr. Parham? Justin''s my boyfriend, you know? And he had never spoken badly about you!" She hoped to use Justin''s name to persuade Alfred to help.


    "Didn''t the two of you break up already? My aunt would never approve of someone like you as her daughter-inw, anyway. Just give up already," Alfred replied.


    Eion ran over and pleaded, "Mr. Parham, this is a matter of life and death! Could you please let us through?"


    "Like I said, it''s not that I''m not letting you through; it''s just that our car''s broken down, "Alfred''s voice turned cold. "You Liddells sure are a bunch of lunatics. Do you honestly think you can just walk away unscathed after you tried to hurt Noelle? Just wait; this isn''t over yet!"


    He recalled just how terrifying Cedric''s expression was from earlier. With that, Alfred turned around and got back into his car with no intention to argue any further.


    Eion could tell that Noelle and Alfred were close friends, and he slowly realized the gravity of the situation as they could not possibly go against the Parham family.


    Xenia was shivering all over as she realized that she would also be taken to the police station as well. She cursed out at Noelle in her heart, ming all the fault on her.


    She immediately called Donovan and put up a fake sobbing voice: "Donovan! Bad news! ke and Noelle were filming, and they somehow started getting into a fight.


    "Noelle even deliberately live-streamed the entire thing, and ke got so angry that he identally fell into a trap and got seriously injured, including his face! What should we do?"


    "I''m on a business trip overseas, but I''ll be on my way back as soon as possible. Tell Frank-Never mind, we don''t need to make him worry. Just take care of ke for now; I''ll be there as soon as I can," Donovan replied.


    Xenia hung up the call, and her expression turned cold. She would not let Noelle ruin ke''s life so easily. She still needed ke''s help to get into the entertainment industry after all.


    Meanwhile, Cedric was already in the driver''s seat as he watched Noelle get into the car. He did not bother to stop her from confronting ke earlier.


    Noelle leaned back in her seat, pulled out her phone, and finally saw that the live stream had gone viral. She chuckled when she saw that Firestorm''s administration even messaged her, asking if they should call the police for her.


    After replying to the messages, Noelle identally brushed against the wound on her arm, causing her to gasp from the pain.


    Cedric was visibly concerned. "Does it hurt? We''ll be at the hospital soon." "Yeah. I didn''t feel much pain earlier, but it''s now getting worse," Noelle replied. She sneaked a nce at Cedric, who was driving next to her. She saw that his expression was stone cold and a little scary, and she asked, "Are you angry?"


    Cedric''s tone sounded annoyed. "Can''t you tell? Why did you pull such stupid tricks? Does it not hurt?


    "What if ke had actually tried to hurt you? What if something happened to you? What would I do then?"

 Chapter 416

    Noelle''s expression froze up for a moment as she stared at Cedric in a daze. Her gaze flickered as she lowered her head and whispered, "I''m fine, aren''t I?"


    "What if you weren''t? Didn''t I tell you to give me a call if something happened? It doesn''t matter what it is. I can help you!" Cedric grew angrier the more he spoke.


    He could not forget about the sound of Noelle''s desperate cry for help from the live stream. At that moment, he almost felt like killing someone. All of that, only to realize that she had been acting all along.


    Noelle nced down at the injury on her knee and whispered, "I know we''re friends, but I can''t always trouble you with everything."


    Maple Enterprise also sponsored the esports team back then.


    She felt that she could not keep relying on Cedric. She wanted to handle her own issues with the Liddells. She did not want to involve the people around her in it, especially ke, whose personality might make him start biting people like a mad dog if provoked enough.


    Cedric''s car came to a halt at a red light. He then turned his head slightly, revealing his darkened expression. "So I''m just a friend to you?"


    Noelle clenched her pants and took a while to reply. "What else would we be?"


    He rested one hand on the steering wheel and replied, "If you don''t know how to protect yourself, then I''ll protect you instead. Stay by my side, and no one will ever dare to bully you again."


    Her heart began beating like a drum as she felt that her face had gotten hotter.


    Just as she was about to say something, a car horn red from behind. She then quickly said, "The light''s green."


    Cedric stepped on the gas once more, and the inside of the car remained silent throughout.


    Noelle kept her eyes on the road ahead, but her mind had be aplete


    mess.


    She wondered what Cedric had meant by his words just now, as well as wondering if she was just overthinking things again.


    Their car soon came to a halt outside a hospital.


    Noelle took a look and said, "Isn''t this the private hospital that you went to thest time you were injured?"


    She had heard that this hospital was where the wealthy folks preferred treatment. Cedric''s expression was as cold as ever. "Get out."


    Noelle just did as he said. Meanwhile, medical staff were already waiting nearby.


    The moment she got out of the car, she was ced into a wheelchair and pushed into the hospital. She turned back to look at Cedric and saw that he was standing with the doctor and was seemingly discussing something.


    She was not sure if it was her imagination, but she saw that the doctor''s attitude toward Cedric seemed overly respectful.


    Cedric watched as Noelle was being wheeled away. "Give her a thorough checkup, and be gentle when you''re disinfecting her wounds. She''s afraid of pain."


    The doctor replied, "Rest assured, Mr. Greene. We''ll do our best."


    Cedric nodded and leaned against the car before lighting a cigarette and taking a long drag. His sharp and defined features, set in a darkened expression, finally calmed down a little after the smoke.


    Noelle''s medical examination was finished in no time. She felt rather awkward to be sitting in a wheelchair, as she did not suffer from any broken bones. She wanted to stand up, but she would just be pressed back down by a pair of hands.


    Cedric pushed her into a high-end private hospital ward. "Stay in here and rest up properly."


    Noelle was a little afraid of looking straight at him as she whispered, "I''m a little hungry."


    "Wait here," Cedric replied before turning around and leaving the room. As she stared at his back, she felt that her mood had turned for the better.


    Noelle then pulled out her phone and saw that she had received messages from Grace and Rachel. Just as she was about to type her reply, the room''s door was pushed open.


    Three people entered the room, all of them dressed in sharp, luxurious suits.


    The woman leading the group was covered from head to toe in designer brands. She approached Noelle and handed her a business card. "Hello, Ms. Liddell. I''m Tilly Lozano, the manager of TG Public Rtions."


    Noelle did not ept the card. "What''s a Public Rtionspany looking for me for?"


    Tilly replied, "Have you not heard of us, Ms. Liddell? We''re the Greene Corporation''s top PR team. There''s no one that we can''t clean up their past.


    "What will it take for you to agree to release a statement saying that the live stream earlier was just a staged performance?"


    Noelle snorted and replied, "Nothing will make me agree to your terms. I want ke''s life to be utterly ruined!"


    Tilly exined, "We''re only approaching you to give you an opportunity to make things right. You may refuse us now, but the only one who will end up suffering will just be you yourself."


    Just as the words fell, the hospital ward''s door was kicked open with a loud bang. Cedric stood at the entrance of the room while holding a lunchbox, his expression as cold as ice.

 Chapter 417

    Cedric resembled Death itself as he stood at the doorway. When the group from TG Public Rtions saw him, they were all leftpletely dumbfounded. They could notprehend why someone like Cedric was here.


    Tilly began to stammer. "You, you''re¡ª"


    Cedric''s expression waspletely darkened. "Get out!"


    She hurriedly exined, "We''re actually here for work; we''re trying to¡ª"


    He grabbed a cup from the table and hurled it at them. "I said, get out! Now!"


    Tilly was unwilling to back down just yet. When she opened her mouth to speak again, her subordinate beside her tugged at her sleeve and said, "Let''s just go, Ms. Lozano."


    The subordinate wondered if she really could not tell just how furious Cedric had looked.


    Noelle noticed his expression and quickly turned to Tilly. "You''re the manager or whatever of TG Public Rtions, right? I don''t care who you are, but I will never cooperate with whatever statement you want me to make."


    Tilly turned back to Noelle in surprise. "Don''t you know who he¡ª"


    Cedric red at her as a warning. Tilly was forcefully dragged out by her subordinates. They knew that if they stayed around any longer, all three of them would probably be fired tomorrow.


    Noelle watched as they left and said, "They were probably hired by ke. I heard that they''re quite the capable bunch, with the Greene Corporation backing them and all."


    Cedric replied with confidence. "You don''t need to worry about that. TG Public Rtions won''t be able to take this job."


    He ced the food on the table and continued, "Eat up."


    Noelle looked at him cautiously. "You mean that you''ll talk to Magnus?"


    She knew that Cedric was on good terms with Alfred and Magnus, so he might be able to pull some strings. She stared at him and continued, "I have an idea."


    Cedric pulled out a pair of cutleries and ced them in her hand. "What is it?"


    "I''ll hire TG Public Rtions to work for me instead. I''ll pay them their sries as usual, and Magnus won''t have to worry about all of this. What do you think?" Noelle exined.


    Cedric just looked at her and replied, "Eat your meal first."


    "You don''t think it''s a good n?"


    "I''ll talk to Magnuster. You should eat up for now."


    It was only then that Noelle picked up her cutleries. With her right hand injured, she could only use her left hand to eat. But she soon realized that using her left hand was rather inconvenient as she kept dropping the food.


    Cedric took the lunchbox from her and fed her. "You finally realize whates with being injured, huh?"


    Noelle hesitated for a moment. "Can you squat down a little? You make it look like you''re feeding a pet."


    "You sure have a lot of demands." Despite his words, Cedric still crouched down in front of her.


    Noelle nced at Cedric in front of her while also being slightly evasive. After a few more bites, she shook her head and said, "I can''t eat anymore."


    "Take a good rest," Cedric replied.


    Noelle then realized that the three people from before were still standing outside of the room, unwilling to leave just yet. "But the people from TG Public Rtions haven''t left yet."


    Ceric casually picked up a napkin and handed it to her. "I''ll handle them. You just rest up for now."


    "But-"


    "Why don''t you rely on me for once, Noelle?"


    His gaze at Noelle made her a little flustered. She coughed and turned her head to the side. "But I can''t always rely on you."


    "Why not?" Cedric asked.


    His tone made her heart race as she looked at him with suspicion. "But that''s not what you said back then."


    Cedric had told her to make new friends at the university and to start living a new life. He looked at the battered Noelle in front of him and replied, "I regret what I''ve said now."


    He did not want what happened that day to ever happen again. He did not want to find her injured and crying in an abandoned building, all alone.


    Noelle felt her cheeks getting hotter. "Are you confessing to me?"


    She was not so oblivious as to not notice the change in Cedric''s attitude recently.

 Chapter 418

    Cedric flicked her forehead lightly and said, "And here I thought you''d never realize it."


    He then stood up and continued, "I just felt that you were still too immature back then. But now, I don''t mind waiting for you."


    He did not want to see what had happened today to ever repeat itself ever again. Noelle blurted out, "You don''t have to wait."


    Her face grew hot the moment she said those words. Cedric''s lips curled into a faint smile. "At least let me deal with the people outside first."


    Noelle touched her own face as she watched him walk out of the room. She felt like everything had happened too suddenly. She even began to wonder if she was actually dreaming.


    Meanwhile, outside of the hospital ward, Cedric approached and scanned the three people in front of him with a stern look. "TG Public Rtions, yes?"


    Tilly nodded respectfully and replied, "Mr. Greene! I''m the manager of TG Public Rtions, yes. Just now-"


    Cedric''s expression was calm as ever, his gaze distant and indifferent. "From now on, you have two choices. The first option is you will resign and get out of Yasnia."


    The three of them responded in unison. "We choose the second option."


    Cedric nced back at Noelle in her hospital ward. She was sitting on the bed and looking down at her phone.


    He then continued, "Starting today, you''ll be working for her as her PR team as well as personal assistants. You''ll be responsible for handling everything, big or small, in her life."


    Tilly was stunned as she wondered if they had just received a promotion. They had long heard about Cedric having taken a liking to a youngdy.


    They had even heard rumors about the two of them being in a car ident together, even though news about it was suppressed. They wondered if Noelle was the very same girl the rumors mentioned about.


    Judging from the situation at hand, they also realized that Noelle might just be the future Mrs. Greene of the Greene family. It felt like they had gotten a blessing in disguise.


    After dealing with the three people from TG Public Rtions, Cedric immediately called Alfred. "Alfred, I recall that your aunt is married to the so-called king of the news industry. I''d like to ask her for a favor."


    Alfred replied, "I already know what you''re trying to say. I spoke to my aunt earlier. This time, we''ll make sure that ke is done.


    "But honestly, why go to such lengths just for one guy? It''s not like ke is that hard to deal with."


    Cedric had many ways to ensure that ke''s career would never see the light of day again, but it was not what Noelle would have wanted. "It''s not what Noelle wants."


    Everything Noelle had received from her family was nothing she ever wanted, but they were still forced onto her. As such, Cedric did not want to do the same. He wanted her to live ording to her own wishes he did not want to interfere too much in her life.


    Alfred let out a sigh and replied, "Alright, alright, you don''t have to show off so much, you know? Anyway, ke''s already taken away by his manager in a helicopter. But with how long we''ve been blocking the road, he''s definitely in for a rough time."


    He looked up into the night sky and felt that things would soon get even busier.


    As ke was rushed to the hospital for treatment, the outside of the hospital became a chaotic mess, with the media swarming forward, desperate to uncover the truth of the incident.


    Frank hurried to the hospital as well despite being unwell. He arrived just in time to see ke being wheeled out with visible scars on his face. Frank grew anxious.


    "How did he get hurt so badly?"


    Xenia sobbed pitifully. "I don''t know either. He was already like this by the time I arrived."


    She was genuinely in tears because if ke was disfigured, his career would be over. Most people had to rely on their looks to make a living in the modern world, especially so for those in the entertainment industry.


    If ke was disfigured, he would not be able to continue working as an actor. And if his career was over, Xenia could only imagine what would happen to her.


    Frank grew impatient and snapped at her. "Stop crying, Xenia. Tell me what really happened during the live stream. I don''t believe that you actually know anything about it!"


    At that point, Frank no longer trusted anythinging out of Xenia''s mouth, especially so when Noelle was involved in the matter.


    Xenia stammered her words. "I, I really have no idea! ke and Noelle had always been on edge with each other.


    "He wanted to convince Noelle to drop thewsuit so that our family could stay together. She probably refused his request, and then a fight broke out afterward."


    Frank pressed on. "You''re still not telling me the truth, are you? ke wouldn''t hurt someone for no good reason! There must be something behind all of this!"


    Just then, Xenia caught sight of Donovan approaching them and immediately dropped to the floor. "I really don''t know, Frank!"


    Donovan rushed into the room and helped Xenia up. "Frank, why are you being so harsh on Xenia? It''s not like she''s the one who hurt ke! It was Noelle!"


    "Donovan, you can''t always be so biased," Frank replied.


    Donovan believed that Noelle was the cause of everything that had just happened. "I''m just stating the facts! Where''s Noelle? She even went so far as to


    ruin ke''s life with a live stream! Get her over here now!


    "She''s already ruined Lucas. I won''t let her ruin ke, too!"

 Chapter 419

    Frank smiled bitterly. "Noelle was also taken to the hospital for emergency treatment."


    Donovan''s voice immediately shrank down as his expression became twisted. "What? She''s hurt as well?"


    Frank was furious. "Don''t you know about ke''s temper, Donovan? How could Noelle not get hurt? Donovan, you''ve never even asked about Noelle from the very beginning. She''s our sister, too, you know?"


    Moreover, the live stream clearly showed that ke started the fight.


    Donovan quickly exined, "But Noelle''s quite skilled as well. Who knows who would win if they fought?"


    Xenia spoke up. "Donovan, Noelle''s only suffered minor external injuries, but ke was so gravely injured that he even got disfigured! It''s going to be difficult to make a full recovery! What will he do from now on?"


    "His face is ruined?" Donovan did not expect things to be that bad.


    Looks were everything in the entertainment industry, and if ke''s appearance was ruined, his career would also be over. Donovan finally approached the unconscious ke. He immediately fell silent upon seeing the scars on ke''s


    face.


    He then turned to look at Frank furiously. "Can''t you see the injuries on ke''s face? Why are you still siding with Noelle?"


    "I can see ke''s injuries just fine, Donovan, but this has nothing to do with Noelle," Frank replied.


    "How could it have nothing to do with her? It was all caught on the live stream!"


    Frank replied helplessly. "But it was ke that started the fight, was it not?"


    He became so worked up that he could not help but cough. Donovan was furious, but he did not want to argue further with Frank. He knew that the reason all of his younger brothers were in such a sorry state was all rted to Noelle.


    Just then, the police entered the room and said, "Is Mr. ke still unconscious? We''ll need to take his statementter."


    Donovan frowned and replied, "ke is innocent! Noelle deliberately set up the live stream to ruin his career!"


    "Sir, we will investigate the facts of the case ourselves," the police replied.


    Donovan could no longer contain his anger. "Can''t you see just how badly ke is hurt? Meanwhile, Noelle only suffered external injuries! Isn''t it obvious who''s in a worse state?"


    The police exined, "ording to our investigation, Mr. ke was injured when he fell into a construction pit while trying to escape. His injuries have nothing to do with the victim, Noelle."


    Donovan was shocked. "It really has nothing to do with Noelle?"


    It was not what Xenia had told him. Donovan instinctively turned to look at Xenia, and she immediately exined, "It was extremely dark at the time, Donovan. I didn''t really see how exactly ke got hurt."


    Frank scoffed and said, "Xenia''s always been lying, Donovan, and you just believe everything she says without even questioning it. Meanwhile, you never even trusted Noelle! Mom and Dad would be sad if they saw this!"


    Donovan was starting to get emotional. "Mom and Dad would be sad, you say? When our family ran into problems with money, I was the one who raised all of you!"


    Xenia hurriedly exined, "I wasn''t at the scene when it happened, Frank. I only realized what had happened when the police arrived! ke was already like this when they carried him out of the building, which is why I mistakenly thought that it was rted to Noelle."


    Frank pressed on. "So you''ve never seen anything! Then, why did you tell Donovan misleading details that made him think Noelle was the one that hurt ke?"


    Xenia took a step back and hesitated. "I didn''t do that."


    Frank grew angrier the more he spoke. "Every time something happens, you deliberately twist the truth to smear Noelle! The reason our family has been falling apart is all because of you manipting us, Xenia! We should have never taken you into our family!"


    Donovan immediately stepped in front of Frank and said, "That''s going too far, Frank! Xenia''s father died saving our parents. We have a duty to take care of her!"


    "Exactly, which is why I''ve treated Xenia well in the past. But now, I never thought that she''d turn out to be such an ungrateful monster!" Frank replied.

 Chapter 420

    Frank deeply regretted taking Xenia into the Liddell family. He felt that he should have never agreed to let Donovan take Xenia in and raise her.


    Xenia hid behind Donovan and spoke pitifully. "I know that Frank doesn''t like me, Donovan. I should just leave now instead of staying around and angering him further."


    Seeing that the police had arrived, she felt a little guilty and wanted to slip away.


    The officers just looked at her and said, "You can''t leave yet, Ms. Xenia. You mentioned that you were injured and needed a medical check-up earlier, didn''t you? And besides, you haven''t even given us your statement yet."


    Xenia''s expression darkened. "I''ve already said everything I needed to say. I don''t know anything else."


    "The victim, Noelle, said that you were the one that deliberately provoked ke and caused him to start the fight," the police replied.


    "I never did that! Noelle has always had an issue with me, so she thinks that I''m involved! I don''t me her for thinking so, but still, she can''t just use someone without any evidence," Xenia exined.


    She then turned to Donovan and started crying. "You have to believe me, Donovan."


    Donovan nodded and replied, "Of course, I believe you. There''s no need to be afraid, Xenia, since you didn''t do anything wrong. Just cooperate with the investigation."


    Xenia''s expression froze up for a moment. She did not want to cooperate with the investigation precisely because she was worried that she might be exposed.


    Donovan then asked the police. "Did Noelle mention anything about evidence?" The police officers replied, "Yes, Noelle had mentioned a recording of a conversation on Xenia''s phone. That is why we need to check it."


    Xenia panicked and took a few steps back. "I don''t have that!"


    The police turned to her and said, "Please hand over your phone so we can see for ourselves."


    Frank stepped forward and snatched Xenia''s phone, unlocked it, and then handed it to the officers. Xenia lowered her eyes while her lips twisted up into a cold smirk.


    After the lesson from the surveince footage incident, she had learned to be much more cautious. She would never leave such critical evidence on her phone, and she had already deleted the video after showing it to ke.


    Frank stared at her and said, "Are you going to admit it yourself? Or should we wait for the police to find out about it?"


    Xenia kept her head down and replied, "I didn''t do anything! Why should I admit to something I didn''t do?"


    The officers soon finished checking her phone and handed it back to her. "There''s no sign of the video Noelle mentioned."


    Donovan turned to Frank and said, "I told you, Frank. Xenia''s not that kind of person. I''m starting to think that you have a problem with her."


    Xenia let out a sigh of relief and exined, "It''s not Frank''s fault, Donovan. He''s just a little anxious, that''s all."


    Frank was enraged. "Drop the act, Xenia! Don''t think you''re in the clear just because you deleted the video! Once ke wakes up, we''ll just ask him about the truth! Do you honestly think that you can cover this up?"


    He was furious that Donovan would not believe him and instead believed that Xenia was innocent.


    Just then, ke finally regained consciousness. He nced around and said, "It hurts! Give me a mirror!"


    Xenia rushed over to his side immediately. "ke, you''re awake! You''ve really scared us all! Both Donovan and Frank have been really worried about you!"


    ke propped himself up like a madman. "Didn''t you hear what I said? I want a mirror!"


    He could not afford for his face to be ruined.


    Xenia wept as she replied, "ke, the doctor said that your face can still be restored. Please don''t be angry, okay? And please don''t fault Noelle for this."


    "Where''s Noelle? Where is she? I''m going to kill her!" ke shouted.

 Chapter 421

    ke felt a burning paining from his face. He never expected his face to be injured. If his appearance could not be restored, then he would not be able to survive within the entertainment industry.


    He had even nned topete for the Best Actor award that year. But now that his face was ruined, he would no longer have the chance to win.


    Donovan walked over and pressed ke back down into his bed. "Calm down, ke. Your wounds aren''t healed yet, and you''re still on an IV."


    ke waspletely hysterical and refused to listen to anyone. "Donovan, it was Noelle! She nned all of this! I wouldn''t have gotten hurt if she hadn''t set me up!"


    Donovan took a look at the wounds on ke''s face and reassured him. "Don''t worry, ke. Carl''s been a doctor for so many years now; fixing your face shouldn''t be a problem for him."


    ke suddenly calmed down a little as he scanned his surroundings. "Where''s Noelle? She made me into such a mess, and she''s not even showing her face?"


    Frank walked over and said, "ke, you''re the one that attacked Noelle first. How can you say that she''s the one who hurt you?"


    "You''re obviously being biased toward Noelle, Frank. Of course, you''d take her side!"


    ke would never admit to starting it. If the truth got out, his career would be over. He was putting on an act since he had already noticed that the police were actually in the room.


    Sure enough, one of the officers stepped forward and asked, "Noelle is injured as well. Mr. ke, why did you attack her?"


    ke''s tone was filled with grief, as if he had been betrayed by his loved ones. "We were just rehearsing! I was teaching her about acting! I never expected her to set me up by live streaming and even calling the police on me!"


    Xenia chimed in. "That''s right! I can even vouch that Noelle''s bad performance held up the filming process yesterday, which is why ke decided to take the time to coach her today! I never expected that she''d do something like this!"


    Frank red at Xenia from the side. "Noelle isn''t that kind of person!"


    ke''s voice was hoarse as he exined, "You can ask the production team about Noelle''s bad performance causing a dy to the filming schedule. They all know that I''m not lying about this!"


    The police officer then asked, "Mr. ke, if you were just rehearsing, then why did Noelle actually get injured?"


    ke looked extremely weak as he replied, "Noelle herself said that she wanted a more realistic performance, and I didn''t even use that much force! Even if she''s seriously hurt, it wasn''t because of me!


    "I never would have imagined that my own sister would set me up like this. I''ve always treated her sincerely. I really have no idea why."


    Donovan was furious. "What else could it be, ke? You tried to get Noelle to drop the charges, and she refused you. Now, she set you up to have your career ruined so that you''d never be able to appear before her again.


    Xenia quickly tried to smooth things over. "Let''s talk to Noelleter, Donovan. It''s not right for her to nder ke''s reputation like this."


    Frank startedughing all of a sudden as he looked at Donovan with a look of disappointment. He had always thought that the bond between all of his siblings was strong, but everything had been exposed for what it truly was ever since Noelle left the Liddell family.


    "What''s with that look, Frank?" Donovan asked.


    "You''re going to regret this, Donovan. One day, you''ll regret it even more than I do now," Frank replied before leaving the room.


    He would not allow ke to hurt Noelle again. He needed to find her and warn her in advance about what was toe.


    Meanwhile, at Aristelle Hospital, Noelle was leaning against her bed while news of her being assaulted by ke during the live stream had gone viral.


    ke''s agency had already issued a statement iming that the two of them were simply rehearsing a scene. They contended that Noelle had initially nned to record a video so that she could practice her lines at home but had identally started a live stream instead, leading to a huge misunderstanding.


    As of now, public opinion had sided with the exnation that Noelle and ke were simply just rehearsing. Noelle did not respond to the statement, as whatever she said at the moment would only be met with attacks from ke''s fans.


    She decided to wait for the police investigation to be finished before releasing her own statement. It would be the most effective approach.


    Suddenly, a voice rang out. "Ms. Liddell, you''re awake? May we have a word with you?"


    Noelle''s expression turned cold when she saw that the people from TG Public Rtions had returned. "Like I said, I''m not agreeing to any of your terms."


    "You misunderstand, Ms. Liddell. We''re your PR team now," Tilly handed Noelle a business card once more.


    "My name is Tilly Lozano. Feel free to save my number in your contacts. You can contact me anytime if you need anything."

 Chapter 422

    Noelle epted the business card. She was surprised at how fast Cedric had handled the situation, poaching ke''s entire PR team to her side. She asked cautiously. "Weren''t you guys working for ke? What about him?"


    Tilly replied bluntly. "Ms. Liddell, to be honest, I was only assigned to handle Mr. ke''s case because I was being sidelined within thepany.


    "It was a tough case, and I was only given it because no one else wanted to take on the job. Mr. ke''s case is extremely difficult to handle. I''d rather work for you instead.


    "You don''t need to ept any interviews with the media for now. Just wait for the police to publish the results of their investigation. It would also be best if you take a leave of absence from your studies for the next few days.


    "By the time you''re discharged from the hospital, some preliminary findings should be published."


    "That''s what I was thinking as well," Noelle added Tilly''s contact information and replied, "Don''t worry. I''ll make sure that you''re wellpensated."


    Tilly was stunned for a moment, but she did not refute Noelle''s words. It was clear that Cedric wanted to keep his identity a secret, and Tilly had no intention of exposing it.


    After requesting a leave of absence from her university, Noelle then messaged Grace to assure her that she was doing fine and that she would check on the team''s training progress once she was discharged.


    Not long after that, Frank arrived outside Noelle''s hospital ward. He was quickly stopped by Tilly. "Ms. Liddell is currently resting. She''s not seeing anyone."


    "I''m her older brother!" Frank exined.


    "I know. It is precisely her own family members that she doesn''t want to see."


    As Noelle''s PR team member, Tilly had already researched Noelle''s background and learned that the Liddell family had never treated her well.


    Frank stood by the door and looked inside the room. "I''m here to check on your injuries, Noelle. I know that everything that happened is ke''s fault! I know that it has nothing to do with you!"


    He knew what kind of person ke was. ke had been getting into fights ever since he was a kid, and their parents had to be called to the school again and again because of his antics.


    Meanwhile, Noelle just pretended that she did not hear anything or look at Frank. She knew her siblings too well and had no interest in listening to their empty words.


    Noticing herck of response, Tilly turned back to Frank and exined, "I''m sure that Ms. Liddell has heard you, but she has no intention of talking to you. If you''re done speaking, you may leave now."


    Frank was still unwilling to leave just yet. "Noelle, ke''s face is done for! He might get desperate enough to do just about anything! I''m worried about you being all by yourself in the hospital!"


    Tilly raised an eyebrow and replied, "Sir, do you not see the three of us standing here?"


    Frank pursed his lips and asked, "Who are you people anyway?"


    "We''re a PR team from TG Public Rtions. We''re currently handling everything rted to Ms. Liddell, including her personal safety."


    "You''re just a group of people hired to do your job! I don''t trust you enough to leave my sister in your hands!"


    Just then, Cedric strode over and said, "Have you forgotten that Noelle only ended up in such a state because of your family? The Liddells have been bringing her nothing but trouble! What right do you even have to say that you''re worried about her?"


    His appearance caused the trio of Noelle''s PR team to be on high alert, ready to assist their employer.


    A bitter smile appeared on Frank''s thin face. "I know, but it''s different this time. ke isn''t someone that ys by the rules."


    ke had connections with gangsters, which was why Frank was worried that ke might send someone to abduct Noelle. It was something that ke might just actually do.


    Cedric''s expression was icy cold. "You''re overestimating yourselves if you think that you can bring Noelle out of this hospital."


    After hearing Cedric''s voice, Noelle finally walked toward the doorway. She looked at Frank and spoke up with indifference: "You should leave, Frank. Being around the Liddells only brings me misery."


    Frank stepped forward to grab Noelle''s wrist. "Noelle, I''m on your side. I¡ª"


    He covered his mouth as he suddenly started to cough. Blood soon seeped through his fingers. He wiped his mouth with his sleeve and turned away in a panic. "I need to go."


    Noelle''s hand hovered in the air for a moment before she slowly withdrew it. But before Frank could take more than a few steps, he suddenly copsed to the ground, his face deathly pale.

 Chapter 423

    Noelle stared at the unconscious Frank and was at a loss for words.


    She looked up at Cedric and said, "We should get a doctor to check on him. It''d be bad if he just died here."


    It was only then that Cedric turned to look at the PR team, which prompted Tilly to


    look for a doctor and arrange for Frank''s medical examination.


    And now, Noelle and Cedric were left alone by themselves. Noelle looked downwards as Cedric spoke up. "Does your arm still hurt?"


    "It''s better now. It doesn''t hurt so long as I don''t touch the wound," Noelle replied.


    Cedric''s expression darkened as he looked at the injuries on her body. "The most important thing for you right now is to rest and recover. Don''t worry about anything else."


    "I know. With the TG Public Rtions'' PR team by my side, there''s really nothing to worry about," She stole a nce at him and continued, "Are you still angry?"


    Cedric flicked her forehead lightly. "Just don''t do this again. If something like this happens again, we can discuss together what to do next. You don''t have to handle everything alone."


    Noelle rubbed her forehead as she felt that something between them had been slowly but surely changing.


    Just then, Tilly walked over and said, "Ms. Liddell, Mr. Frank''s condition isn''t so great. The doctor has asked for a family member to be present."


    Noelle felt her heart hurt as she thought about Frank''s frail appearance.


    Cedric wrapped her hand in his own, his palm warm and reassuring. "You don''t need to feel burdened by anyone from the Liddell family."


    "I know, but we should still go take a look. Once he wakes up, we can transfer him to another hospital," Noelle replied.


    As she started walking, he still did not let go of her hand.


    She turned around to look at him, which prompted him to lower his head and look at her. "What''s wrong?"


    His tone was calm, as if their fingers intertwining together was the most natural thing in the world.


    Noelle looked away as her lips curled up slightly.


    As the two of them arrived at the doctor''s office, the doctor was shocked to see that Cedric was holding a young woman''s hand. It was apparent that their rtionship was not an ordinary one.


    Noelle was the first to speak up. "How is Frank doing?"


    The doctor brought out the scans for Frank. "His stomach''s not doing so well. I rmend running some more tests for certainty, but based on our initial assessment, we suspect that it might be stomach cancer."


    Noelle felt as if she was dreaming when she heard the words ''stomach cancer.'' "Stomach cancer? Are you sure, doctor? His stomach has always been weak, but he''s also constantly being monitored and on medication."


    She recalled that Frank had never developed stomach cancer in her past life. She barely registered what the doctor said next.


    Cedric led Noelle out of the office and said, "I remember that his stomach had been not doing very well for a long time. But for it to worsen so much in such a short time only meant that he didn''t take it seriously."


    Frank had fainted once when he was back in Aldoria, and it was Noelle who had taken him to the hospital. Noelle took a deep breath and asked, "Have you ever heard about the butterfly effect?"


    "I''ve heard of it, but what does that have to do with Frank''s illness?" Cedric replied.


    She lowered her head and exined, "Do you think that changing a person''s fate could also alter the destinies of others?"


    "Come with me. I''d like to show you something."


    Cedric then led her to the hospital''s back garden. She nced around and asked, "What are we looking at?"


    "Look at the ants on the ground," he crouched down and picked up a leaf to block the ants'' path. "See? Their fate just changed."


    Noelle watched as the once orderly line of ants suddenly became chaotic.


    Cedric then continued, "Our lives are constantly changing. You might decide to


    take a different route today, do something different, or even go home in a different way. Nobody knows what kind of changes those decisions will cause in the future."


    She watched as the ants found a way around the leaf and reorganized their formation.


    She pursed her lips and replied, "I understand. Thank you, Cedric."


    Frank''s stomach problems had shown signs very early on. ording to Robin, he should have undergone surgery long ago, but it had been dyed until now.


    Cedric wanted to say something more, but his phone started ringing.


    He stepped aside to take the call before returning to Noelle''s side. "I need to head to the office to handle something real quick, but I''ll be back in the evening to have dinner with you. Is there anything you''d like to eat?"


    "I want the specialty dishes of L Bistro. Do they do takeout?" Noelle asked.

 Chapter 424

    "So long as you want to eat it, I''ll even pluck down the stars in the night sky for you," Cedric replied.


    Noelle burst intoughter. She did not expect that he could crack a joke like that.


    He pinched her cheek and continued, "That''s more like it. Don''t always put up that angry-looking face. It makes you look old."


    Her face turned a little hot as she replied, "You should go back to work now. I''ll be fine on my own."


    Cedric stared at her longingly before turning to leave.


    As he reached the corner, he spotted the PR team already standing by. "Make sure all of her meals during her stay in the hospital are delivered from L Bistro."


    Tilly nodded and replied, "Understood, Mr. Greene. We''ll take care of it."


    After he left, Noelle sat in the garden by herself, watching the ants move to a new nest. She also saw that the weather seemed to indicate a heavy storm wasing.


    After some time, Frank finally woke up.


    Noelle walked into the room and said, "Your condition''s gotten worse. The doctor suggests that you undergo surgery as soon as possible."


    "I know about my illness. I had originally scheduled the surgery already, but then this whole situation happened. Donovan was away on a business trip, and I can''t just ignore this whole matter," Frank replied.


    Noelle replied bluntly with a serious expression. "This is not something you should care about. I strongly advise you to schedule the surgery as soon as possible."


    "Noelle, I''ll convince ke to realize his mistakes and apologize to you."


    She did not reply to him any further.


    Ever since the incident with the live stream, she had never nned to go easy on ke.


    Just then, Tilly walked into the room as well. "Ms. Liddell, the Liddell family''s men are here. We''ve stopped-I mean, I discovered them in the hospital''s parking lot."


    "Perfect timing. Frank, you should go with them and transfer to another hospital," Noelle replied.


    She then had someone bring over a wheelchair and help Frank onto it before pushing him to the underground parking lot.


    When they were inside the elevator, Frank could not help but speak up. "Noelle, ke''s face is ruined. There will still be scars even if he gets it fixed. His career is basically over."


    Noelle remained expressionless. "There''s no point in saying things like that, so I suggest that you stop."


    She knew Frank''s personality very well. Frank would always try to smooth things over, hoping to turn big problems into smaller ones and small problems into nothing. However, such actions would always end up with someone having to makepromises.


    He continued, "Noelle, I¡ª"


    But Noelle''s words would shut him uppletely. "I don''t want to be the one makingpromises anymore. You don''t have to try to persuade me any longer. It won''t work."


    As the elevator doors opened up, Noelle pushed him out toward the parking lot.


    Donovan, who had been stopped in the parking lot, was furious. He snapped at Noelle the moment he saw her. "Feeling guilty, aren''t you? Isn''t that why you''re hiding in the hospital?"


    Frank replied, "Donovan, do you have to be harsh?"


    Donovan replied, "I''m not in the wrong here, Frank. And you, Noelle, do you think that hiding in the hospital will mean that everything will be fine? ke''s already hired the PR team of TG Public Rtions to handle this issue.


    "Do you really think that you can take them on by yourself? I suggest that you make a statement as soon as possible to rify that the live stream was just a rehearsal and not actual domestic violence!"


    Noelle''s lips curled into a smirk. "That''s just nice. I have a PR team, too."


    Donovan''s tone was mockery as he replied, "Do you think that your PR team could stand up against TG Public Rtions?" Ah, right. You''re new to Yasnia, so I suppose you don''t understand how things work here.


    Just then, Tilly stepped forward and said, "Hello, Mr. Donovan, I''m Tilly, the PR manager of TG Public Rtions."


    Donovan''s expression froze up in an instant. "Noelle! Did you honestly poach ke''s PR team to your side? Do you have to be so ruthless?"


    Frank blocked him and said, "What the hell are you saying, Donovan?"


    Donovan shoved Frank away, causing him to fall out of his wheelchair. "Don''t you try to stop me!"


    As Noelle hurried forward to help Frank up, Donovan immediately pushed her away as well. "There''s no need to fake being kind at this point."


    Noelle sneered and replied, "He just came out in a wheelchair, and you didn''t even ask what happened to him."


    "It''s not like he''s dying or anything!"


    "Frank has stomach cancer!"


    Donovan finally began to panic.

 Chapter 425

    Noelle watched as Donovan''s expression shifted.


    She sneered and continued, "You always say that everything you do is for the sake of the family, but even when Frank came out in a wheelchair looking unwell, you never even asked him about his condition."


    Donovan immediately raised his voice. "Is this how you talk to your older brother, Noelle?"


    Noelle remained calm. "The guiltier someone is, the louder they''ll speak so as to cover up their own mistakes."


    Donovan was left speechless. He finally helped Frank up and noticed just how much weight Frank had lost when he lifted Frank up with ease as if he weighed nothing.


    Donovan felt uneasy as he asked, "Why have you lost so much weight, Frank? Didn''t you say that you were going to undergo surgery for your stomach issues? Have you not done it yet?"


    Back in the wheelchair, Frank pushed Donovan''s hand away and replied, "I was already in the hospital waiting for my surgery, Donovan. But after everything that''s happened, I had to leave."


    "I''ll take care of everything now that I''m back from my business trip, so you should just focus on your surgery. If it''s really serious, we can even get Carl toe back to operate on you," Donovan replied.


    "There''s no need for that, Donovan. It''s not that serious. We don''t have to trouble Carl for it."


    "But she said that you got cancer! Isn''t that serious enough?"


    Donovan began to suspect that Noelle was lying and exaggerating about Frank''s condition.


    Frank just smiled bitterly and denied it. "No such thing."


    Donovan immediately turned back to Noelle and shouted, "Hear that, Noelle? Frank said that he doesn''t have cancer at all! You just want us to suffer, don''t you?"


    Noelle nced at Frank and ultimately chose to say nothing. She realized that it was useless to reason with him. Any more, and she would just be meddling with his business.


    She decided to leave, which caused Donovan''s furious voice to ring out behind her. "Did I say that you could leave, Noelle? ke just got disfigured! And you''re just staying in this hospital without a care in the world?"


    Noelle immediately turned around and replied, "Seems like they didn''t dare to tell you the truth as well. Just wait for the police investigation to conclude then."


    She was not in the mood for any more chatter, but Donovan was unwilling to let it go and tried to chase after her, only to be stopped by Tilly and her team.


    "Mr. Donovan, take one more step, and we''ll have to call the police. This could have a negative impact on your family, so we advise that you think twice."


    "Aren''t you ke''s PR team? How did you suddenly switch to work for Noelle? Whatever she''s paying you, I''ll double it!" Donovan shouted.


    Tilly''s expression turned strange. "This isn''t about money."


    She wondered if the Liddell family had any idea about who they were dealing with. With Noelle under Cedric''s protection, it was no longer a matter of money.


    "Being on Noelle''s side will only be more trouble for you," Donovan replied.


    Tilly sneered and said, "Mr. Donovan, Ms. Liddell was also injured, you know? And yet, I haven''t even heard you ask her about her injuries even once. It seems like the case of domestic violence caught on live stream is probably true."


    Donovan''s expression darkened. "That''s because you don''t understand Noelle at all! Our entire family is falling apart because of her!"


    Frank was sick, and Lucas was about to face jail time. And now, even ke got caught up in an ident. It was all because of Noelle.


    Frank tried to exin. "Donovan, do you really not know what kind of person ke is, or are you just pretending not to?"


    Everyone knew that ke had always had a violent temper since they were young.


    Donovan rubbed his temples and replied, "I just don''t understand why Noelle can''t take a step back for all of this. We never even treated her that badly, did we?


    "Does she have to go so far as to send Lucas to prison? Does she have to go so far as to ruin ke''s career?"


    Frank did not hesitate to expose Donovan right then and there. "Donovan, you know exactly why Lucas is in prison, and you know that this isn''t the first time ke has hit Noelle. You know all of this, but you just want her to take the fall for everyone.


    "You''re extremely hostile toward outsiders. That''s fine. But why treat your younger sister like that, too? You''re going to regret it someday."


    "I''ll never regret it. All these years, I''ve helped all of you build up your careers so that one day, we could return to Yasnia and avenge our parents! But look at what Noelle has done!" Donovan replied.


    That was what truly angered him. But he could no longer turn back time. All he could do now was to salvage what was left.

 Chapter 426

    Noelle then returned to her hospital ward. That evening, Cedric was too busy with work to return to her side, but he had food delivered from L Bistro to her.


    Tilly exined, "Ms. Liddell, the police should be releasing the report of their preliminary investigation tonight. After that, we can host a live stream to exin everything clearly.


    "It would be best if you wore a hospital gown and showed your injuries on the live stream to gain public sympathy."


    "I understand," Noelle replied.


    Sure enough, not long after dinner, the police published a statement about their preliminary investigation.


    "A thorough investigation into the ims of the victim, Ms. Liddell, being assaulted on a live stream has confirmed that the alluded perpetrator, Mr. Liddell, has indeed engaged in violent behavior. Further details will be disclosed after a more in-depth investigation into the matter."


    The statement from the police became viral as soon as it was released.


    ke was a celebrity with a sizable following, after all, but the public opinion on the matter had instantly shifted now that the police had confirmed his violent tendencies.


    As a result, ke was nowbeled an abuser. Moreover, many more people hade forward with their own anecdotes, iming that ke had always disyed a foul temper in private and frequently resorted to violence.


    Some even said that former colleagues who worked alongside him were pped so hard that they had lost hearing in one ear, but the matter had been covered up at the time. It resurfaced with the reveal of ke''s true character.


    Noticing that the virality of the news had reached a tipping point, Noelle started a live stream with her own ount along with a script prepared by Tilly.


    Her face was pale, and her body was covered in visible injuries when she appeared on camera. She did not even need any makeup, as her real injuries were more than enough to cause the intended impact.


    Noelle spoke up. "I''m sure that everyone now knows that I have a bad rtionship with my family. They once rejected my admission letter to Yole University just to force me to stay at home.


    "I''ve fought tooth and nail to leave the Liddell family and start a new life, only to find that they would never let me go.


    "Live streaming was my only weapon of choice to resist against them and to expose ke''s true nature to everyone else. He had always resorted to violence ever since we were just children. Whenever I disobeyed him, he would beat me up..."


    Noelle''s face was pale, and her eyes were tearing up as she exined everything that had happened that day during the live stream.


    She wiped away her tears and continued, "ke has always maintained an image of a kind older brother in public. No one ever believed what I said because of how well he had put up the act. I only hope that now, thew will finally hold him ountable for his actions."


    As soon as she finished her speech, ke''s fans flooded into her live stream and began cursing out at her, as well as arguing with her supporters.


    Just then, Noelle received a request for a PK match. She took a look at the username inviting her and recognized it to be ke''s. She could not help but wonder if ke wanted to tell her something.


    Tilly quickly gestured for Noelle not to ept the request and to end the live stream immediately.


    Noelle did as she was told and immediately closed the live stream before turning to Tilly. "Is it fine to ignore that request?"


    "It''s fine. The person who''ll appear to talk to you definitely wouldn''t be ke himself, but his manager. Think about it: he''s disfigured.


    "He wouldn''t want to show his face in public, at least until it''s fixed. That is unless he doesn''t want to stay around in the entertainment industry any longer, of course," Tilly exined.


    Noelle found her answer pretty convincing. With how vain ke was, there was no way that he would let anyone see his injured face. But then her phone started ringing nonstop, and the caller ID was ke himself.


    Noelle chuckled lightly before answering the call, and she was immediately greeted by ke''s furious voice. "Noelle! How dare you refuse my PK request? Why would you decline it if you''re not guilty?"


    "I''ve heard from Frank that you''re disfigured," Noelle replied.


    She instantly shattered hisposure with just a single sentence.


    ke replied, "You''re giving me no other choice, Noelle. Do you honestly think that hiding in a hospital will keep you safe? You may be safe, yes, but your friends won''t be as lucky."


    Noelle''s expression darkened. "This is between us, ke. If you have a problem,e at me and only me."


    "You ruined my life, Noelle! Do you honestly think that I''ll let you off the hook so easily?"


    "If youy even a finger on my friends, I''ll expose your disfigured face for the entire world to see! I''ll have everyone bear witness to just how ugly you''ve be!"


    "You wouldn''t dare!"

 Chapter 427

    Noelle''s tone turned cold. "Do you think there''s anything I wouldn''t dare to do?"


    "You''ve really ruined us all, Noelle! You''re a jinx of our family! You''ve even ruined Donovan''s whole n! How are we supposed to find the murderer and avenge our parents now?" ke asked.


    Noelle had no idea Donovan had some sort of n in motion. "What do you mean?"


    When she struck a deal with Donovan that day, he had never mentioned such a n before.


    ke continuedshing out at her hysterically. "So you only bother to ask about it now? It''s toote! You''re the one that caused our parents to die! And now you''re also the one obstructing Donovan''s n to avenge them. If you''re not a jinx, then what are you?"


    Just then, Donovan walked into the hospital room and snatched away ke''s phone. "Listen, Noelle, aside from Frank, I arranged every one of your older brother''s careers on purpose.


    "It was all so that when we finally found a lead, we could capture the murderer and make them pay for what they''ve done to our parents."


    Noelle sneered and replied, "Are you seriously trying to use our parents on me again?"


    "I''m not lying to you this time," Donovan replied.


    Both ends of the phone call fell silent for a short while, and Donovan continued, "Noelle, our family has gone through a lot to get to this point. What happened with ke could have been handled in private. There was no reason for this to go viral and ruin his career."


    "Hah! And you''re only telling me this now? Don''t you think it just sounds


    ridiculous?" replied Noelle before hanging up.


    She did not believe Donovan''s words in the slightest.


    If such a grand n really existed, he would have already mentioned it when the incident with Lucas had happened.


    Tilly asked, "Ms. Liddell, do you really have photos of ke''s disfigured face?"


    Noelle did not think about taking pictures at the time. "No, I don''t. I just lied about it. He wouldn''t dare to take that gamble anyway."


    It was because ke''s face was covered in blood. It was horrifying to look at, and it was beyond what she had expected.


    She was not the type to hold onto leverage to threaten people.


    However, since ke threatened her by endangering the people around her, she had no choice but to deliberately make a threat of her own.


    "Alright, then. We''ll handle the media response. You can just focus on resting up for now, Ms. Liddell," Tilly replied.


    "Okay. Thanks for your hard work."


    "It''s nothing, Ms. Liddell. This is our job, after all."


    Tilly immediately left the room with her team. It was now their turn on the battlefield, and they had to make sure that they won this very first battle.


    Noelle was now alone in her room, and she soon received a message from Cedric. "What are you doing?"


    She replied, "I just finished the live stream. Right now, I''m just on my phone watching thements tear each other apart."


    "There''s no need to look at thements. It''ll only put you in a bad mood. Go outside and get some fresh air instead. I''ll be backter to keep youpany."


    Noelle felt a little better after reading his reply.


    ...


    Two dayster, Noelle was notified to go to the police station.


    Cedric made sure to apany her. Back in the car, he held her hand and said, "Mr. Rodrick will be with us shortly. If there''s anything that you don''t understand, just ask him about it."


    "Alright," she replied.


    Noelle then nced down at their intertwined fingers before turning to look out the window, the corners of her mouth lifting up into a smile.


    They soon arrived outside of the police station.


    Noelle got out of the car wearing a hat and a mask as she was worried about being photographed by media reporters.


    But when she noticed that almost nobody was waiting outside the police station, she finally rxed a bit.


    She then headed into the police station and joined Liam to cooperate with the police''s questioning session.


    The whole session did not take very long.


    Noelle soon walked out of the police station with Liam, only to find that the Liddells were already there, waiting outside.

 Chapter 428

    The Liddell family had just arrived, stepping out of the car. ke sat in a wheelchair, his face wrapped in bandages, looking seriously injured.


    The air was tense. ke started questioning Noelle. "Noelle, I''m your brother! You said you wanted to act, so I pulled some strings to get you a role.


    "I even helped you rehearse when you were struggling. And this is how you repay me? By stabbing me in the back?" ke yed the victim convincingly.


    Noelle remained calm. "Drop the act. This isn''t a film set. No one''s here for your performance."


    Cedric mocked, "ke, do you mean beating Noelle up when you say rehearsal?" ke looked guilty. "That was an ident. Noelle said she could handle pain."


    Xenia stepped in. "But ke was the one who was hurt the most! Noelle, how could you twist the truth in your live stream?"


    Cedric shot Xenia a look. "ke got hurt while running away when he heard the policeing. Why would he run if he had nothing to hide?"


    Xenia faltered. "Because he''s a public figure! He can''t afford any scandal since it would ruin his reputation."


    Noelle scoffed. "You provoked ke, making him believe I had dirt on him, which led him to attack me. Did you really think you''d walk away from this unscathed?"


    Xenia immediately lowered her head in feigned innocence. "I never did anything like that."


    ke nced at her. Noelle was right. Xenia had let him hear a recorded clip, making him think Noelle was collecting evidence against him. If not for that, he wouldn''t have lost control and fallen into her trap.


    Noticing ke''s gaze, Xenia shrank back, not daring to speak. Still, she was certain that ke wouldn''t expose her.


    Then, ke''s expression turned ugly when he saw Liam beside Noelle. "Noelle, you''ve got some nerve. You even convinced Liam to take your case."


    He never forgot Alfred had blocked the ambnce, dying his treatment. Who knew how long he would have been stuck before reaching the hospital if his manager hadn''t begged and pleaded for a friend to send a helicopter?


    Then, the scars on his face wouldn''t be as severe. And it was all because of Noelle.


    Noelle remained indifferent. "I''m not the same child who would just take the beating. I hope you remember that."


    She walked past ke without a nce, her features cold and distant.


    "Noelle, you abandoned me once when we were kids. I nearly died back then. I would''ve dealt with you long ago if you weren''t my sister." ke finally began to panic seeing Liam by her side.


    Noelle had already taken control of TG Public Rtions, and now Liam was representing her. His chances of winning were slim.


    ke turned and red at Noelle. "You owed me a life back then. Now you''re trying to kill me again?"


    "When did I ever owe you a life?" Noelle had heard ke say this multiple times before.


    Xenia interrupted, "ke, let''s go inside. We shouldn''t waste any more time." Cedric red at her. "Why are you in such a rush to change the subject? Are you involved in what happened back then, too?"


    "Nonsense! I had nothing to do with it!" Xenia paled with fear. She would be done if ke ever found out the truth.


    ke spoke up. "That''s right. Xenia was the one who saved me back then. But Noelle? She left me in a dark alley and even pointed the gangsters in my direction! Am I wrong?"


    A sudden realization shed in Noelle''s eyes. She stared intently at Xenia. "So that''s what you told ke?"


    It was as expected.

 Chapter 429

    Xenia paled and didn''t know how to respond. She trembled. "I didn''t say anything! Stop using me!"


    What should she do? She was doomed if ke found out the truth.


    Seeing Xenia''s guilty expression, Noelle pieced together what had happened. She looked at ke. "I remember when those thugs outside targeted you for revenge. You almost died in that alley."


    ke''s eyes lit up with rage. "So you finally remember? Don''t you feel guilty at all?"


    Noelle sighed. "Why should I feel guilty? I ran out of the alley to get help for you. That''s when I ran into Xenia, but the gang found us. They threatened us to reveal your location."


    ke''s expression darkened. "Noelle, you were the one who told them where I was, right?"


    "No," Noelle replied coldly. "The one who told them was Xenia, not me. If I hadn''t stopped her and led them in the opposite direction, you''d be dead by now."


    It all came back to Noelle now. After that incident, ke''s attitude toward her worsened while his rtionship with Xenia grew. He even defended her


    constantly.


    Noelle never understood why and thought Xenia had simply stolen another one of her brothers. But this exined it.


    ke turned to Xenia sharply. "Is that true?"


    "ke, that''s not what happened! Noelle was scared and wanted to tell them where you were, but I stopped her!


    "Then, I secretly ran into the alley and found you. I was the one who took you to the hospital!" Xenia''s face was pale. She could never admit the truth.


    After all, so many years had passed. And there were no witnesses. No one would believe Noelle, but ke remained silent.


    Cedric eyed Xenia. "You say Noelle pointed out ke''s location. Then why didn''t the gangsters find him, yet you did?"


    Xenia stammered, "I... I tricked them and led them away."


    Cedric pressed. "Oh? And how exactly did you do that? What was Noelle doing at the time?"


    His questioning made Xenia


    flustered I don''t remember how did it! But Noelle was scared and ran away. She even said she wasn''t


    close to ke, that I was his real sister!"


    Noelle snorted. "Xenia, you still love lying, don''t you?"


    "I didn''t lie!" Xenia shook her head.


    "You conveniently don''t remember what you did but could recall what I supposedly did." Noelle''s gaze locked onto Xenia. "The reason you ''can''t remember'' is because I was the one who led the gang away. You can''t exin it because you weren''t even there."


    Xenia would expose herself if she admitted it. Cold sweat beaded on Xenia''s forehead. "No, that''s not it! I really don''t remember! ke, you have to believe me!"


    ke nced at Xenia, then turned to Noelle. "There''s no proof of what happened back then. Do you expect me to believe you just because you say so?


    "You''re trying to screw me over. Why should I trust that you didn''t abandon me back then?"


    ke still couldn''t bring himself to believe that Noelle had saved him. Noelle''s expression remained unreadable. "Well, Xenia has no proof either, yet you believed her, didn''t you?"


    The evidence didn''t matter. It was about trust.


    ke''s expression soured. "Fine. You im you led the gang away. Then tell me: how did you escape?


    "They weren''t the type to let someone go easily. How could a little girl like you possibly get away?"


    Noelle''s expression shifted. She fell silent for a moment before finally saying, "That''s not a memory I like to revisit."


    Before ke could push further, Cedric took her hand. "You don''t have to say anything if you don''t want to."


    Noelle nodded. "That''s right. It wouldn''t matter anyway. If I had known how things would turn out, I wouldn''t have bothered saving you. I should''ve just let you die."


    Her mocking words instantly enraged ke.

 Chapter 430

    "Noelle, are you saying that because you can''t exin yourself?" Xenia added


    fuel to the fire, "Noelle, ke couldn''t fight off those thugs. How could a little girl like you have escaped? That doesn''t make sense."


    "Yes, I was indeed caught in the end," Noelle admitted calmly. "They threatened me, forcing me to call someone to ransom me."


    She then turned to ke. "In the end, I didn''t call you. I called another member of the Liddell family."


    ke pursed his lips. "Who? Was it Frank?"


    Xenia quickly interjected, "But Frank has always taken Noelle''s side."


    She could deny anything as long as it was Frank. Noelle smirked at Xenia. "Unfortunately for you, it wasn''t him. I called Donovan."


    Xenia''s expression turned unpleasant. Noelle called Donovan? What now?


    Just then, Donovan''s car pulled up beside them. He stepped out. "Noelle, have you finallye to your senses and decided to call me?"


    Noelle turned to him. "There''s something I need to ask you. I refuse to take the me for something I didn''t do all these years."


    Donovan was confused. "What is it?"


    Noelle asked, "Do you remember when ke got into a fight with some thugs and almost died in that alleyway?"


    Donovan nodded. "Of course, I remember. Back then, you led the thugs away, giving him a chance to escape. But you ended up getting caught, and they forced you to call someone to ransom you.


    "As it happened, I just returned from a business trip and called you. That''s when I came to save you."


    The group fell silent. Xenia trembled and instinctively stumbled back. She had to


    run.


    Noelle turned to ke. "Did you hear that? You didn''t believe me, nor did you believe Frank. But you believe Donovan, right?"


    ke''s mind buzzed. This... This couldn''t be true.


    He looked at Xenia, who was shrinking into the corner, his voice hoarse and furious. "Get over here! Tell me what the hell is going on!"


    Xenia panicked and tried to run, but the bodyguards caught her and dragged her back. Tears streamed down her face as she sobbed, "ke, I... I didn''t know that Noelle ran off to lure them away."


    "Then why did you lie?" ke grabbed a fistful of her hair with bloodshot eyes. Why did she deceive him? Why had he been kept in the dark all these years?


    Xenia screamed in pain. "ke, I... I was telling it as I saw it and was assuming earlier. Noelle didn''t tell you this back then either, did she? Why is she only saying it now?"


    ke turned to Noelle. "Why didn''t you tell me back then?"


    Noelle sneered at Donovan. "Because Donovan said he would tell you himself."


    Donovan stiffened, his tone awkward. "I must''ve forgotten. I figured that since you''re siblings, and Xenia saved you anyway, it didn''t really matter."


    "Donovan, do you realize what you''ve done to me?" ke''s voice wavered. It was because of this misunderstanding that he had treated Noelle so poorly all these years, allowing Xenia to torment her.


    And now, it turned out that Xenia, was a liar and he had been yed for a foot all along. ke looked at Noelle, his lips trembling. "I didn''t know you were the one who Saved me back then."


    Would she be willing to forgive him this time?

 Chapter 431

    Noelle stared at ke with a mocking look. She sounded indifferent. "You don''t need to exin. Honestly, I regret saving you back then. I nearly got myself killed for it."


    She regretted ever sacrificing for her brothers in the Liddell family. They weren''t worth it.


    ke looked utterly miserable. It took him a while to find his voice again. "I only treated you that way because I thought you abandoned me. That''s why I bullied you and was so cruel to you. It was all because of Xenia."


    "Was it just because of her?" Noelle''s gaze was unwavering. "Did any of you ever trust me, even just a little?"


    If they had, they wouldn''t have believed Xenia so easily. But in the end, they all chose to believe that maniptive liar. She didn''t need such siblings.


    ke panicked. "It''s not like that! I know you''re angry, but I''ll punish Xenia to make it up to you."


    His emotions were inplete turmoil. He had never experienced such humiliation in his entire life. Even his voice trembled.


    ke suddenly raised his hand and pped Xenia. He growled, "I warned you''d face the consequences if you ever lied to me again. You''ve got some nerve to deceive me for so long!"


    He wanted nothing more than to strangle her.


    Xenia''s face swelled from the p. In desperation, she turned to Donovan for help. "Donovan, please save me! I was just scared and got confused. But I did go back to save ke!"


    She was terrified and didn''t want ke to beat her to death. He was a madman.


    Donovan quickly pulled Xenia aside and scolded ke, "What are you doing? Xenia was young back then. It''s normal for her to remember wrongly."


    "You''re still covering for her?" ke trembled with fury.


    Donovan''s voice wavered. "After all, I was the one who forgot to tell you that Noelle was the one who saved you. If you want to me anyone, me me."


    He hadn''t expected that forgetting such a small thing would cause ke to hold a grudge for so long.


    ke saw red. "Is this just a small thing to you, Donovan?"


    He had been targeting Noelle because of this misunderstanding. He hated her. And now he was being told that it was all a mistake?


    That Noelle had never abandoned him but had actually saved him? Then everything he had done over the years was for nothing! Was he a joke?


    ke couldn''t even bring himself to look at Noelle. He was drowning in guilt.


    Donovan also looked uneasy. He nced at Xenia. "You''re at fault, too. Why didn''t you exin things clearly?"


    Xenia quickly apologized, "I''m sorry, Donovan, ke. This is all my fault. I just joined the Liddell family and was afraid to speak out. That''s what caused the misunderstanding.


    II


    Donovan nodded. "ke, Xenia has already apologized. Let''s not dwelt on this. And don''ty a hand on her again. What would you do if an outsider saw this?"  fo


    ke immediately slumped, defeated. "But everything happened because of this misunderstanding."


    If not for that, he wouldn''t have treated Noelle the way he did. He wouldn''t have hurt her.


    ke couldn''t help but nce at Noelle. "I''ll turn myself in. I owe you too much. I''ll take responsibility for everything."


    Noelle remained silent. She hadn''t expected ke''s attitude toward her to change so suddenly because of this truth. She never knew the truth


    in her past life, even to the day she died.

 Chapter 432

    Xenia had yed everyone like a fiddle.


    Noelle looked at ke. "Then you''d better tell the police who showed you the recorded video. You know, the one that provoked you into attacking me. Don''t let the real instigator go unpunished."


    ke chuckled bitterly. "I know."


    Xenia paled with fear. "ke, I never showed you any recorded video! The police already checked my phone. There''s nothing on it."


    So what if ke knew the truth now? He couldn''t do anything to her without evidence. It was his fault for hating Noelle in the first ce.


    ke''s gaze bore into her. "If I turn myself in, you won''t get away either."


    "No! You can''t turn yourself in, ke!" Donovan stepped in. "What will happen to my n if you do? Lucas is already ruined. I can''t let you be destroyed, too."


    ke shook his head. "You can''t stop me, Donovan."


    "I have to." Donovan signaled his men, who surrounded ke. Then, he turned to Noelle. "Since you just admitted that I was the one who saved you, that means you owe me your life."


    Noelle mocked, "And?"


    Donovan sighed. "I only have one request. Let ke off the hook this time. Tell everyone the live stream was just a scripted rehearsal."


    Noelle felt like a heavy weight had been ced on her chest, trapping her.


    Before she could speak, Cedric stepped forward and held her hand protectively. His voice was sharp and cold.


    "As far as I know, Noelle has done so much for the Liddell family over the years. She even programmed Liddell Corporation''s firewall free of charge. You owe her far more than she owes you."


    Donovan remained unmoved. "That''s a separate matter. We all know what would''ve happened to Noelle when she was caught by those thugs if I hadn''t arrived in time."


    He turned to Noelle. "You understand that more than anyone."


    Noelle bit her lip. Yes, that was something she couldn''t deny.


    Cedric stepped in front of her, blocking Donovan''s oppressive gaze. "Mr. Donovan, Noelle was just a child back then. She took a risk to save your brother. If anything, ke owes her his life."


    Donovan didn''t respond. He simply looked at Noelle. "No matter what, I saved you. That means you owe me."


    Cedric cut him off. "I''ve never seen a family as shameless as yours."


    With that, he took Noelle and left. He wasn''t going to let her be manipted by guilt.


    ke watched her leave, his rage boiling over. This was all Xenia''s fault.


    Donovan turned to ke. "I''ll go to the police in your ce. You are not turning yourself in."


    ke''s voice was calm. "Fine. But I want to have a chat with Xenia first."


    "No! Donovan, let me go with you!" Xenia panicked. She didn''t want to be alone with ke. He would kill her.


    Donovan hesitated. "Xenia, you were at fault. Just apologize to ke, and it''ll be fine."


    Ignoring Xenia''s silent pleas for help, Donovan took his men and left for the police station.


    One of Donovan''swyers whispered, "Mr. Liddell, it''s obvious Ms. Quigley is lying. Why are you still protecting her and letting Ms. Liddell suffer?"


    Donovan huffed. "I don''t need you to tell me how to handle things."


    Of course, he knew Xenia had lied, and she deserved to be taught a lesson. But he couldn''t let ke''s life


    be ruined no matter what. Noelle


    was the Liddell family''s eldest daughter. What was a little suffering


    to her?


    Outside, ke dragged Xenia into a car. She was so terrified that the colors drained from her face.


    He grabbed her by the throat, his


    grip tightening as he sneered, "You have two choices. Either I strangle you to death, or you beg Noette for


    YS."

 Chapter 433

    ke gripped Xenia''s neck, his rage consuming him. At this moment, he wanted nothing more than to strangle Xenia to death. He had opposed Donovan''s decision to bring the driver''s daughter into the Liddell family from the very


    beginning. And now, she had indeed be a curse.


    Noelle had run away from home and severed ties with the family. ke was sure Xenia''s maniption yed a huge role in it. Xenia''s face turned blue as she struggled for air, unable to utter a single word.


    The manager reminded ke, "Let go, quickly! What if she dies?"


    It was only then that ke released his grip. Xenia gasped desperately for air, her throat and lungs burning with pain.


    For a moment, she truly thought she was going to die. If murder weren''t illegal, ke would have killed her already.


    Xenia stammered, "ke... I was young and naive and said the wrong thing. Please don''t hold it against me."


    "Beg." ke''s icy gaze bore into her as he pulled out his phone and started recording. "Apologize to Noelle. Exin everything to her. Show her your sincerity. Otherwise, I''ll make sure you live in agony."


    Xenia clutched her dress tightly in resentment. She hated this. If only she could contact her father, he could just kill ke and be done with it.


    Earlier, Donovan had known ke would resort to violence, yet he still made her apologize. The Liddell family was treating her worse and worse. She needed to find a way out¡ªit was time to meet her father, who hade back from the dead.


    Seeing Xenia remain silent, ke pped her hard. "Didn''t you hear me? I told you to apologize! Are you deaf?"


    Xenia''s head spun from the p. The pain was excruciating.


    She had no choice but to hold her cheek. Her voice was filled with forced submission. "What happened back then was my fault. I shouldn''t have lied.


    "Noelle, please forgive me. It was my mistake. This isn''t ke''s fault. It''s all on me. I tricked him."


    ke grabbed her hair, yanking her head up. "I told you to speak to the camera. Why are you looking down? Say it again."


    Xenia almost screamed from the pain, but she dared not resist. She had seen how ruthless ke was when he hit Noelle. It was only after beating Xenia that ke felt relieved.


    He kicked her aside. "Don''t think that you can take Noelle''s ce as the Liddell family''s heiress just because you''re the driver''s daughter. Stop dreaming. You will always be an outsider. At best, you''d be a pet to us."


    Xenia lowered her head with a dark gaze. She would get revenge. ke wouldn''t get away with this.


    ke turned to the driver. "Stop the car."


    The vehicle came to a halt. ke looked at Xenia in disgust. "Get out. I''m giving you one day to apologize to Noelle and earn her forgiveness. Otherwise, I''ll make sure you suffer everything she has gone through."


    "I... I understand." Xenia scrambled out of the car, even losing one of her high heels in the process.


    ke threw it out the window as if he were tossing scraps to a beggar. Xenia picked up her shoe and clutched it tightly. It was an expensive designer brand, after all.


    She watched ke''s car drive away, her mind made up. The Liddell family was siding with Noelle, and she needed a backup n.


    Immediately, Xenia made a call.


    Once, she thought she would forever be the kiddell family''s daughter and never needed to involve herself with her


    thather after recing Noelle, but


    things had changed.


    The call connected, and a middle-aged man''s voice came through. "My dear daughter, what do you need my help with this time?"


    "Let''s meet up," Xenia said coldly. "I''m reconsidering your proposal. Let''s work together to drain the Liddell family of everything they have."


    Her body was covered in bruises, but her hatred burned deep. She would make the brothers who looked down on her regret everything.


    One day, they would beg at her feet.


    Sean grinned. "Good. Let''s meet now. I''m avable. Follow the instructions I''ll send you. Make sure no one follows you."


    "You''re overthinking it. No one cares enough to follow me. The Liddell family never truly valued me. Your ''death'' didn''t earn their loyalty." Xenia''s voice trembled with anger.


    She had endured years of humiliation, lowering herself to fit into the Liddell family.


    Yet these brothers began regretting everything the moment Noelle left.


    Xenia hated it. She had done far more than Noelle ever did, so why did no one acknowledge her efforts?


    "I''m d you''ve finallye to your senses." Sean sounded pleased. "I told you not to be blinded by sentiment, but you insisted on siding with the Liddell family. "See where that got you? Now, you''ve suffered. But remember, we are still family."

 Chapter 434

    "I understand now. I will make the Liddell family regret everything." Xenia''s eyes burned with fury. She would never forgive the Liddell family and Noelle.


    ...


    Noelle returned to the hospital with Cedric. She couldn''t shake the heavy feeling


    in her chest. She never expected ke to be so cruel to her, all because he believed she had abandoned him back then.


    How ridiculous. He would rather believe Xenia than trust her.


    Cedric ced his hands on her shoulders. "Don''t overthink it. The one suffering right now is him, not you."


    Noelle scoffed. "But I don''t need his exnations or apologies."


    "You''re right. In the end, they''re all just selfish. They made a mistake, yet they me you." Cedric had figured the Liddell brothers out. They had grown ustomed to Noelle''s sacrifices and never appreciated her.


    Now that they had lost her, they finally realized their regret. But their apologies were insincere.


    The more he thought about it, the more his heart ached. "If only I had found you sooner, you wouldn''t have suffered so much."


    He regretted it.


    Noelle smiled. "No, you came at just the right time."


    When she was reborn and saw the Liddell brothers for what they truly were, she had made up her mind to leave the family. If it had been before, she would have continued to give up her all to please them, and she probably wouldn''t have listened to Cedric.


    Cedric gazed at her. "I just want to make it up to you."


    Noelle shook her head. "You haven''t done anything wrong. What is there to make up for?"


    Cedric had been so good to her. Noelle looked up at his handsome face. "Cedric, I really do like you."


    She rose on her tiptoes to get closer. But he held her face gently, his voice carrying a hint of helplessness. "Let me take the lead from now on."


    He lowered his head and ced a kiss on her forehead.


    Noelle wrapped her arms around him, resting her cheek against his chest. Then, she murmured, "Couldn''t it be mutual?


    "I want to give you everything I have." Cedric hummed.


    Noelle nestled closer against his chest. "You don''t have to. I''m not greedy."


    In her past life, she had desperately craved the Liddell brothers''


    attention, believing it would bring her happiness. But in the end, she had nothing. In this life, she would ve for herself and be happier than before.


    They held each other for a while before Cedric''s phone rang.


    Blushing, Noelle finally reminded him, "Your phone keeps ringing. It''s probably something important."


    Cedric let go of her reluctantly. "I have a meeting. I''lle back to youter."


    "Okay." Noelle watched as Cedric left, then rubbed her flushed cheeks. Was this what love felt like? She already missed him.


    Noelle sat back on the hospital bed and checked her phone, only to find a video message from ke. It was a recording of Xenia being beaten and forced to apologize.


    After watching it, Noelle smirked. It was a dog-eat-dog world. Just then, someone


    from the PR firm approached her.


    Tilly approached her. "Ms. Liddell, we had someone tail the Liddells and


    discovered that Xenia went to moet


    someone at a cafe after she was thrown out of the car."


    Noelle quirked a brow. "Who did she meet?"


    Tilly sent a photo to Noelle''s phone. "The man was very cautious. We only


    managed to capture his side profile. Take a look."


    Noelle paled upon looking at the picture. That man looked just like Xenia''s father!

 Chapter 435

    Noelle''s mind went nk when she saw the photo. She zoomed in on the image with trembling fingers. Even though it was only a side profile, she would never mistake it.


    It was Xenia''s father¡ªher parents'' driver. But hadn''t he died with them in the ident? Why was he still alive?


    A chill ran down Noelle''s spine as a sense of dread swallowed her. Her mind was


    a mess.


    If Xenia''s father was alive, then who was the driver that died? Why had he faked his disappearance all these years? There had to be a reason behind all of this. "Are you okay? Ms. Liddell? Is there something wrong with this man?" Tilly asked. "...Nothing." She quickly adjusted herself. "What did he and Xenia talk about?"


    "Their meetingsted only a few minutes. They separated in a hurry and were extremely cautious. We might''ve overheard their conversation if we hadn''t been worried about getting caught." Tilly sighed.


    Noelle ordered, "Keep an eye on Xenia. And be careful not to get noticed. Also, investigate this man and see what you can find."


    After Tilly left, Noelle stared at the photo over and over again.


    Why was the driver still alive? Noelle was sure now. Her parents'' death wasn''t an ident. There was something more to it.


    But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn''t recall what exactly had happened that day. Maybe she could piece together the truth if she remembered. Noelle pulled the nket over her head, her body trembling from the realization.


    If Xenia was meeting with her father, it meant she knew something. For years, Xenia had been livingfortably with the Liddell family. Noelle''s parents must be rolling in their graves.


    A glint of determination shed in Noelle''s eyes. She had to uncover the truth and avenge her parents. She needed to find an opportunity to test Donovan and see if he knew something.


    After resting in bed for a while, Noelle found she had no appetite for lunch.


    That was when her phone rang. It was Cedric. "I heard you barely ate lunch. Are you feeling down?"


    Noelle hesitated, "ke sent me a


    video of Xenia apologizing. He


    even


    hit her just find it ironic. Everyone the Liddell family on


    in the Liddell family is selfish to their core."


    Even though she thought Xenia deserved it, it wasughable how all the me had been dumped on Xenia as if ke was innocent.


    Standing in his luxurious office, Cedric gazed down at the bustling city below. He replied patiently, "Don''t let their little tricks fool you."


    Noelle hummed. "I know."


    Cedric sighed. "Take a walk in the garden if you''re feeling stifled. I had aputer set up in your room. Magnus can y with you to distract you."


    Noelle was shocked about theputer. "I''ll be discharged soon. Getting a wholeputer is way too much."


    Cedric didn''t insist on it since she refused. After hanging up, Noelle''s thoughts remained a tangled mess. She once believed the ident was simply bad luck. But now, she realized there was more to the story.


    That afternoon, Cedric returned to the hospital. He observed Noelle making sure there was nothing unusual about her before rxing. "You sounded upset on the phone earlier."


    "Don''t worry. I won''t let the Liddells manipte me with their moral guilt." She moved closer to him. "Did youe back because you were worried about me?"


    Cedric swallowed hard. He reached out and gently brushed her cheek carefully. "Yes. I never want to see you cry again. Not in this lifetime."


    He thought of the time she had live-streamed to clear her name. She had cried then, too. Even though he knew it had been an act, it still made his heart ache.

 Chapter 436

    That was why Cedric had cut his meeting short and rushed back.


    Noelle pressed her face against his palm. "Have I ever cried that badly before?" She didn''t remember ever crying like that.


    Cedric pursed his lips. She was crying during that car ident.


    Noelle had cried just as heartbreakingly when he pulled her out of the wreckage. She even bit him when he refused to let her get near the burning vehicle. It seemed Noelle had forgotten about it.


    Cedric''s hand felt warm against her skin, his gaze dark and unreadable as he locked eyes with her. Just as he leaned down, Noelle straightened up again and cleared her throat. "You probably haven''t eaten yet either. I''m hungry."


    "... Me too." He took her and gave her a look.


    Noelle nced down at their joined hands and blurted out, "What are we?"


    Cedric tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. "I''ll take you somewhere once you''re discharged."


    "Where?" Noelle was curious.


    "It''s a secret. We should make things official soon." Cedric smirked.


    Her eyes flickered at his words. "Make things official?" So, were they finally going to be together?


    Even though things had changed between them in the past few days, neither of them had directly addressed it. She hadn''t expected Cedric to be this considerate.


    After dinner, Noelle still didn''t tell him about Xenia''s father. It was all just spection for now.


    The next day, Tilly brought back the investigation results. "We lost him, Ms. Liddell. He''s extremely cautious. And we couldn''t find any records of him either. It''s as if he doesn''t exist."


    Noelle was disappointed. It was as if he didn''t exist. Well, Sean was supposed to be dead, ording to official records.


    Upon seeing Xenia''s swollen face from the beating, Noelle couldn''t help but suspect Xenia was trying to find a way out.


    After all these years, Xenia had never slipped up once. She had always imed


    to be an orphan, living in the Liddell family and enjoying the same luxurious treatment as Noelle.


    Knowing Xenia, she would never


    have sought out her father unless she was desperate. It would ruin her


    position in the Liddell family if anyone discovered that her father was still alive.


    Noelle remained calm. "Looks like ke''s attack scared Xenia enough to make her seek help."


    Everything was falling into ce. Xenia had finally slipped up.


    Noelle needed to find a way to force Xenia into contacting her father more


    frequently. That would be the best way to gather evidence and catch them.


    Just then, she received another message from ke. "Has Xenia apologized yet?


    If you''re not satisfied, I''ll keep beating her until you are."


    He hadn''t changed at all and was now treating Xenia the same way as he did with


    her.


    Suddenly, Noelle realized something.


    Xenia had gone to find Sean right after ke''s beating. An idea formed


    in her mind. She picked up her


    phone and replied: "She hasn''t apologized."


    ke''s mood lifted when he saw her reply. If Noelle was willing to respond, did that mean that things between them could go back to normal as long as Xenia apologized?


    Just then, he saw Xenia carrying a bottle into Frank''s hospital room. His expression turned unpleasant. Without hesitation, he stormed over and grabbed Xenia by the hair.


    He snapped, "Xenia, I told you to apologize to Noelle yesterday! Why didn''t you? Do you have a death wish?"

 Chapter 437

    ke yanked Xenia''s hair roughly. Tears streamed down Xenia''s face from the pain.


    "I was covered in bruises yesterday. The reporters would have written all kinds of nonsense if they caught me visiting Noelle like this. I wanted to wait until I healed before going."


    ke growled. "You''re lying. You could have snuck into the hospital without the media finding out.


    "You just didn''t want to go! You''re still trying to turn me and Noelle against each other, right?" The more ke spoke, the angrier he became. He raised his hand and pped Xenia.


    Xenia''s vision swirled, and she nearly copsed from the impact. She hurriedly hid behind Frank. "ke, I learned my mistake. I''ll go to Noelle and exin everything. I''ll earn her forgiveness."


    However, ke wasn''t satisfied. He grabbed Xenia again and kicked her, sending her crashing to the floor.


    Seeing her sprawled on the ground, Frank finally spoke up. "ke, stop it. Are you trying to kill her?"


    ke''s face was still wrapped in bandages, but he red at her. "She deserves it. If this scheming bitch hadn''t lied and stirred things up between me and Noelle, we wouldn''t be in this mess to begin with!"


    ke hadn''t been able to sleep these past two days. He never would have imagined that he had misunderstood Noelle. How was he supposed to live with that?


    Xenia shrank back, tilting her head so Frank could see the injuries on her face. Frank frowned at the sight of her bruises. "ke, don''t you think you were wrong, too? You didn''t trust Noelle either."


    "If it were you," ke retorted, "and you thought Noelle had abandoned you, wouldn''t you be just as furious?"


    He wouldn''t admit fault. He had been deceived by Xenia. That meant he wasn''t wrong, and she was.


    His anger red again as he red at Xenia. "Go apologize to Noelle now. Or I''ll kill you myself."


    Just looking at her made his blood boil. Xenia had ruined his rtionship with Noelle.


    Xenia nodded. "I understand. I''ll apologize right away."


    "Not just apologize. You need to get her forgiveness. You need to do everything she tells you to," ke warned.


    Xenia lowered her head and mumbled, "I''ll think of a way. But I came here to bring you all some food. I made it myself. And I made Frank some oats since his stomach isn''t in good shape."


    She cautiously got up and handed a


    serving of medicinal congee to Frank. She said gently, "Frank, I


    heard about your stomach problems. I asked the maids about the way Noelle used to make this congee and spent a long time trying to replicate it. Please try it."


    Frank nced at the congee and didn''t want to ept it. But then he saw Xenia''s bruises. And this was the same congee Noelle used to make, something he hadn''t had in a long time.


    Finally, he took the bowl and tasted a spoonful. It tasted simr.


    Xenia asked carefully, "How is it?"


    Frank remained indifferent to her meekness. "It''s average and nowhere near as good as Noelle''s."


    "Of course, I know I''m not as good as Noelle." Xenia winced, her face pale from the pain of her injuries. "But I just wanted to do something to make up for my mistakes."


    Frank''s expression softened at her pitiful state. "Then go apologize to Noelle. Don''t y any tricks again, or


    we''ll att despise you one day. You won''t be able to stay with the Liddell family when that happens.


    "I understand. This is all my fault. It has nothing to do with ke." Xenia took all


    the me.


    ke''s mood lifted. "At least you,


    know your ce. You''re just a


    driver''s daughter who lives off the Liddell family. We owe you nothing. And we''ll kick you out if you try any more schemes."


    Xenia lowered her head, but a dark glint flickered in her eyes.

 Chapter 438

    Xenia would never leave the Liddell family so easily.


    Donovan happened to be walking toward her when she limped out of the hospital room. She immediately pretended to be weak and copsed onto the floor.


    Donovan rushed over and held Xenia. "What happened? Why are you so badly hurt?"


    Xenia shook her head weakly. "I''m fine. I need to apologize to Noelle and exin everything to her so she can forgive ke."


    She pretended to faint after that. Xenia had no intention of apologizing to Noelle at all.


    Donovan immediately had the doctors take Xenia away before stepping into the hospital room to confront ke. "It''s one thing to teach her a lesson, but why did you have to be so ruthless? She has a broken bone!"


    ke sneered. "Don''t act like some righteous hero. Weren''t you the one who told Xenia toe with me yesterday? Don''t pretend you didn''t know what would happen. I wasn''t going to just let her off."


    Donovan looked guilty. "Even so, you didn''t have to go this far. Did you want to beat her to death? Her father died saving our parents. How do you think the Liddell family will look if news got out?"


    ke scoffed. "Don''t forget, Donovan. I was only this ruthless to Noelle because Xenia deceived me!"


    Donovan sighed. "Fine, I know you feel bad for Noelle now. But she didn''t hesitate to turn her back on you, remember? You should be worrying about how to deal with the fallout from the livestream incident."


    ke was stubborn. "Xenia needs to apologize and let Noelle vent her anger. Noelle will stop going after me once Xenia apologizes."


    After all, he was a victim since he was tricked by Xenia.


    Donovan scoffed. "That''s your problem. Solve it yourself. I''m done meddling."


    In the next room, Xenia slowly regained consciousness and finally realized the full extent of her injuries. Her rib was broken. No wonder she was in so much pain. She pulled out her phone and sent a message: "ke nearly beat me to death. Why do I still have to act pitiful?"


    A response came quickly: "The worse ke beats you, the more sympathy and guilt you''ll earn from Donovan and Frank. That means bigger rewards.


    "Set your mind on the money. You won''t have to live under their thumb anymore once you bleed the Liddell family dry."


    Xenia thought back to her meeting with Sean yesterday. She still couldn''t believe he was alive. She had questioned him about the car ident, and he imed that a friend had been driving for him that day.  s?novel


    But Xenia wasn''t convinced. The Liddell family had always insisted Sean to be


    their driver. Since when did someone else take the wheel?


    Still, she hadn''t pressed the issue. As long as Sean could help her, that was enough for now.


    Her hatred burned. Once the Liddell


    family went bankrupt and she


    gained power and influence, she would make sure every single one of them paid the price. Xenia hadjust drifted off to sleep when she was suddenly yanked out of bed.


    ke stood over her. "Why are you sleeping? It''s time to go see Noelle."


    The sooner he settled this, the sooner he could move on. Xenia had no chance to


    resist as ke dragged her away.


    Meanwhile, Noelle received a message from ke: "I''m bringing Xenia to apologize to you. Let''s talk."


    If this were before, she wouldn''t have even entertained the idea of meeting with


    anyone from the Liddell family. But things were different now.


    She headed for the underground parking lot. It seemed ke was being careful, avoiding the reporters waiting outside the hospital. When she stepped out of the lift, she saw ke pulling Xenia out of the car by her hair.  s?novel


    Xenia was covered in bruises, her face swollen with p marks.


    Noelle chuckled. "Xenia, you finally understand your ce now, right? You''re just


    a driver''s daughter. What makes you think you canpare to me?"


    The more desperate Xenia became, the more the masterminds would reveal themselves. Xenia''s eyes burned with hatred at this. She red at Noelle, wishing she could kill her.

 Chapter 439

    Noelle''s voice wasced with sarcasm.


    Xenia gritted her teeth in hatred. One day, when she had taken everything from the Liddell family, she would make Noelle suffer a fate worse than death. She swore it.


    ke smacked Xenia on the head. "What are you staring at? Apologize!"


    Enduring the pain, Xenia forced herself to speak. "Noelle, it was all my fault. It was my reckless words that made ke resent you."


    Noelle almostughed at this.


    ke turned to Noelle. "You heard her. I was deceived by her, which led to a misunderstanding. I only made things difficult for you because of that."


    "I see." Noelle responded indifferently, "Are you done? If so, I''m leaving."


    She turned to leave when ke''s voice rang out behind her. "Noelle, I told you it was all a misunderstanding. Can''t you just reconcile with me?"


    Reconcile? Noelle turned back to him. "You think a few half-hearted apologies are enough for me to let everything go? Then what about all the suffering I went through?"


    Did he really think a show of remorse would make her forgive him? Not a chance.


    ke''s face fell. "Noelle, I''ll make Xenia go through whatever you went through. Will that satisfy you?"


    Make Xenia suffer the same way? Noelle nced at Xenia. "That''s nowhere near enough."


    She saw the colors drained from Xenia''s face. Xenia was already in excruciating pain. Was Noelle really nning to have her beaten to death?


    ke stepped forward, about to say more, but Tilly blocked his way. "Mr. Liddell, please stop right there."


    "You''re just an employee. How dare you stand in my way?" ke growled.


    Tilly shook her head. "Mr. Liddell, your manager begged us to handle your scandal. But unfortunately, we''ve already taken on Ms. Liddell''s request."


    ke was furious. Was she looking down on him?


    Meanwhile, Noelle stepped into the lift. As the doors closed, she looked at the battered Xenia mockingly. She wondered how long Xenia could endure this.


    In the past few days, Xenia hadn''t met with Sean again.


    Back in her hospital room, Tilly spoke up. "Ms. Liddell, they will definitely try to make you relent and drop the charges."


    "I know."


    Noelle knew the Liddell family well and understood what ke was trying to do. She wouldn''t agree, but she wouldn''t outright refuse either. She didn''t n to make things easy for Xenia.


    After Tilly left, Noelle opened herptop. Her fingers danced across the keyboard, quickly hacking into Xenia''s phone.


    After what had just happened, Xenia


    would probably reach out to her father soon. Noelle searched through Xenia''s phone and, sure


    enough, found a conversation. But it only contained two short messages.


    Sean had told Xenia to act pitifully and gain Donovan''s sympathy so they could


    drain the Liddell family dry. So that was their n.


    Noelle suddenly recalled her past life. Back then, she had found proof of Xenia forging medical records and leaking Donovan''spany secrets, but none of her brothers believed her.


    In the end, Noelle was kicked out of


    the family locked in a psychiatri hospital, and died a miserable death. She had no idea whether Xenia had seeded in ruining the Liddell


    family in the end.


    Thinking about it now, Xenia couldn''t have done it all alone. Someone must have


    been helping her from the shadows.

 Chapter 440

    Sean must have been pulling the strings.


    Noelle scrolled through Xenia''s phone, but there was nothing else aside from those two brief messages. The number was from a burner phone and was impossible to trace back to anyone.


    The only thing she found in Xenia''s encrypted album was a collection of intimate photos with Justin. But it was nothing of value. After thinking for a moment, Noelle imnted a bug in Xenia''s phone to monitor all her futuremunications.


    She shut herptop. Sean was indeed cautious, which meant he would be difficult to deal with. But wasn''t he just a migrant worker who came to the city as a driver? How did he know how to use such advanced technology?


    The more Noelle thought about it, the more suspicious it seemed. However, there was nothing she could do except wait with no concrete leads at the moment. She didn''t believe Xenia could hold out forever.


    After some rest, Noelle went to the garden to observe the ants. Before long, a well-dressed woman passed by. She wore a hat and a mask, clearly trying to avoid being recognized.


    The woman took out her phone and whispered into it, "Have you found out which room that girl is staying in?"


    Emma had decided to meet Noelle in person to see who enchanted Cedric. She kept sneaking around, afraid of being spotted by the people Cedric had assigned to watch her. If they found out, she wouldn''t be able to approach Noelle at all. However, Emma didn''t pay attention to where she was walking. Her heels slipped, and she lost her bnce, tumbling toward the ground.


    "Careful!" Noelle reacted swiftly, grabbing Emma''s arm to steady her.


    Emma patted her chest, shaken. "Oh my, that scared me. Thank you, youngdy!"


    Noelle let go of her hand but identally jostled her injured arm in the process, making her face go pale from pain.


    Emma immediately supported her and helped her sit down. "Is your arm okay? Do you need to get it checked again? I''ll take responsibility if anything happens."


    Emma would have broken a bone if Noelle didn''t catch her.


    Noelle shook her head. "No need. It just hurts when I touch it."


    Guilty, Emma handed Noelle a business card. "Here, take this. Contact me if anything happens."


    She still had to meet Noelle and couldn''t waste too much time here. Otherwise, Cedric''s people would find her soon.


    Noelle nced at the card but didn''t think much of it.


    As Emma hurried away, she suddenly turned back to look at Noelle. For some reason, she seemed oddly familiar.


    Noelle was crouching by a tree when she suddenly received a call from Donovan. She answered calmly.


    calmly


    "What is it? If this isn''t about thepany''s firewall, I don''t see why we need to talk."


    Donovan sighed. "Noelle, do you think I want to call you? Frank


    brough


    Xenia to apologize to you,


    and She''s already been beaten to a pulp.


    "Can''t you at least soften your stance? Do you want her dead?"


    Was he here to lecture her?


    Noelle snorted. "First of all, I wasn''t the one who hit her. Second, I found it quite entertaining to watch. Andstly, what the hell does this have to do


    with me?"


    Donovan sounded exasperated. "Noelle, where''s your heart? You and Xenia grew


    up together, and you''re just going to be this heartless?"


    Noelle huffed. "Don''t try to guilt-trip me. Did you forget I nearly died during the livestream?"


    Donovan was silent for a moment before muttering, "But you didn''t die, did you?"


    Noelle gritted her teeth. "Exactly. I survived. So now, someone else has to take my ce."


    Donovan groaned. "Xenia''s father saved our parents'' lives, Noelle. I''m begging you to let her go this once."


    Noelle''s eyes gleamed. "Are you so sure that Xenia''s father is dead?"

 Chapter 441

    Noelle was still shaken by the memories of that photo. Xenia''s father, Sean, was still alive! That car ident all those years ago wasn''t as it seemed.


    Donovan sounded skeptical. "What do you mean by that, Noelle? Of course, Xenia''s father is dead.


    "He saved you, then went back to save Mom and Dad. But then the car exploded, and he died along with them."


    Noelle pressed. "If the explosion destroyed everything, then surely you couldn''t have seen his face. Are you absolutely sure the person who died was Xenia''s father?"


    "Of course! How could that be wrong? I saw him driving the car myself!" Donovan eximed.


    Noelle frowned. So, there was no mistake? But the man in the photo she saw was definitely Sean. So where was the problem?


    She spoke coldly. "What if Xenia''s father never died?"


    "That''s impossible! Noelle, are you just making excuses so you don''t have to feel indebted to Xenia? Are you saying her father is still alive?" Donovan was furious.


    Noelle found itughable. "You never doubted it? Not even once?"


    Donovan scoffed. "Do you think I didn''t investigate the ident? All I found was that it was rted to the Merlock family.


    "There were no other leads. If you''re so capable, why don''t you investigate it yourself?"


    Noelle took a deep breath. "Did no one ever question our driver?"


    Had Donovan never suspected anything or noticed anything unusual? Donovan groaned. "Xenia''s father is dead. Why are you obsessing over a dead man?"


    Noelle finally understood that no one in the Liddell family had ever suspected the driver. But now, she suspected that Xenia''s father might be connected to the Merlock family. Yet, as far as she knew, there was no grudge between the Merlock family and her parents.


    Noelle wanted to mention this to Donovan but decided against it, seeing how stubborn he was. If she told him now, she might alert the enemy.


    Donovan was still angry. "Noelle, I never thought you could be this heartless. ke was manipted into treating you that way. Can''t you give him another chance?"


    "Only God gives second chances. I just send people to Him." With that, Noelle hung up. She would investigate this herself. Donovan didn''t believe her anyway.


    .n


    Once she caught Sean and got solid evidence, she would throw it right in Donovan''s face. Noelle stood up and nced to the side, where the elegant woman from earlier was now standing at the staircase, speaking to a nurse.


    Emma walked to the stairwell, nning to take the emergency exit.


    Her assistant, now disguised as a nurse, had already scouted ahead. "Mrs. Liddell, I''ve found the girl''s room, but Mr. Cedric has assigned guards at every exit, along with a team from TG Public Rtions. It won''t be easy for you to get close."


    "He even got TG Public Rtions involved? He must really love that girl. I want to


    see how that vixen seduced my son."


    Emma was surprised. That level of protection was something only her future daughter-inw would receive. Yet Cedric had already given the girl such special treatment.


    This wasn''t good. Emma turned to her assistant. "Keep gathering information. I''ll figure out another way."


    After the assistant left, Emma walked over to Noelle. "What are you looking at, youngdy?"


    "I''m passing the time by watching ants move." Noelle looked at the well-dressed woman. "Are you here to visit a patient?"


    "Yes, I''ll be going up soon. But tell me, how did you get hurt? This doesn''t look like


    an idental injury. It looks like someone beat you."


    Emma''s sharp eyes instantly recognized that Noelle''s injuries were from a physical altercation.

 Chapter 442

    Noelle''s expression was a bit stiff as she said, "It''s nothing."


    Emma saw Noelle''s expression and immediately jumped to conclusions, saying, "Miss, were you domestically abused? Just tell me the truth! You helped me out just now, so I swear I''ll have your back on this one."


    She continued, "Listen, miss, you can''t just let a man get away with this! If he dares toy a hand on you, you better hit him back, you hear me?"


    Noelle was exasperated by the response. "It''s not domestic abuse, but close enough... My brother did it."


    Emma was fuming. "Your brother? What a scumbag! If I had a daughter, and my son everid a hand on her, I''d break his damn legs myself! Who the hell raises a boy to hit his own sister?"


    She turned to Noelle, dead serious. "Who''s your brother? I''ll get you the bestwyer out there and make sure he pays for this!"


    Noelle simply replied, "No need, I can handle it. But thanks, prettydy."


    Hearing those words, Emma instantly perked up and touched her face with a smug expression. "Oh? Am I really looking that goodtely? Sweetheart, I could be your mother!"


    "You look really young," Noelleplimented her smoothly.


    Emma''s mood improved significantly. "Miss, do me a favor, will you? Take me upstairs to the VIP ward and say I''m your family member, okay?"


    "Sure," Noelle immediately agreed.


    Emma was caught off guard. "You''re not even going to ask why?"


    "It''s fine." Noelle stood up. "Come on, I was heading back to my room anyway."


    Emma immediately hooked her arm around Noelle''s. "Then let''s go!"


    This way, she figured, they would not draw any attention. The two of them took the elevator up while the nearby bodyguards exchanged a quick nce, pretending not to notice. They figured that Emma was here to check on her future daughter-inw.


    As they stepped out of the elevator, Emma smiled. She thought she had finally made it up-good thing she was quick on her feet.


    Just then, Noelle spotted a familiar figure standing in the hallway. She smiled and greeted, "Cedric."


    The man turned around, and the


    moment he saw Noelle linking arms with his stepmother, his usually icy expression cracked for the first time. He could not help but doubt his eyes, wondering if he was hallucinating.


    Noelle noticed his odd expression and asked, "What''s wrong?"


    Following Cedric''s gaze, she nced at the elegant woman beside hers Emma''s eyes widened in horror The next second, she spun around and belted like she had seen a ghost.


    She silently cursed, "Oh no! I''m busted! Damn it! Wasn''t Cedric supposed to be tied up in an


    vel


    international meeting all day What''s he doing here?"


    In her high heels, Emma sprinted down the stairs without looking back.


    Later, Cedric walked up to Noelle, his expression unreadable. He hesitated before asking, "A-Are you okay? What did she say to you?"


    "Nothing much. She just asked for directions," Noelle answered.


    However, she sensed something off about Cedric, as if he was nervous. She asked, "Why? Do you know that fancydy?"


    "Fancydy?" Cedric carefully studied her expression, looking strangely uneasy. "That''s all she was to you?"


    Noelle replied, "Yeah. She just asked for directions. Judging by her clothes and how well she takes care of herself, she''s obviously a richdy."


    She tilted her head and looked up at him. "Do you know her?"


    Cedric hesitated, unsure how to answer. Just then, both their phones buzzed at the same time.


    Noelle immediately realized it must be the security app on her phone sending an alert-Xenia must have contacted Sean.

 Chapter 443

    Cedric did not even need to check his phone to know who was calling. He and Noelle exchanged a nce and spoke at the same time.


    Noelle said, "You should take the call first."


    Cedric stepped aside to answer while Noelle returned to her room and opened herptop. She quickly hacked into Xenia''s phone, but to her surprise, the Trojan software she had imnted was gone.


    She blurted out, "What''s going on? Did Xenia find out?"


    When Noelle tried to reinstall the Trojan, she was immediately hit with a firewall attack. She realized that Xenia had installed anti-hacking software.


    Nheless, she did not linger and immediately pulled back. She wondered if she had just tipped Xenia off. Then again, how did thetter catch on so fast?


    Noelle pondered on the next step. She knew Xenia would only be more cautious, making it much harder to find any useful clues.


    Noelle stared at her screen, her suspicion growing stronger-Sean was not as simple as he seemed. She was bing more and more convinced that the car ident years ago was not an ident at all.


    Meanwhile, Cedric took the elevator downstairs. Just as he expected, Emma was still there, lingering near the stairwell.


    She looked a little uneasy as she faced him. She exined, "I came to the hospital just to check out that girl. After all, you''ve been making quite a few moves for her these past few days."


    She had initially thought Cedric was just messing around, but now it was clear- he was serious. Cedric replied, "You''ve seen her now. You didn''t say anything to her, did you?"


    Emma looked a little surprised. "Say anything? I didn''t even meet her..."


    Then, she suddenly remembered that the girl she had run into called Cedric by name. Her eyes widened in shock as she eximed, "It was her?"


    Cedric sighed and nodded. "Yes. You had no idea who she was, yet you walked in with her, arm in arm?"


    Emma argued, "I-I just didn''t want your guys to recognize me, so I asked a patient here to take me upstairs. How was I supposed to know it''d be her?"


    She actually had a good impression of the girl, but now, her mood soured. "Even though she seems like a nice girl, I still don''t think she''s right for you."


    Cedric asked, "Since you trust my taste, why isn''t she right for me?"


    Emma replied, "Her background, obviously. You''re a Greene. Your wife has to be


    from a respectable family, or you''ll be the joke of the town."


    As his stepmother, Emma could not let Cedric marry someone from an ordinary background. Otherwise, people would gossip and im she had intentionally mistreated Cedric by setting him up with a nameless.


    Cedric sighed. "Mom, she''s amazing. I''m the one pursuing her. She doesn''t even know who I really am."


    Emma was momentarily speechless. She frowned. "If you''re so sure about her, why haven''t you told her your real identity yet? That just means you have doubts too, doesn''t it?"


    "That''s not what I''m worried about," Cedric responded curtly.


    He had no intention of telling Emma the truth about Noelle''s identity-it would only make things moreplicated. His tone was firm as he added, "Once our rtionship is more stable, I''ll take her home to meet Grandma."


    Emma''s expression stiffened. "And what about the Merlocks?"


    Panic shed in her eyes. Everyone in their circle knew about the nned


    engagement between the Greene and Merlock families.


    She had always assumed that


    Cedric would eventually agree since he had not been interested in


    anyone else¡ªafter all, arranged marriages weremon in their world. She had never expected him to actually fall for someone.


    "If it really doesn''t work out, then Magnus can get engaged to them instead. He


    isn''t that young anymore," Cedric said casually.


    Emma was taken aback by his response. "But Samantha is several years older than Magnus."


    Cedric argued, "Age difference isn''t a big deal. Besides, it''d be good for someone to keep Magnus in check before he getspletely out of control."


    Just as he finished speaking, an indignant voice rang out beside them. "Cedric, are you sure we''re rted? Why are you trying to ruin my life?"


    Magnus stormed over, looking wronged. On the other hand, Cedric just nced at him.


    He said, "You know what you did. Did you really think hiding out would keep me from finding you?"


    Magnus shrank back a little before turning to Emma. "Mom! You were the one who arranged this whole engagement! Why don''t you marry Samantha yourself?"


    "You little brat! What nonsense are you spouting? Do you think that''s actually possible?" Emma snapped.

 Chapter 444

    Magnus retorted, "Why can''t you marry her? It''s the 21st century-men and women are equal! Just tell Dad to be open-minded and stop being so petty- Ouch! Why''d you hit me?"


    Emma''s eye twitched in frustration. She could not help but think Magnus was born to drive her insane.


    Magnus quickly put some distance between them. "I''m not wrong, though! Since when did engagements not require the actual couple''s consent?"


    "Shut your mouth!" Emma rubbed her temples angrily, shooting Cedric a look before storming off. She needed to think this through.


    Cedric turned to Magnus. "What are you even doing at the hospital?"


    "I-I obviously came here for a check-up! But then I heard Noelle got hurt, so I came to see her," he replied.


    "She''s fine. She doesn''t need you checking on her. I have something else for you to do," Cedric said as he watched Emma''s retreating figure.


    If she had found her way to the hospital, then the Merlocks definitely would not be far behind. At the very least, he needed to get ahead of the rumors before Noelle was discharged. He would not let her suffer even the slightest injustice.


    Shifting his focus back to Magnus, he decided the most useful person right now was standing right before him.


    Magnus suddenly felt a chill run down his spine. "Ced, just say what you need to say! Don''t look at me like that¡ªit''s making me nervous."


    That look never meant anything good.


    ...


    After giving Magnus his instructions, Cedric returned to Noelle''s hospital room, only to find her looking a little down. He walked over and asked, "What''s wrong? Who called you just now?"


    Noelle hesitated, unsure if she should bring it up with him. Before she could decide, the doctor entered for a routine check-up.


    After reviewing her chart, he said, "Ms. Liddell, if you''re not experiencing any difort, you can be discharged today."


    "Alright. Thank you, doctor," she replied. Honestly, she had felt fine for days, but Cedric had insisted on keeping her in the hospital.


    Once the doctor left, Cedric noticed how happy she looked and immediately knew she had been going stir-crazy in there.


    After finishing the discharge paperwork, Noelle nned to head back to her dorm. She had already missed too many sses and was worried about her team''s training base¡ªshe needed to check in on things.


    Cedric had no choice but to drive her back to campus. When they arrived at the school gates, he held her hand.


    He reminded her, "Stay out of the gym for now. Once you''re fully recovered, I''ll train with you myself.


    She said, "If you train with me, then all my prepaid gym sessions will go to waste."


    Cedric flicked her forehead. "If anyone at school gives you trouble over that livestream incident or spreads rumors, call me immediately."


    Noelle shed a faint, small smile. "Got it. I''ll see youter."


    Cedric watched her walk away, feeling an unexpected reluctance to let her go.


    When Noelle returned to her dorm, her injuries still had not fully healed. The bruises on her arms were still dark and noticeable.


    As she walked upstairs, her roommates immediately noticed her injuries. She had purposely worn short sleeves and was not trying to hide anything.


    Grace was thrilled when she saw her. She ran over, beaming. "Why didn''t you tell me you wereing back?"


    Then, catching sight of Noelle''s bruises, her face fell. "Does it still hurt?"


    "It stings a little when touched, but it''s nothing serious," Noelle replied. After closing the door behind her,


    she noticed that the once-empty bed in their dorm had been imed.


    Grace spoke up. "Someone just moved in today, but she hasn''t stayed the night


    yet. From the looks of it, she''s loaded-everything she brought is designer."


    ?


    Ever since Jessica took a leave of absence and moved out, it had just been the two of them. Nevertheless, Noelle did not think much of it. After washing up, she went straight to bed.


    The next morning, Noelle still wore shorts and a T-shirt, which were perfectly normal for summer. However, the bruises on her arms and legs stood out even more.


    As she walked toward the lecture hall, she spotted Xenia. Unlike her, Xenia was dressed in long sleeves and pants, clearly covering up her own injuries. The moment she saw Noelle, Xenia rushed over, grabbed her hand, and started crying.


    "Noelle, this is all my fault! If it weren''t for me, you and ke wouldn''t have had that misunderstanding! If you''re going to me someone, me me!"


    Noelle''s expression remained cold. "me you for what? Speak up so everyone can hear."


    Xenia''s eyes flickered, but after a brief hesitation, she clenched her jaw-then suddenly dropped to her knees.

 Chapter 445

    Noelle was slightly surprised when Xenia actually dropped to her knees in front of her. After all, Xenia had always looked down on her, acting like she was


    untouchable.


    Forcing a bitch like Xenia to kneel and apologize was probably worse than killing her. It seemed like Lucas had really put her through hell. Otherwise, there was no way she would be here humiliating herself in public like this.


    The entire crowd was stunned into silence at the sight. Meanwhile, Xenia sobbed uncontrobly.


    She cried out, "Noelle, it''s all my fault for causing a misunderstanding between you and ke. Please don''t turn against each other because of me! I''ll do anything as long as you stop being mad at him."


    Noelle nced at Xenia kneeling in front of her and deliberately adjusted her stance, exposing the bruises on her arms.


    Grace marched over and shoved Xenia aside. "Are you blind? Can''t you see Noelle is still hurt? Stop with the fake apologies¡ªwhoever did wrong will answer to the police."


    Xenia remained on her knees, lowering her voice. "Noelle, what do you really want? You hacked into my phone and nted that Trojan virus, didn''t you? What were you trying to find?"


    Noelle remainedposed, realizing this was all just a test. Her voice was calm as she replied, "If I were going to hack your phone, do you really think I''d need a Trojan virus?"


    "It was definitely you! Who else has the skills to do it?" Xenia was trying to sound confident, but deep down, she was panicking.


    Sean had warned her to check her phone for monitoring software, so she did a security scan-only to find a Trojan virus. Panicked, she had deleted all her conversations with him.


    She barely sleptst night. If Noelle found out Sean was still alive and tipped off the Liddells, she would surely be kicked out. That would be the end of everything.


    Noelle raised an eyebrow and smirked. "You seem awfully nervous. Did you do something shady and are scared of getting caught?"


    Xenia quickly denied it. "I didn''t do anything, but what you did was illegal. If you try it again, I''ll report you to the police."


    Of course, Xenia was not going to admit to anything. But seeing how casual


    Noelle was, she wondered if maybe Noelle really was not behind it.


    Her knees were aching from kneeling, but she forced herself to keep up the act. "Noelle, isn''t this enough? Haven''t I suffered enough for you?"


    Noelle let out a cold chuckle. Satisfied? This was nothing.


    She looked down at Xenia, lowering her voice to a whisper. "Unless you drop dead, I''m never making peace with ke. Go tell him that."


    Xenia''s face went deathly pale. Meanwhile, Noelle walked away feeling great.


    The moment she left, the crowd broke out into murmurs, pointing fingers at Xenia. She felt humiliated as she scrambled to her feet, desperate to escape.


    This was beyond embarrassing. But after that little test, she was almost certain Noelle was not the one who hacked her phone. If Noelle had found out Sean was alive, she would have definitely told the Liddells.


    Then again, if it was not Noelle, then who could it be? Xenia wondered if it could actually be Justin''s mother. Perhaps she was trying to erase any traces of Xenia''s rtionship with Justin so they would not end up together.


    Xenia considered it and decided it was not impossible. She suddenly felt that her phone was no longer safe, and she needed to back up all her messages and photos immediately.


    After doing so, she headed straight for the business school to find Justin. As long as she had Justin backing her up, ke would not darey a hand on her again.


    Xenia could not take another beating-it was like hell on earth.


    Noelle walked into ss and took a seat, hearing students around her whispering about what had just happened. Grace sat beside her and leaned in to whisper, "Noelle, don''t worry. Everyone in school is on your side right now."


    Noelle smiled. With the TG Public Rtions team handling things, she was not


    too worried about public opinion.

 Chapter 446

    Noelle believed the Liddells would probablye knocking soon. Now that she was out of the hospital, the case would move forward again. Since she insisted ke had intentionally hit her, he was bound to face some serious trouble.


    After finishing her morning sses, Noelle headed to the base to check everyone''s progress. But the moment she arrived, she found herself surrounded by ke''s fans.


    "Noelle, why are you falsely using ke of abuse?"


    "You already ruined Lucas-now you want to ruin ke, too?"


    "Do you even know how hard ke worked to get where he is? Destroying him is no different than killing him!"


    Noelle had not expected this many crazy fans to show up out of nowhere.


    "Everyone, calm down! Don''t gang up on Noelle!" Eion suddenly stepped forward, addressing the crowd.


    He continued, "ke said this was all just a misunderstanding. He doesn''t me Noelle¡ªafter all, they''re family. He hopes everyone will stop interfering in her life."


    Upon hearing Eion''s words, Noelle''s eyes flickered with disdain. So this was all staged? How pathetic.


    She looked at Eion and let out a coldugh. "Do you really think this will cover up the truth?"


    Eion stepped closer, lowering his voice. "Ms. Liddell, I don''t know what truth you''re talking about, but ke is still in the hospital. He was worried his fans would give you trouble, so he specifically asked me toe and protect you."


    The fans erupted in anger, with someone shouting, "Noelle, do you even have a conscience? ke still cares about you, but you''re out here ndering him!"


    Another asked, "How can someone be this heartless toward their own brother?"


    Eion nced at the outraged fans, a hint of satisfaction shing in his eyes. Then, in a hushed voice, he warned, "Ms. Liddell, I suggest you be smart about this. In the end, you''ll only hurt yourself."


    Noelle was unfazed. "If you guys are innocent, why are you working so hard to manipte public opinion? Are you afraid of what the police investigation might uncover?"


    Eion''s face stiffened. "Ms. Liddell, at the end of the day, you''re family. Can''t you just talk things through?"


    "I don''t think there''s anything to talk about," Noelle said. She tried to push past Eion, but the fans blocked her way.


    Just then, campus security arrived, forcefully removing the disruptive fans. The school finally quieted down.


    Noelle pointed at Eion. "He''s with them. Kick him out, too."


    Eion''s face darkened. "I''m part of the production team, not a fan. Anyway, pushing away ke''s fans will only mako you look worse. No one will believe your side of the story."


    Noelle simply stated, "I don''t care what his fans believe. The only thing that matters is what the police believe."


    ke would have to face the consequences for what he did. With that, Noelle walked straight into the base.


    Eion had no choice but to call ke. "This isn''t working. Noelle clearly wants to see you go down-she''s not budging at all."


    "That''s impossible. Xenia even got on her knees and apologized. She should''ve let this go by now."


    ke hung up and furiously swept everything off the table in his hospital room.


    Earlier today, after getting his bandages removed, he finally saw the full extent of the scars on his face. They were deep and stretched across his skin, with thickened red tissue forming over them. His face looked horrifying.


    He could not stop himself from calling Noelle. The moment she answered, he heard her calm voice.


    "If you''re calling to negotiate, save your breath."


    "Noelle, I was tricked by Xenia, too! And look at me¡ªI''mpletely disfigured! Haven''t I suffered enough? Do you really have to push me to the edge?"


    His frustration boiled over. "You


    already sent Lucas to prison, and


    now you want me locked up, too?


    How the hell are you gonna face Mom and Dad when you visit their graves?"


    He could not understand why Noelle was being so ruthless, unwilling to show


    even a little mercy.

 Chapter 447

    Noelle almostughed when she heard ke''s words. She thought the Liddell brothers really were all the same. Even their half-assed apologies came from the same mold.


    She replied calmly, "How I exin things to Mom and Dad when I visit their graves has nothing to do with you."


    She had often wondered-back in her past life, when she died such a miserable death, and Xenia took her ce as the Liddells'' precious daughter, were their parents rolling in their graves from sheer rage?


    Maybe it was their spirits watching over her, giving her a second chance at life.


    ke''s tone turned frustrated. "Noelle, I''ve already exined everything. It was just a misunderstanding! I even punished Xenia for you you saw how badly beaten she was today. What else do you want?!"


    Noelle recalled how Xenia had shown up in long sleeves and pants-rare for her, considering she usually loved unting her legs in dresses. It finally dawned on her that Xenia was covering up her injuries.


    Her voice wasced with mockery as she said, "And you think that makes us even? After everything I''ve suffered over the years? Xenia got off easy."


    "Then tell me how you want revenge. I''ll do it for you."


    "That depends on how sincere you are about making peace."


    Noelle hung up after that. She was curious just how far ke was willing to go for a so-called reconciliation.


    Now that Xenia had discovered the hack on her phone, it would be impossible to break in again. She would definitely switch to another phone for any secret dealings, meaning the evidence Noelle had been hoping to find was out of reach.


    If only she had managed to save Xenia''s conversation with Sean. But even that would not have been enough-since Sean had been using a burner number, Xenia could easily deny everything.


    No, the only way was to corner Xenia, to leave her with no way out. Right now, Xenia''s biggest fear was being kicked out of the Liddell family. Losing her status, her privileges her entire cushy life.


    Meanwhile, after hanging up, ke stared at his reflection in the mirror, filled with regret. He cursed at himself for being so easily manipted by Xenia.


    Why had he been stupid enough toy a hand on Noelle? If he had held back that day, none of this would have happened, and he would not be stuck with a ruined face.


    His expression darkened as he picked up his phone and dialed Xenia. "Frank needs you to bring him some medicinal congee."


    A chilling glint flickered in his eyes. If Noelle wanted revenge, he would give her one. After all, this was all Xenia''s fault.


    ...


    On the other end, Xenia nearly dropped her phone when she saw ke''s name pop up on the screen. Tears welled up in her eyes as she panicked.


    Justin immediately pulled her into his arms,forting her. "Why are you crying?"


    She replied, "ke just called me. He wants me to bring food to Frank, but I know that''s just an excuse. He wants to hit me again."


    "Then why don''t you just side with Noelle and expose ke? That way, he won''t be able to touch you anymore."


    "I can''t. No matter what, I grew up in the Liddell family-I won''t betray them like that." She sniffled, then looked at him expectantly. "Why don''t youe with me to the hospital?"


    As long as Justin was with her, ke would not dare make a move.


    Justin hesitated, his expression awkward. "It''s not that I don''t want to, but my mom has bodyguards


    wg me. Other than school, I


    have to report everywhere go."


    Xenia was caught off guard, silently cursing at Justin for being a mama''s boy.


    Just then, Justin said, "Don''t worry, Xenia. If things get really bad, just call me right away."


    Xenia''s eyes lit up. "You''lle to save me?"


    "I''ll call the cops for you."


    Xenia clenched her teeth in frustration, thinking that Justin was just a coward. She did not need him


    to call the police-she needed him to protect her.


    Annoyed, she stormed out of the ssroom. In her desperation, she tried calling Sean, but the number was disconnected, as always.


    Every time she reached out to him, it was through a disposable burner phone. He never had a consistent number.


    Left with no other choice, she called Donovan, the only one who could save her right now.

 Chapter 448

    Later, Xenia went straight to Frank''s hospital room. Rolling up her sleeves just enough to expose the fresh bruises on her arms, she made sure Frank noticed them.


    As expected, his brows furrowed. "What happened? More injuries?"


    Xenia shrank back a little. "I went to school to see Noelle today. I even got on my knees and apologized, exining that ke had nothing to do with anything. But ke didn''t seem satisfied-he called me back to the hospital. Frank, I''m scared!" Frank knew all too well how bad ke''s temper was. Lately, he had been taking it out on Xenia almost every day.


    He could not help but say, "I''ll talk to ke. He can''t keep putting his hands on you like this."


    Right then, ke shoved the door open and stormed in. The scars on his face were gruesome, making him look even more intimidating.


    Xenia flinched at the sight of him.


    ke grabbed her by the arm. "If you hadn''t recorded that damn video and fed me lies about Noelle nning to expose my dirt, I wouldn''t have hit her. And I wouldn''t have ended up like this!"


    Xenia immediately looked at Frank, silently begging for help.


    Frank hesitated, then asked, "So, she really showed you a video?"


    "Yeah. That bitch deleted it afterward, but I''m not lying. There''s no way I would''ve gone after Noelle for no reason."


    Frank turned to Xenia, his voice serious. "Is it true?"


    Xenia stammered, struggling toe up with a response. "I-I didn''t¡ª"


    Frank''s expression darkened. "You''re lying."


    He still remembered what had happened at the bar-the surveince footage incident was proof enough. Even when caught red-handed, Xenia had lied without blinking.


    This time, he chose to believe ke. That video had definitely existed, but Xenia had erased it.


    ke was momentarily stunned. "Frank, you actually believe me?"


    Frank exined, "I do. Xenia has done this before. Just because there''s no evidence now doesn''t mean it didn''t happen. And besides, Noelle is our sister-there''s no way you''d hurt her for no reason."


    "But even Donovan doesn''t believe me!" ke snapped. "Xenia is the reason Noelle turned against us! She''s been manipting us from the start!"


    He suddenly yanked Xenia''s hair, his voice filled with resentment. "Since my face


    is ruined, yours should be too. You should suffer the same pain I did!"


    "No! My face!" Xenia screamed, struggling in a panic. "Please, ke! I swear I won''t do anything again! Frank, you said you''d help me!"


    Frank hesitated before replying, "It''s just a scar. It''s not like you''ll die."


    Xenia''s heart sank in despair. She had miscalcted-returning to the Liddell family and ying the victim hadpletely backfired. If she ended up disfigured, her life would be over.


    ke pulled out a fruit knife, pressing the cold de against her cheek. "I''ll just make one little cut. That''s fair, isn''t it?"


    "No! ke, please! I''ll do anything! Just don''t ruin my face... I''m begging you!"


    "Stop! Have you lost your damn mind?" Donovan burst into the room, immediately shoving ke away.


    He shouted, "Are you crazy? If word gets out that you disfigured Xenia, you won''t walk away unscathed either! Haven''t things gotten messy enough already?!" "Donovan, all of this is because of her! That bitch is the one who started it all!"


    Xenia pitifully clung to Donovan''s arm, her voice trembling. "Donovan, it''s all my fault. Don''t be mad at ke-he''s just upset."


    Donovan sighed, his expression softening. "Xenia, you''re too kind. You don''t owe the Liddells anything. Your father died saving my parents-if anything, we owe you."


    Xenia lowered her gaze, her voiceced with quiet sorrow. "But I grew up with the Liddells. I already see all of you as my family. I could never hold that against you."


    Donovan felt a wave of relief¡ªat least Xenia was still loyal. He turned to ke. "You forced Xenia to kneel and apologize-did Noelle agree to let this go?"


    ke clenched his jaw. "No."


    Donovan scoffed. "Like I said before, Noelle is a cold-hearted, ungrateful brat. If she refuses to back down, then you should strike first-make sure she never recovers from this."


    If Noelle had no mercy for them, then they would not have any for her either.

 Chapter 449

    ke was taken aback by Donovan''s words. Before he could respond, Frank cut in. "Donovan, you can''t do this."


    Donovan argued, "If we don''t make the first move, Frank, do you want ke to end up in prison like Lucas? If you can fix this, I won''t stop you."


    Frank knew the situation was not easy to resolve. He let out a bitter chuckle. "But Noelle is the victim here. She didn''t do anything wrong-Xenia deliberately manipted ke into turning against her. Why should Noelle be the one to back down?"


    "I get that it was a misunderstanding, but can''t this be handled privately? Why let things escte this far?" Donovan''s biggest issue with Noelle was that she never backed down and never took a loss.


    Frank was so furious that he was left speechless.


    Donovan turned to ke. "If you don''t do what I say, prepare yourself for prison. Noelle isn''t going to let you off the hook."


    ke fell silent. He did not want to go to jail and ruin his entire career. He had not even won Best Actor yet.


    Sensing an opportunity, Xenia leaned into Donovan''s side, her voice soft and pitiful. "Donovan, don''t be mad. It was probably my fault, too. If I hadn''t upset Noelle, she wouldn''t have left home out of spite."


    Donovan''s expression shifted with guilt. "You''ve suffered enough. I actually have a charity fund that needs managing-why don''t I put you in charge?"


    Xenia''s eyes lit up. Sean had been right-Donovan was easy to manipte. Still, she yed her part, pretending to hesitate.


    She mumbled, "Donovan, I don''t know if I''m capable of something like that, but I''ll do my best not to disappoint you."


    "I trust you. You''ll handle it well."


    ke''s temper finally snapped. "Donovan, are you seriously rewarding Xenia? Are you giving her a whole foundation aspensation? Didn''t you originally say it was meant for Noelle?"


    Donovan remained unfazed. "I don''t need you to remind me who Xenia is."


    His tone was calm as he added, "Noelle refuses topromise, and Xenia has been through enough. What''s wrong with giving her a littlepensation?"


    Xenia lowered her head in fake modesty. "Donovan, maybe I shouldn''t¡ª"


    "Cut the act, Xenia!" ke could not stomach her performance any longer. "I swear, I''m ruining your face today. Let''s see how you handle suffering like I did!"


    Xenia shrank back, fear in her eyes. "Donovan, I''m scared."


    Donovan stepped in front of her. "You don''t have to put up with this. If he daresy a hand on you again, just do what Noelle did-expose him for who he really is."


    ke''s face darkened. "You''re threatening me now?"


    Donovan scoffed. "ke, I''m warning you-don''t touch Xenia again, or you''ll regret it. Xenia, let''s go."


    Xenia finally exhaled in relief. Her act had worked at least she would not have to endure another beating.


    As she walked away with Donovan,


    ke clenched his fists so hard kis nails dug into his palms. His vision blurred with rage as he turned to Frank, asking, "Frank, has Donovan lost his damn mind?"


    Frank let out a tiredugh. "ke, didn''t I warn you? Sooner orter, you''d regret everything."


    ke stiffened, unable to argue. This was humiliating.


    It had not even been that long, and yet karma had already hit him in the face. He


    asked, "What the hell am I supposed to do now?"


    "You were the one whoid hands


    on Noelle That means you werein the wrong. If you really want to fix


    things, you should be the one


    apologizing and making


    amends-not Xenia."


    ke''s expression grew uneasy. How was he supposed to go out looking like this?


    Besides, was Noelle really meless?


    After ss, Noelle checked the news and saw reports about ke''s fans causing trouble on campus. However, the story did not gain much traction.


    With the police already conducting an investigation, most people were waiting for the official report before choosing a side. But as she scrolled her, something unexpected caught her attention.


    Magnus was trending. Puzzled about what was happening, she clicked on the


    article and saw a clip of Magnus being interviewed.


    A reporter asked, "Ms. Merlock was recently recently spotted at a bridal boutique.


    Does that mean a wedding is on the horizon for both families?"

 Chapter 450

    Magnus outright denied the rumors in his interview. "Cedric and Ms. Merlock never had any kind of rtionship, let alone an engagement. That was all fabricated by the media. Cedric is already in a stable rtionship with someone he likes."


    The statement immediately went viral. Noelle nced at the news-so it was true that Cedric had nothing to do with Laura.


    Samantha had been running her mouth for weeks, bragging that Laura was about to get engaged to the Greene family''s golden boy. Now, she would have to find another way to show off.


    After lingering in the ssroom for a while, Noelle and Grace finally left when most of the students had cleared out. As they walked outside, they spotted Samantha on a phone call, her face twisted in frustration.


    "Tell those reporters to shut the hell up! Laura and the Greene family are already discussing their engagement-Magnus is just talking nonsense!"


    She looked livid. After all, Magnus''s statement had made her aughingstock among her friends.


    When Noelle walked past, Samantha quickly lowered her phone and forced a smirk. "Noelle, I bet you''reughing at me right now. But let me tell you-Magnus is full of shit. The Greene family will be announcing Laura''s engagement soon."


    Noelle''s tone was indifferent. "Then congrattions in advance."


    Samantha scoffed. "At least you know your ce. Laura is Yasnia''s top socialite- she grew up alongside Cedric. They were practically made for each other."


    Samantha''s words dripped with arrogance, as if she were trying to convince herself more than anyone else. Noelle did not bother responding and simply walked away.


    Grace leaned in and whispered, "I heard Samantha is off the hook. The bullying case was dropped."


    "How? Wasn''t there solid evidence?"


    "There was, but rumor has it the Greene family stepped in. In the end, another student took the fall for her. Samantha even bragged about it in ss."


    Noelle recalled the bullying videos she had seen on Samantha''s phone. Those girls had been tormented so brutally, and yet the real mastermind got away scot- free.


    Her mind drifted back to what Donovan had told her-that the car that ran the red light years ago belonged to the Merlocks, and someone inside had fled the scene.


    That meant the driver had likely been a scapegoat, and the real culprit had never been caught.


    And now, the Liddells'' driver was also suspicious. Everything was tangled together, and Noelle''s mind buzzed with questions.


    She wondered what the hell had really happened back then and if Sean could be connected to the Merlocks.


    Grace snapped Noelle out of her thoughts. "Your phone''s been ringing nonstop."


    Noelle nced at the screen and saw Cedric''s name. A small smile formed on her lips as she answered. "Hey."


    "ss over? I''ming to pick you up."


    She suddenly remembered Cedric,


    had mentioned taking her


    somewhere after she was


    vel


    discharged, and a strange sense of anticipation bubbled up inside her.


    Pressing her lips together, she replied, "Okay, but I need to stop by the base first


    to handle some team matters before I leave."


    "Alright. I''lleter."


    After setting a time with Cedric, Noelle noticed Grace staring at her. "Why are you looking at me like that?"


    Grace smirked. "That your boyfriend? You were grinning the whole time."


    Noelle cleared her throat. "Something like that."


    When they arrived at the training base, Noelle did not waste any time and got down to business.


    "Alright, everyone, we''ll be doing one-on-one matches. I want to see how much you''ve improved."


    However, something felt off. The atmosphere in the base wasn''t as lively as usual.


    A senior team member approached Noelle, ncing toward the upstairs office. "Noelle, someone''s here for you."


    Frowning, Noelle headed upstairs and saw several bodyguards standing outside the office. She pushed the door open and saw ke Sitting inside. He was wearing a cap, sunsses, and a mask, covering almost his entire face.


    Her tone was cold as she questioned, "What are you doing here? I already said


    everything I needed over the phone."


    ke stood up. Instead of


    answering, he pulled off his


    sunsses, revealing tired, hollow eyes, Then, he removed his mask, revealing the grotesque, deep-red scars on his face.

 Chapter 451

    This was the first time Noelle saw ke''s injured face. She''d caught a glimpse of it outside the police precinct, but his face had been wrapped in bandages, which made it impossible to see the extent of his injuries. Now, she could see everything clearly.


    There was a long scar on ke''s cheek, and the wound had begun to develop hypersia. The fresh red flesh stood out grotesquely and strikingly.


    That was a devastating blow to ke as an actor in the entertainment industry, and judging by the depth of the wound, it might not heal that easily.


    The training base fell silent.


    ke appeared utterly defeated as he ced a velvet box on the table and slowly opened it. It contained a set of pink diamond jewelry consisting of a ne, a bracelet, and a ring.


    With a hoarse voice, he said, "I knew you gave Xenia my diamond ring as an apology gift, so I bought you a new set to make up for it."


    Noelle nced at the jewelry and found itughable. Then, she indifferently said, "I don''t need these things anymore."


    ke continued, "I understand I went too far, but I resented you for abandoning me. Now I realize Xenia had been lying all along. If I''d known the truth earlier, I''d never have treated you that way."


    Noelle thought of the tragic fate of her past life. To be honest, she didn''t believe a single word he was saying.


    As ke spoke, he carefully observed her expression, and his heart sank. Donovan was right.


    Noelle remained seated and snapped, "Are you done? Take your things and leave. I have a lot to deal with."


    Her expression was cold, and she looked utterly unfazed.


    ke pleaded. "You''ve seen my face, Noelle. My career is ruined even if you drop the charges. Can you bear sending me to jail?"


    "If that''s how you see it, shouldn''t you have Xenia go to jail instead? She was the one who started this, wasn''t she?"


    ke fell silent. "She deleted the video she showed me, so there''s no evidence proving she egged me on."


    "Shouldn''t you deal with Xenia instead ofing to me? Do you expect me to be merciful just because your face is ruined? To drop changes and take all the me myself?" Noelle mockingly questioned.


    "That''s not what I meant..."


    "Oh? I must''ve misunderstood then. Fine. You can leave now."


    Noelle didn''t bother giving ke another chance to speak. She had better things to do.


    ke stepped forward in disbelief. "I''m your brother, Noelle! I''m the biggest victim of all this!" If he''d been


    n the one to orchestrate everything, he would''ve dly


    epted responsibility.


    Yet, he was unwilling to ept the consequences and pushed. "Xenia lied to me,


    too. Can''t you understand that?"


    The word "understand" struck Noelle as almost amusing, and she let out a coldugh. "So what? Do you think beating Xenia up, making her kneel and apologize in public, is enough to make me forgive you?"


    "I never thought that''d be enough, but Xenia is the real culprit. You should be


    going after her." ke felt like he was the innocent one in all of this.


    Noelleughed out loud. "Shouldn''t you have Xenia take responsibility for you then? Just like how Lucas took the fall for her?"


    ke''s expression darkened instantly. Xenia was now under Donovan''s protection, and there was no way she''d take the fall for him.


    As he watched Noelle leave, ke spoke in disappointment, "No wonder Donovan says you''ve grown cold and heartless. Now I finally see it for myself."


    He''d shown Noelle her ruined face, but she hadn''t softened the slightest.


    "You''ve changed, Noelle. I''m starting to wonder if the person in front of me is even my sister." If ke hadn''t seen it with his own eyes, he wouldn''t have believed Noelle could be this ruthless.


    Noelle''s lips curled into a cold smirk. "The old Noelle, the one who obeyed your every word, meek, and was eager to please, is dead."


    "Even if you''ve suffered, we''re still family. Do you have to go this far?


    "You''re reacting this way because you can''t take advantage of me anymore. If we''re family, you should be punished, too," Noelle snapped.


    Guilt-tripping no longer worked on her. She turned and left the office. When the bodyguards tried to stop her, she shoved them aside. She was much stronger


    now.

 Chapter 452

    Over the years, Noelle had learned one undeniable truth-to show kindness to the Liddells was to be cruel to herself.


    Standing alone in the office, ke furiously kicked the table. "You''re forcing my hand, Noelle! I''m not gonna give you a way out, either!"


    In the hall, Noelle was busy practicing PK-ranked matches with her team members, so she didn''t notice when ke left. After training, she received a text from Cedric.


    "I''m at the school gate. Come out when you''re done."


    A sudden wave of nervousness hit her. She grabbed her bag and walked to the school gate, where she spotted Cedric''s car parked by the roadside.


    She subconsciously tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and got into the car.


    "Here. Take this." Cedric handed her a bouquet of fresh flowers, whichpletely surprised her.


    She took them over. "Thank you."


    "Why are you so surprised?"


    Noelle nced at the flowers in her arms. "It just feels unreal. You don''t seem like the type to give flowers."


    "Anyone can give flowers... That is unless they pretend they don''t know how to." As Cedric drove, he asked, "Did ke''s fans bother you?"


    "Yeah. They''re mostly trying to guilt-trip me and tried every trick, but I won''t give in."


    At least not now. If ke still couldn''t take down Xenia, Noelle might have to return to the Liddells and slowly expose thetter''s facade for who she truly was.


    She continued, "Aren''t they always talking about how family bonds are stronger than anything? I''d love to see if they''ll sacrifice for each other or turn on one another the moment their interests are threatened."


    Upon seeing that Noelle''s mood wasn''t affected, Cedric felt a little more at ease.


    Then, Noelle suddenly asked, "Oh, right. Magnus went viral today. Did you see it?"


    Cedric''s hand on the steering wheel stiffened slightly. "Oh?"


    "Yeah. Apparently, he publicly rified that his brother''s engagement with Ms. Merlock was just a rumor. Plus, he mentioned his brother has a crush."


    Cedric''s Adam''s apple bobbed slightly. "And what do you think about that?"


    "I can''t be sure. Though Magnus rified, shouldn''t the person involved do that? But I can''t tell if that''s usually the case for wealthy families.


    "Maybe the Greene and Merlock families are having a temporary disagreement. They might end up making an official announcement anyway."


    "That''s impossible." Cedric denied it outright.


    Noelle turned to look at him. "You sound so sure... Like you''re the heir of the Greene family."


    Cedric focused on the road ahead as words lingered at the tip of his tongue. "Well, Noelle, actually-"


    Suddenly, a car cut in front of them and forced Cedric to m the brakes hard. They''d nearly crashed.


    The startled Noelle rolled down the window and shouted, "Do you even know how to drive? Did you buy your license?


    Cedric watched hersh out and hesitated In the end, he didn''t continue what he was about to say. They drove to an open area, where several helicopters were parked on the grass.


    Cedric got out of the car and nced at her. "Let''s go."


    "Where are we going? Are we taking a helicopter?" Noelle turned to look at him suspiciously. "Whose idea was this? Alfred''s?"


    Cedric''s expression stiffened slightly. "You guessed it."


    She knew it. There was no way Cedric woulde up with such an idea on his own. As they walked


    to the helicopter, Noelle asked,


    "Is this rented or bought?"


    "Bought." Since Cedric was always busy with work, using a helicopter saved him


    a lot of time.


    Noelle nodded. She figured it was


    probably Alfred''s purchase, and Cedric had just borrowed it, so she didn''t ask any further. Just as she was about to board the helicopter, a Oman''s anxious voice called out from behind.


    "Ced, it''s me¡ª"


    When Cedric turned around and saw Laura rushing toward them, his expression changed instantly.

 Chapter 453

    Cedric frowned slightly and nced at his assistant.


    Noelle turned around. "Is someone calling you?"


    "You heard wrong." Cedric shifted his position to block Noelle''s view while Laura was surrounded by bodyguards and swiftly taken away.


    Soon, the helicopter lifted off. Laura could only watch as Cedric left with anotherdy. Anger drove her to the verge of tears.


    She''d seen Cedric act gently around thedy, and she''d never witnessed this side of him. That thought sent jealousy surging through her heart.


    Ever since she was a child, her only wish had been to marry Cedric, be his wife, and give birth to two children. And now, Noelle''s sudden appearance ruined everything. She''d never let Cedric go.


    Her assistant approached. "I took a picture of thedy just now, Ms. Merlock, but it isn''t very clear."


    Laura nced at the picture and immediately recognized who it was. She''d seen Noelle at the hospital, but after Alfred denied everything, she''d foolishly trusted him.


    Damn it. They''d lied to her.


    Laura fumed. "Find out every single detail about her, no matter what it takes!"


    The assistant replied, "There''s no need to investigate. She''s Noelle Liddell, the one who''s been targeting Samantha at school and stirring up quite a storm on the Intetely."


    "That''s her?" A glint of amusement shed in Laura''s eyes. It seemed fate had handed her a perfect opportunity.


    If Emma found out what kind of person Noelle was, she''d definitely object to the rtionship. She pulled out her phone and dialed Emma''s number.


    "Are you free this afternoon for some tea, Mrs. Greene? There''s something I''ve been thinking over, and I feel I should tell you about it."


    She had to make sure both Emma and Anastasia knew who Noelle really was. That would prove that she is the only one worthy of Cedric.


    ...


    The helicopternded at a secluded yet beautiful restaurant. The ambiance was exquisite and perfect for a date.


    As Noelle took a nce around, she lowered her voice. "This ce doesn''t seem very popr. There aren''t many customers."


    "Probably because it''s too remote," Cedric mentioned nothing about renting out the whole ce.


    They ate in rtive silence. Noelle found herself eating more gracefully than usual and felt oddly self-conscious about her image.


    Cedric handed her a napkin. "Shall we go for a walk?"


    "Sure."


    They walked side by side, and as their hands brushed against each other at one point, Noelle''s heart raced. The next second, Cedric reached out and took her hand.


    She looked down and saw their shadows intertwined, hand in hand. The moment


    felt intimate and intoxicating under the veil of the night sky.


    Suddenly, Cedric stopped and looked down at her. "Are you bored?"


    "Not really, but I think the scenery would be better during the day."


    "I heard it''s more romantic at night."


    Just after Cedric spoke, dazzling fireworks lit up the sky and illuminated the entirendscape. Noelle looked up at the fireworks, and Cedric never took his eyes off her.  s?novel


    "Do you like it?" he asked.


    "I''ve seen beautiful fireworks, but this time feels different. Maybe it''s because of the person I''m watching them with."


    She turned to look at him as the fireworks bloomed behind to cast a glow over his sharply defined features. She could barely take his eyes off him.


    Cedric was incredibly handsome, and Noelle wondered if she''d been attracted to his looks from the very beginning.


    Cedric nervously said, "I''m not as perfect as you think, Noelle. I hesitate and retreat sometimes, but when I saw you hurt, I swored''d never let that happen again. So..."


    "So what?"


    "So be my girlfriend, and I''ll take care of you from now on. Is that okay?"

 Chapter 454

    Cedric extended his hand, and his gaze was deep and unwavering. Noelle pressed her lips together and felt a flutter of excitement. Then, she ced her hand in his and looked up.


    "Thank you for appearing in my life at that moment, Cedric."


    He hadn''t been too early or toote-just right. She sneezed after she spoke. "It''s a little chilly up in the mountains."


    "It''s gettingte. Let me take you back." Cedric held her hand, and they walked out together.


    Noelle nced down at their intertwined fingers and felt warmth blooming in her heart. After leaving the Liddells, she was no longer alone; she now had friends and a lover.


    The trip took longer than expected. By the time Noelle arrived at the dorm, she had to sprint for fear that she wouldn''t make it in time. As she gasped for breath after rushing in, she noticed a text from Cedric.


    "If you didn''t get in, I''m here waiting for you."


    "Made it in thest minute. I''m exhausted."


    Copsing into her chair, she panted and took deep breaths. Who would end a date by running like a madwoman?


    Grace handed her a cup of water. "How was the date?"


    "It was nice. We made our rtionship official today," Noelle said, taking a sip of water as she finally caught her breath.


    "It''s that guy who gave you the medicine, right? I told you he liked you, but you denied it back then."


    Noelle chuckled. "I''ll treat the entire team to coffee tomorrow."


    After washing up, shey in bed and tapped on her chat window with Cedric. "What are you doing?"


    "Just got home. Sleep early."


    Cedric parked his car outside the Greene residence and strode in after sending the text. Anastasia was waiting for him on the couch.


    "You''re back. You had Magnus publicly rify things with the Merlock family, so it looks like you''re serious about thatdy, aren''t you?"


    "Yes."


    "Any ordinarydy would be fine, but she''s the only one who won''t do. That''s unless you tell her the whole truth, and she''s okay with it. I won''t object if that''s the case."


    Cedric lowered his gaze and fell silent. "I need time."


    "I''ll give you one month. If you don''t handle it well, I''ll step in myself." Her expression was firm. She had


    absolute authority as the matriarch, and she didn''t want to see both


    children get hurt.


    Anastasia let out a long sigh. Why did it have to be Noelle? Such a tangled fate.


    ...


    The next morning, Noelle went to ss in a great mood. The blue sky was clear, and she took a picture to send to C¨¦dric. Just as she tapped on the send button, she spotted Xenia strutting toward her in head-to-toe designer clothes, her handbag swinging arrogantly.


    That outfit must''ve cost a fortune.


    Xenia paused beside her on purpose. She said, "Thanks to you for setting ke against me, Noelle. Donovan has now put me in charge of Hopeful Hearts Foundation."


    Hopeful Hearts Foundation? Noelle''s expression changed instantly. "What right does Donovan have to do that?"


    That foundation was created by their parents and was supposed to belong to her. How did it end up in Xenia''s hands?


    Xenia smirked and unted her expensive handbag. "Donovan said it''spensation for the suffering I endured. If you have a problem with it, ask him yourself."


    She''d endured so much and gotten beaten, so she was rightfully entitled to somepensation. The Liddells owed her, after all! With that, Xenia clicked her heels and walked away.


    Furious, Noelle immediately called Donovan. "Did you give Xenia Hopeful Hearts Foundation?"


    "Yes. It was meant for you, but since you refused to behave and stirred up chaos in the Liddell family, consider this a small lesson."

 Chapter 455

    Noelle found itughable to think giving Xenia Hopeful Hearts Foundation was meant to serve as her lesson.


    She sneered, "You could''vepensated Xenia in so many ways, but you gave her Hopeful Hearts Foundation on purpose. That was created by Mom and Dad; what gives you the right to give it to an outsider?"


    "Because Sean died saving our parents. She''s been well-behaved all these years and suffered enough. Suchpensation is only fair."


    "How are you so sure Sean did die saving them?" Noelle scoffed.


    "Of course, I''m sure. I''ve investigated countless times. You''re just trying to avoid owning that debt, and that''s why you keep doubting the truth. Haven''t you had enough, Noelle?"


    Hearing Noelle''s angry voice improved Donovan''s mood. She''d acted smug and indifferent for so long, forcing the Liddell family into chaos.


    Lucas'' gaming team investment had gone up in mes, and they were now facing huge financial losses. If ke was cklisted from the entertainment industry, that would mean worsepensation.


    Donovan would never allow the business empire he''d built over the years to suffer any further, and he knew Noelle was concerned about the foundation.


    Noelle gritted her teeth. "So you did that on purpose?"


    "That''s right. Even if it was on purpose, so what? You''ve severed ties with the Liddells, and everything we own has nothing to do with you anymore."


    Donovan refused to believe he couldn''t control Noelle. Then, he continued, "If you keep causing trouble and insist on suing ke, I''ll transfer everything Mom and Dad left to Xenia. The Liddells owe her afer all."


    "How dare you?" Noelle was livid.


    Had Donovan gone insane?


    Donovan smirked coldly. "Ha! Why should I care about your wishes since you don''t care about the Liddell family''s interests? You walked away from the Liddells, so Xenia is now our parents'' daughter and the rightful heir."


    "Everything they left behind was meant for me! You have no right to give it to her!"


    Noelle''s eyes burned red with fury. This was exactly what''d happened in her past life, and she''d never give in again.


    "It was a verbal promise, and Mom and Dad never wrote a will before they passed. It''s useless even if you sue." Donovan added, "Did you think leaving the Liddell family would make everyone beg for your return? Dream on."


    Then, he hung up.


    Noelle stared at her phone as her hands shook with rage. She''d underestimated just how shameless Donovan could be to pull such disgusting moves just to force her to surrender.


    If Xenia continued thriving in the Liddell family, the mastermind behind the car ident would never reveal themselves.


    Taking a deep breath, Noelle knew she needed a n. She wouldn''t allow Xenia to steal what her parents had left her, and she''d never allow the real culprits to get away with it.


    She stormed into the lecture hall, fuming. Her mind was a mess, and she needed to think carefully.


    First, she had to consult awyer to determine whether things were as hopeless as Donovan imed. She barely paid attention to the entire lecture When the ss ended, she headed straight to the training base to focus on practice.


    As she stepped in, she saw Samantha and a stunning woman with a great figure. Noelle recognized her from the hospital after the car ident. She seemed acquainted with Alfred and the others.


    Samatha arrogantly lifted her chin. "She''s here, Laura."


    Laura approached Noelle with a friendly smile and extended her hand. "Hello, it''s nice to meet you again. Let me introduce myself; I''m Samantha''s sister."


    Noelle''s eyes flickered with surprise to learn she was Samantha''s sister. Still, she reached out and shook her hand. "What a coincidence."


    "I recently learned about your misunderstandings with Samantha, and I''m here today to talk things over. Since you''re acquainted with Alfred and the others, we''re O practically friends, aren''t we?"


    Noelle wasn''t about to ept thatbel.

 Chapter 456

    Noelle smiled lightly. "I''ve resolved my understanding with Samantha."


    Since the Merlocks had stopped targeting her, she''d chosen not to release Samantha''s dirt videos. They were maintaining an unspoken truce.


    However, Noelle was not naive to think the Merlocks were here to mend ties with her. She didn''t have that much influence.


    Laura smiled. "Samantha acted on impulse and withdrew our family''s investment without consulting anyone. I''m here to discuss sponsoring your team again. The Merlocks have been sponsoring for years, and we can''t stop the sponsorship as we like."


    "Thank you for the offer, but there''s no need. Our team has found a new sponsor."


    Once Noelle declined, Samantha chimed in, "Laura is saving face for you here, Noelle. Don''t be ungrateful."


    Laura stopped her. "Samantha, mind your words."


    "You''ve shown her enough respect; how dare she act so high and mighty?" Samantha fumed.


    Noelle met Laura''s gaze and said, "We can discuss the sponsorshipter, but it''s not possible for now."


    She didn''tpletely shut the door, considering it a way to save face for Laura. Then, she turned back to training.


    Laura stood aside and watched Noelle y. "I have to admit, she''s really good at gaming."


    She remembered Cedric as once being exceptionally skilled in gaming. He might not have left the field if it weren''t for that car ident.


    Samantha turned to look at her and asked, "Why did you suddenlye over just to handle this matter?"


    Samantha had always idolized Laura and wanted to be just like her a poised and elegant socialite.


    Laura replied somewhat meaningfully, "I''m just a little curious. How did you manage to have a beef with her as soon as school started?"


    Had Noelle known Cedric''s true identity all along and had made things difficult for her sister, Samantha, on purpose?


    "You don''t know how arrogant she is, Laura. She looked down on our business school, so I had to teach her a lesson. I heard that back in high school, she hooked up with the school doctor, and they''re still together. Her private life is a mess."


    "She dated in high school? With the school doctor?"


    "That''s right! Someone like her doesn''t deserve the slightest respect."


    Laura figured that was good news. Cedric must not have told Noelle his true


    identity, and that meant he was wary of thetter.


    This was something Emma needed


    to know. Though she was just Cedric''s stepmother, she cared about him greatly. If he ever ended up with ady with a bad reputation, people would mock her for failing as a stepmother.


    Samantha lowered her voice. "Magnus made an open announcement that your engagement to the Greene family was fake. Why didn''t you clear things up? My ssmates ridiculed me because of that."


    Laura''s smile dimmed slightly, yet she maintained herposure and replied, "There''s no need to fall into a self-defense trap. Magnus doesn''t represent Cedric anyway."


    "But I saw Cedric carrying some woman out of a bar. Do you think he might be seeing someone else?"


    "Don''t say nonsense." Laura didn''t tell Samantha anything to avoid rming her.


    She thought about all the trouble the Merlocks had been facingtely, and everything clicked. When Samantha targeted Noelle, Cedric must''ve found out and retaliated behind the scenes.


    A chill ran down Laura''s spine, but she had a chance for now. Since Cedric dared not reveal his identity, that implied he wasn''t serious about the rtionship, and she was the one meant to marry him.


    The Merlock sisters left shortly after. Noelle rxed once they were gone, and she wondered what the Merlock family was up to.


    Just then, she received a reply from Liam. The gist of the text was that she needed someone to testify for her parents'' verbal will, and it was preferably one of her brothers.


    She thought about it and decided Frank might be the only person who could testify, so she hesitated but eventually dialed his number.


    Yet, Donovan was the one picking up. "Fancy seeing you call, Noelle. Are you trying to convince Frank to testify for you? That will never happen!"

 Chapter 457

    Noelle hadn''t expected Donovan to be the one answering the call. Her voice was cold as she questioned, "Where''s Frank?"


    "Frank? Who''s that? You don''t see him as your brother, so what makes you think you deserve any of the Liddell family''s assets? You''re not a Liddell anymore, so what right do you have?"


    Donovan was relishing this moment of finally having the upper hand over Noelle. She''d been a pain in the ass for way too long.


    Noelle''s tone remained firm. "Mom and Dad left me that, and you have no right to decide who it goes to. I''d rather donate it to some charitable organization than let Xenia have it."


    "Keep dreaming, Noelle. Unless you drop thewsuit against ke and Lucas, I''ll give Xenia everything our parents left you. I mean it."


    With that, he hung up. Noelle kicked the table in frustration and felt utterly disgusted, as if she''d swallowed a fly.


    Then, she received a call from Maple Enterprise. "Noelle, we have bad news to share."


    "Go ahead."


    "Frank''spany lost the bid, right? But they''ve recently been making moves again and are activelypeting with us. They''re also spreading negative rumors about ourpany."


    Upon hearing that, Noelle''s lips curled into a cold smile. Sure enough, the Liddell family was making their move.


    "What kind of rumors?" she asked.


    "They''re iming that as the true daughter of the Liddells, you were involved in Liddell Corporation''s Al project. After running away from home, you stole the corporation''smercial secrets only to turn around and sue them."


    "That might be all they got," Noelle said, smirking.


    She couldn''t just sit back and do nothing. It was time to publicly set the record straight before the Liddell family''s endless schemes continued to haunt her.


    After Noellepleted a scrim with her team, she went straight to the gym. She''d just started running on the treadmill when a familiar voice sounded beside her.


    "I told you to rest for a few more days, didn''t I?"


    Upon hearing Cedric''s voice, Noelle adjusted the treadmill''s speed and turned to him. "Why are you here?"


    "You spoke to Mr. Rodrick about the Liddell family''s inheritance dispute?"


    "That''s right. I used to not care about those assets, but Donovan insists on giving them to Xenia. I absolutely won''t allow that."


    After their parents'' deaths, the Liddell family was on the verge of bankruptcy. The wealth they had umted since then was the result of her brothers'' collective effort, and she never intended to share in that.


    They could give Xenia as much of their wealth as they pleased but not their parents'' legacy.


    Cedric understood her stance. "Didn''t expect them to use such despicable tactics to force you into submission."


    "That''s nothing new. They''ve always used such tactics since we were kids."


    Noelle looked at Cedric and


    continued, "Since we discovered giarism during Maple Enterprise''sst bid, Donovan now spreads rumors that I stole Liddell


    Corporation''smercial secrets."


    "What are you nning to do then?" Cedric could tell from her expression that she


    had a n.


    "I''m going to hold a press


    the open. That way, the Liddlet


    conference andy everything out in


    family won''t have any room for maniption."


    It was time topletely sever ties.


    Cedric smirked. "Sounds good."


    "Since you agree, I''ll have TG Public Rtions arrange a press conference." Noelle refused to have Donovan''s tactics disgust her any longer.


    Cedric studied her. "But if you go public like this, you won''t be able to im your parents'' assets for a while. How will you handle that?"


    "Xenia has taken over the foundation, hasn''t she? With her greedy and maniptive nature, she''s bound to tamper with the ounts.


    "All I have to do is gather enough evidence which will not only throw her in jail but also embarrass Donovan thoroughly."


    Noelle would never back down. Cedric handed her a bottle of water. "Looks like there''s nothing left for me to do then."

 Chapter 458

    Noelle had figured out how to deal with the Liddells. She turned to look at Cedric and said, "Actually, there is something you can do."


    "Just tell me what you need."


    "I need you to always stand by my side. Even if I have to do stuff that''s less than honorable to fight the Liddells one day, you have to stay with me no matter what."


    There was a trace of unease in her eyes. Cedric flicked her forehead slightly. "Of course, I''m your partner in crime, am I not?"


    Noelle smirked. "Not to the point of crimes. I''m aw-abiding citizen, after all."


    After the workout, the two had dinner together.


    Cedric sent Noelle back to school. As their car parked by the side of the road, he hesitated briefly before saying, "I have to go on a business trip in a couple of days, but I''ll try to be back in time for your press conference."


    "You don''t have to. Just focus on your work. The PR team will handle everything; they''re professionals, after all."


    Noelle had never intended for Cedric to be involved in every aspect of her battles. She figured it was more appropriate to handle everything herself when it came to the Liddells.


    Cedric watched as she entered the school before dialing Alfred''s number. "Noelle will hold a press conference in a couple of days. If I can''t make it back in time, keep an eye on things for me."


    "No problem. But about having Magnus publicly deny the engagement with Ms. Merlock, isn''t that a little too harsh on them?"


    "I''ve given the Merlocks years of courtesy, and they never cherished it."


    Cedric never once acknowledged the engagement with Laura. He''d given the Merlocks multiple chances to rify, but they''d chosen to stay silent. Now, they could hardly me him for the humiliation.


    Having Magnus make a public statement was a warning, and if the Merlocks still refused to back down, Cedric wouldn''t hesitate to set the record straight in person.


    After chatting with Alfred for a while, he ended the call when he received a text from Noelle confirming that she had returned to her dorm.


    Back in the dorm, Noelle received an emoji reply from Cedric and set her phone aside. Noticing someone in the bathroom taking a shower, she nced at Grace and asked, "Is the new dormmate here?"


    "Yeah, but she''s... special."


    Halfway through Grace''s words, the dormmate stepped out of the bathroom. It was only now that Noelle understood what Grace meant by special.


    Their new dormmate, Micah Schmitt, walked with difficulty. Though she lowered her pace on purpose, it was clear her leg was injured or disabled.


    Noelle nced at her briefly before withdrawing her gaze and proactively greeting her: "Hi, I''m Noelle Liddell."


    "Mm. Hello," Micah responded with a single cold and distant word. She didn''t introduce herself either.


    Noelle wasn''t particrly bothered.


    A momentter, Grace texted her. "She''s not from our major, and I think she''s a journalism student. The dorm supervisor wanted us to take care of her, but she doesn''t seem to like talking to people."


    Noelle replied. "Got it. We''ll help if we can."


    The next morning, Noelle and Grace left for ss together. Micah hadn''t gotten up


    yet. After ss, Noelle received a call from the school administration.


    "Noelle, the Merlocks have decided to resume their sponsorship for the gaming team. You''ll need to handle the arrangements."


    "We have a sponsor, and we don''t need the Merlock family''s sponsorship."


    "The Merlocks have sponsored the team for years. It won''t be appropriate to reject them outright. Just handle the transition."


    The administrator didn''t give Noelle


    the chance to refuse and


    .n


    immediately hung up. Noelle felt a wave of unease. She hoped the Merlocks were just restoring the sponsorship as Laura had imed and nothing more.


    Before she could step out of ss, Xenia rushed in. Her face was streaked with tears as she grabbed Noelle''s hand and pleaded, "Frank is in really tough shape. His only wish is to see you onest time. Please, I''m begging you. Go to the hospital!"

 Chapter 459

    Noelle watched Xenia''s overly sincere performance, and every warning bell in her body went off. Judging from Xenia''s exaggerated crying, she knew that there must be something fishy going on. What trick could Xenia be trying to pull now?


    A crowd had gathered, and some started recording with their phones.


    Xenia''s eyes were red from all the crying. "Noelle, if you''d agree to visit Frank in the hospital, I''d kneel and beg you."


    Noelle''s lips curved into a smile. Without hesitation, she grabbed Xenia''s hand and put on a concerned expression. "What are you kneeling for? You''re wasting time! Hurry up and get to the hospital!"


    Xenia froze and wondered if she''d misheard.


    It shocked her that Noelle agreed to visit Frank in the hospital. Based on the former''s personality, she never would''ve agreed!


    Certain that Noelle would refuse, Xenia had nned the entire scene, but the former didn''t fall for it.


    Noelle packed her bag and tugged forcefully at Xenia''s arm. "Come on. Let''s not waste more time."


    Xenia had no choice but to grit her teeth and follow Noelle out of ss.


    As they walked across the field, Xenia asked, "Don''t you usually hate meeting the Liddells? Why are you suddenly so worried about Frank?"


    Noelle turned around with a deep gaze and replied, "You think I''d have no idea what you''re trying to do? You nned this whole scheming act, but you were too obvious."


    "I don''t know what you''re talking about. I was just passing on a message." Xenia gritted her teeth, furious at being exposed.


    Damn it. She''d arranged for someone to record today''s scene, but it was all for nothing now.


    Noelle scoffed. "Let''s go then. Grab a cab."


    Xenia had no choice but to


    reluctantly book a ride. She wouldn''t have bothered to cooperate with Noelle if she didn''t have tomit fully to her act.


    Sean also instructed her to behave well now that she had taken over the


    foundation. She had to behave well continuously to reap the benefits.


    When they arrived at the hospital, Noelle walked straight into Frank''s ward. James seemed surprised to see her. "Why are you here, Ms. Liddell?"


    "Xenia kneeled in front of me at school and cried about how Frank was dying and eager to see me onest time. I obviously had toe."


    After she spoke, Xenia rushed in and nervously exined, "I didn''t mean to curse you, Frank. I just thought seeing Noelle might lift your spirits since you''re having surgery soon."


    Frank frowned. "Stop making decisions for me without permission."


    "I understand. I made you some medicinal congee earlier. Did it make you feel any better?"


    She brought up the medicinal congee in front of Noelle just to show off her thoughtfulness, but thetter sneered and couldn''t care less.


    However, Frank was flushed with anger. He grabbed the bowl of congee and threw it at Xenia. "Get out! Don''t ever bring me food again!"


    Xenia flinched and waspletely shocked. "What''s going on, Frank? Did I do something wrong?"


    "Get out! Don''t make me say it twice!" Frank''s face was flushed with fury.


    Though Xenia was reluctant to leave, she had no choice but to turn around. As


    she left the room, she shot Noelle a smug look.


    Noelle nced down at the spilled


    congee


    ndmented in a


    mocking tone, "Xenia made it sound like you were at death''s door but you seem perfectly fine to me."


    Frank had a rather awkward expression. "I never thought that her medicinal congee was anything special, Noelle. If you don''t trust me, ask James."

 Chapter 460

    "That''s right. Every time Xenia shamelessly brought that congee over, Mr. Liddell barely touched it," James replied.


    Noelle nced at the mess on the floor. "But from the looks of it... it doesn''t seem like he didn''t touch it at all."


    She didn''t hesitate to expose Frank''s lie. In fact, she''d never cared whether they favored Xenia. Yet they kept pretending to be fair and acted like they weren''t ying favorites while desperately covering up the truth.


    Frank''s expression shed with a mixture of emotions. If Noelle had to describe it in one sentence, it was the look of someone caught cheating.


    James quickly tried to smooth things over. "To Mr. Liddell, you''re his only sister. Xenia can never take your ce, no matter how much she tries to please him."


    Noelle replied, "To be honest, I don''t care about who''s important to anyone. I came here today because I have something to discuss."


    She nced at James. "James, please step outside and stand guard. I don''t want a certain someone eavesdropping."


    Noelle dared not underestimate Xenia. She''d lost miserably in her past life, and it was highly likely that Sean had secretly helped behind the scenes.


    After James left, Frank asked, "What is it, Noelle? If it''s something I can do, I''ll help."


    "It''s simple. Mom and Dad made a verbal will before they passed, and you were there. I need you to testify that it happened."


    That was why Noelle came to the hospital today to get Frank to testify for the verbal will.


    Frank sighed in relief. "Oh, I thought it was something more serious. Mom and Dad did mention which assets were meant for you, and the only reason you didn''t get them was because you weren''t of age.


    "Now that you''re an adult, you should get what''s rightfully yours."


    Noelle felt much more at ease after hearing that.


    "I disagree." The door mmed open as Donovan entered with a grim expression.


    It was clear he''d just rushed over.


    Xenia stood at the door and was too afraid to step in.


    Donovan''s voice was sharp and forceful. "You now have one choice, Noelle, and that is to drop thewsuit. If you do, I''ll let go of what you did and give you your share of the inheritance."


    "How could you do that, Donovan? That was Noelle''s, to begin with."


    Donovan scoffed. "Don''t forget; if ! hadn''t worked so hard to build up the Liddell family business, all Mom and Dad would''ve left her was debt. She wouldn''t have gotten a single dor.


    "Why shouldn''t I have the final say?"


    At this, Xenia chimed in with a soft bitchy voice, "Donovan, maybe I should just return the foundation to Noelle."


    "What''s there to return? What''s given to you is yours," Donovan snapped.


    Then, he turned to look at Noelle. "Didn''t you act like you didn''t care when we spoke on the phone? Why are you here now begging Frank for help? Don''t you find it


    embarrassing?"


    Noelle didn''t back down. "I''m here to take back what''s mine. You''re the one who should be embarrassed, not me."


    Donovan was just trying to intimidate Noelle from the start, and his argument was wed. His temper red now that he was cornered.


    "I can''t believe you''re so stubborn, Noelle! You''ve ruined the Liddell family, and you have no right to get the inheritance!"


    Frank immediately stopped him. "Why would you say something so harsh? It''s Lucas and ke''s fault, and that has nothing to do with Noelle."


    "I understand they did the wrong thing! I don''t need you to tell me that!"


    Donovan yanked his tie


    in


    frustration


    and continued, "I''ve made them


    apologize to Noelle, but


    she refuses


    .n


    give them. That''s why I''m so mad!"


    to forgive them. That tion


    Noelle let out a short, coldugh. "Oh, so if you hurt someone, all you have to do


    is apologize? Is that enough?"


    "What else do you want? I can have them make it up to youter. All I ask is that you stand with the Liddells right now.


    "This is just a smallpromise. If you won''t even do that, how dare you call yourself a Liddell?"


    "You''re right. I''ve never wanted to be a part of the Liddell family either."


    With that, Noelle turned and stepped out of the ward, but ke blocked her path.


    "Noelle, if youpromise on mywsuit, I''ll testify for you. I''ll help you win back Mom and Dad''s inheritance; how does that sound?"

 Chapter 461

    ke hadn''t expected Noelle to care so much about their parents'' inheritance.


    At first, he thought Donovan''s n would fail. Noelle had cut ties with the Liddells and wasn''ting back, but surprisingly, she did care.


    Noelle looked at ke and questioned, "So you''re all just standing by and watching Mom and Dad''s stuff fall into the hands of an outsider? Are you all using that as a bargaining chip against me?"


    ke''s expression flickered with guilt. "If you had agreed to make peace with me earlier, none of this would''ve happened."


    "You haven''t changed at all." The Liddells had the same demeanor in this and thest life. Though Frank and ke knew exactly how Xenia was, they chose silence when Donovan handed her their parents'' inheritance.


    Noelle nced at ke with eyes filled with disappointment. "You all are the ones who''ve truly let Mom and Dad down."


    ke avoided her gaze out of guilt. It was only after she left that frustration overtook him. He kicked over a nearby trash bin with a growl, and as he looked up, he saw Xenia standing there.


    He grabbed Xenia over, and she let out a sharp scream. "What are you doing?"


    "You heard her, didn''t you? You have no right to any of the foundation or the inheritance."


    Xenia couldn''t hold back her anger and red at him. "Let go! Unless you want me to tell the media that you abused your sister. Then, you''d never recover from the scandal."


    "How dare you talk back to me?" ke fumed.


    "I said nothing wrong, did I? You were the coward who suspected Noelle of abandoning you, and all I did was repeat your guesses. And now you''re ming me for everything."


    Her voice was low and fast. "You''ve never treated Noelle well since we were kids, and now you''re trying to show concern and act like a protective brother. Just how fake can you get?"


    Her words pushed ke over the edge. His hands shot up to her throat and gripped tightly. "How dare you fucking sprout nonsense? You think I won''t kill you for running your mouth!"


    Xenia coughed violently. "D-Did I hit a nerve?"


    She wasn''t going to hold back anymore. ke''s face was disfigured, and his career was ruined. She had no reason to tolerate him any longer.


    "ke, what are you doing? Let go!" Donovan stepped out of the ward to see ke choking Xenia. He shoved the former away and pulled Xenia to the side.


    Xenia gasped for air, and there were bruises on her neck as she said, "It''s not that I don''t want to return the foundation, ke, but Donovan made that decision."


    Donovan''s rage red. "You keep disappointing me, ke."


    "Xenia is vicious, Donovan. Don''t let her fool you!"


    "I know exactly what kind of person she is more than any of you do. Touch Xenia


    again, and I''ll make sure you rot in prison."


    With that, he took Xenia''s hand and walked away.


    ?????


    ke furiously clenched his fists while Eion approached him and said, "As your friend, let me give you a piece of advice: don''t go against Donovan, and stay low-key for now. Once this mess blows over, you''ll have plenty of chances to deal with X¨¦nia."


    ke knew he had no other choice at the moment, but he wondered why Donovan was so protective of Xenia.


    Back then, ke treated Xenia well just to spite Noelle. He was no fool to treat a driver''s daughter better than his biological sister. But for Donovan, it was almost like Xenia had bewitched him.  ''


    After leaving the hospital, Noelle received Frank''s call.


    "I''ll testify for the will, Noelle."


    "If you do this, you''ll anger Donovan, and he''ll never agree. Are you sure?"


    "With the state of my health, who knows how much longer I have? And what can Donovan even do to me?"

 Chapter 462

    Noelle thought about Frank''s condition. "You should focus on your surgery. We can file thewsuit after that."


    "Don''t worry about me, Noelle."


    "I''m not worried about you. Stop ttering yourself," Noelle snapped. "I need to get the evidence ready. It''s not like we can go to court whenever we want."


    She had to wait for Xenia to make a move at the foundation. Once she collected solid proof, she''d take action to file awsuit.


    "Noelle, about ke..."


    Noelle''s voice turned cold and wasced with sarcasm. "He can''t handle Xenia, so now he wants to convince me instead. What kind of wishful thinking is that?"


    With that, she hung up. It was time to prepare for a press conference, and she had no time to waste. She immediately called the PR team and confirmed the press conference for tomorrow.


    After returning to the dorm, Noelle turned to Grace. "I won''t be going to the training base tomorrow afternoon."


    "Why? Are you going on a date?"


    "No. I''m holding a press conference tomorrow, and I''m going to expose everything. That way, the Liddells will finally stop harassing me."


    Noelle''s visit to the hospital today confirmed her thoughts aboutunching the press conference.


    "Donovan is disgusting. You''re the victim, but to protect ke, he gave your parents'' inheritance to that disgusting Xenia. Absolutely sickening."


    Noelle let out a mockingugh. "That''s how it''s always been."


    Every time they did something wrong, they''d find a way to force her into backing down.


    After chatting for a bit, Noelle and Grace got ready to head to the cafeteria. The former nced at Micah and asked, "Do you want toe with us? Or shall we bring something back for you?"


    Micah shook her head. "No need. Someone''s bringing me food."


    Noelle nodded and left with Grace. Once they were gone, Micah hesitated briefly before taking out her phone to text.


    ...


    The next day, Noelle headed straight to TG Public Rtions after ss, where she met up with her PR team.


    As she stepped out of the car, she nced at the massive TG Public Rtions building. She''d heard that several of these buildings belonged to Greene Corporation. The Greene family truly deserved its title as the wealthiest family in the country.


    After meeting up with Tilly, they left the building together.


    Just as they were leaving, Emma stepped out of the elevator, and her expression tensed up the moment she noticed Noelle. "What is she doing at TG Public Rtions? Find out about it."


    Her assistant swiftly made a phone


    call and reported. "Ms. Liddell is holding a press conference soon. She seems to be exposing something and has invited quite a few media outlets to attend."


    "She''s not nning to announce her rtionship with Cedric, is she? I have to stop her."


    Emma rushed upstairs. The Greenes were in an awkward situation with the Merlocks, and she couldn''t afford another scandal.


    Noelle soon arrived at the press conference, which was packed with reporters. She nned to reveal everything at the press conference, including that she had written the script for ke''s currently airing TV series and uing movie.


    As she took her seat on stage, Noelle started to feel a little nervous.


    Tilly approached her and leaned in to whisper, "If you''re unsure about what to say, just follow the script. We''ve prepared everything. Just give me a look if anything goes wrong."


    Noelle nodded. "Got it. No problem."


    Just as she picked up the microphone and got ready to speak, the reporters suddenly started receiving notifications on their phones. One by one, they stood up to leave.


    Noelle frowned. What was going on? Why were they all leaving?

 Chapter 463

    Noelle had anticipated countless unexpected situations, but she''d never imagined the reporters to suddenly leave. That was truly surprising.


    She nced at the TG Public Rtions team while Tilly stopped thest reporter and asked, "Excuse me, but why is everyone leaving?"


    "I''m really sorry, Ms. Lozano. It''s not that I''m being disrespectful here, but I just received a call from the higher-ups instructing me to leave."


    "Can you at least tell me who gave that order?"


    The reporter hesitated briefly and said, "Honestly, I find it strange as well. I''ll ask around when I get back and let you know."


    With that, thest reporter left.


    Noelle sat in her chair and looked at Tilly. "Someone must''ve done it on purpose, but I don''t think the Liddell family knows about this press conference. Who has the power to send all the media outlets away at the same time?"


    She didn''t believe the Liddells had that much influence in Yasnia. There had to be another reason.


    Tilly thought about it and said, "I can think of someone who has that kind of influence-top journalist Salena Murray. Do you have any feud with the Cantrell family?"


    "I don''t know her, let alone have a conflict." She''d never crossed paths with Salena, not even in her past life.


    "That''s strange, but don''t worry, Ms. Liddell. I''ll investigate and find out what happened."


    "Alright. Thank you." Just after Noelle thanked Tilly, she saw Donovan arriving with arge group.


    Upon seeing him appear, she had a vague idea of what was happening. But since when did the Liddells have such a powerful influence? Something wasn''t right.


    Donovan walked straight up to Noelle and sat in the chair she''d just upied. Then, he picked up the microphone and said, "Hello, everyone."


    Noelle turned to him. "So this was your doing?"


    "You''re disappointing, Noelle. Since you went as far as to hold a press conference, you were going to expose ke, weren''t you? Too bad. You won''t get the chance."


    With that, Donovan grabbed Noelle''s prepared speech and set it on fire, burning it to ashes. Then, he stared at her and continued, "We''re family, and warned you not to make a scene. Yet, you refused to listen."


    Noelle watched her script turn to ashes. "I must say, I''m surprised. I didn''t think


    the Liddell family had such great influence in Yasnia."


    Donovan sat down the microphone and spoke in a threatening tone, "Don''t think about making any public statements, Noelle. No one will believe a word you say, and no one wille, just like today."


    Standing nearby, Xenia feigned concern and said, "Why must you go against the


    Liddells, Noelle? What good does it do you to destroy ke?"


    "Shut up. This is all your fault." Noelle had meticulously nned today''s press


    conference, yet everything hadn''t gone ording to n.


    For the first time today, she witnessed just how powerful influence and connections could be. Xenia immediately disyed a pitiful expression and fell silent.


    Donvan angrily chimed in, "Xenia''s right. The connections I built were


    meant to investigate the truth


    behind Mom and Dad''s deaths, and now you''re the reason everything is


    in chaos. Do you still think you''re not at fault?"


    Xenia''s expression changed instantly. What did Donovan mean by that? Was he


    still investigating the car ident from all those years ago?


    Did this mean Donovan suspected the ident was not what it seemed? Or


    worse, did he suspect Sean was still alive?


    Noelle thought back to her past life. As far as she knew, Donovan had never uncovered the truth, which was probably why she had never heard of any progress even before her death.


    That meant Donovan was using their parents'' death as an excuse to pressure her.


    She nced at Xenia. "Donovan, are you implying there was something suspicious about the car ident? If that''s the case, doesn''t that make Sean a suspect?"

 Chapter 464

    Xenia''s voice trembled with fear as she shouted, "Noelle, what nonsense are you talking about? My dad is already dead!"


    She was afraid the Liddells had found something, as she had always believed she was safe. After all, if Sean had not contacted her himself, she would not have known he was still alive.


    With that in mind, Xenia thought there was no way the Liddells could have known, either. Yet, the fact that Donovan had secretly been investigating the car ident all these years sent chills down her spine.


    Xenia wondered if Donovan had found anything and whether the person who had hacked her phone a few days ago was Noelle or Donovan.


    Noelle smirked as she watched Xenia''s face turn pale. So even this bitch could get scared, huh? She had hidden the truth for so many years and had never expected that the Liddells were still digging into that car ident!


    Donovan frowned and spoke up, "Noelle, Xenia''s father is already dead. There''s no way he could be a suspect."


    "If the ident was suspicious from the start, then maybe the person who supposedly died didn''t actually die," Noelle said, staring straight at Xenia. "What do you think?"


    "M-My dad is dead! Noelle, you''re saying this on purpose, and it''s way too cruel. If my dad somehow survived that ident, then wouldn''t that mean your parents could''ve survived, too?"


    Xenia''s mind raced, quicklying up with an excuse. She had to insist Sean was dead-no matter what. The Liddells were only suspicious, but they had no proof.


    Her eyes turned red as she looked at Donovan, choking on emotion as she said, "Donovan, Noelle can insult me all she wants, but she has no right to talk about my father, who passed away!"


    Upon seeing Xenia cry, Donovan''s heart immediately softened. She turned to Noelle and snapped, "You''re going too far. Even a dead man isn''t safe from you?"


    Noelle found it ridiculous that Sean was being called a dead man. After all, he was very much alive.


    "Noelle, are you seriously dragging my dead father into this? Do you actually think he''s still alive? If anything, I''d be the one who wants him to be alive the most," Xenia said, carefully testing the waters.


    Noelle narrowed her eyes at her. "It''s just a suspicion. Why? Feeling guilty?"


    Xenia argued, "I''m not guilty. I just think what you''re saying is absurd. You, of all people, should


    understand how I feel-you lost your parents that year, and I lost my father, too."


    She deliberately put on a strong, understanding facade. Deep down, she let out a


    quiet sigh of relief. It seemed like Noelle was just throwing out random guesses.


    If Noelle had hacked her phone that day and actually seen her conversations with Sean, she would have exposed everything by now.. Yet, Noelle had not mentioned a word, which could only meanshe had no evidence-she had not discovered anything.


    Just then, Tilly walked up to Noelle. "I found out. It was actually Mrs. Cantrell, the so-called ''Queen of the Media,'' who made sure the reporters left."


    "The Queen of the Media? The Cantrell family?" Noelle frowned. In her past life, the Liddells had no real connections with the Cantrells.


    Donovan''s lips curled into a cold smirk. "Noelle, do you see now? I''ve been going easy on you all this time. But if you keep being stubborn, don''t me me for what happens next."


    Noelle stood still, her whole body turning cold. She looked at Donovan and said, "You''re in such a rush to shut me up. What''s the matter?


    "Are you scared? Noelle, let''s see how long you can keep up this act. All I have to do is lift a finger, and I can crush you!"


    With that, Donovan turned and walked away. Meanwhile, Xenia lingered behind for a moment, then leaned in and whispered to Noelle, "Do you want to know Donovan''s connection with the Cantrell family?"


    "I can find out myself," Noelle said tly.


    Xenia smirked and adjusted her form-fitting designer dress, unting her curves.


    "If you beg me, maybe I''ll tell you."


    Noelle scoffed internally. "Dream on."


    She nced at Xenia''s smug expression and then at her ridiculously oversized chest. Without hesitation, she reached out and pulled the padding out of Xenia''s bra.

 Chapter 465

    Xenia''s shrill scream echoed through the entire ce.


    Meanwhile, Noelle did not stop there and threw the padded insert straight at Xenia''s face. She said calmly, "I''m not a man, so don''t shove your fake boobs in my face. Next time, I''ll pop them for real!"


    Noelle knew Xenia better than anyone. In her past life, Xenia had gotten breast imnts just to please Justin,pletely transforming herself into a curvy, innocent-looking beauty. Apparently, that was exactly Justin''s type because he had been utterly obsessed with her.


    Xenia''s face burned with humiliation and rage. She hissed, "Noelle, you''re the fake one! You''re just jealous of me!"


    Noelle scoffed, giving her a slow once-over. "What exactly do you have that''s worth being jealous of? If it weren''t for the fact that you stole my identity as the Liddells'' heiress, you wouldn''t be living this morous life.


    "Without their protection, you''re just the daughter of a driver-who the hell do you think you are?"


    Xenia''s face twisted. She hated being reminded of her real background.


    She red at Noelle with pure venom, growling, "So what if I was just lucky to be born into the right family?


    "Now that I''ve taken everything from you, I''m going to live a life ten, no-a hundred times better than yours! You and that broke-ass school nurse boyfriend of yours can rot at the bottom of society together!"


    She huffed and turned away, secretly swearing that Noelle would pay for this humiliation. She mumbled, "One day, Dad and I will drain the Liddells dry, leaving Noelle with nothing. That time, she won''t be able to keep up her spoiled-rich-girl attitude!"


    "Who are you calling broke?" Azy voice rang out as Magnus strolled into the scene, lookingpletely unbothered.


    He had heard someone was bullying Noelle. So, of course, he had toe to see which shameless bitch was behind it.


    Xenia''s face stiffened like she had been caught red-handed. Then, in the blink of an eye, she switched to a soft, sweet tone. "Magnus, I was just trying to talk some sense into Noelle, but she suddenly attacked me!"


    She even crossed her arms over her chest, acting all shy and embarrassed.


    Magnus did not hold back and insulted her, "Damn, what are you, a streetwalker? Wearing that little?"


    Xenia''s face turned red. "Magnus, that''s not what this is!"


    She had assumed Magnus, like any other man, would be enchanted by her looks. Yet, to her frustration, he was not even remotely interested.


    Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Donovan returning. Immediately, she teared up and whimpered, "Noelle, was just trying to help you, but if you didn''t


    n''t want to listen, you could''ve just said so. Why did you have to humiliate me by pulling at my clothes?"


    "Xenia, what happened?" Donovan walked up and immediately draped his jacket over her shoulders. His expression was dark as he turned to Noelle.


    "Noelle, you''re out of line. What did Xenia ever do to you?"


    Noelle grabbed a ss of water from the table and, without a second thought, sshed it directly at them. Xenia gasped and ducked behind Donovan, leaving him to take the hit.


    He stood there,pletely drenched, his face a mix of shock and fury. He shouted, "Noelle, are you out of your mind?"


    Noelle crossed her arms, staring them down with ice-cold eyes. "Feeling more awake now?"


    Magnus, who had been watching


    from the side, suddenly walked over.


    He grabbed the entire water


    dispenser and ced it next to


    Noelle, saying, "If you''re not done, there''s plenty more."


    Water? Yeah, they had plenty of it.


    Xenia clenched her fists as jealousy red in her chest. Seeing Magnus nd up for Noelle like this made


    her feel sick. "Magnus, I know you''re just trying to protect Noelle, but-"


    Magnus cut her off, his voice dripping with disdain. "But what? You think Noelle needs protecting from a fake-ass bitch like you?


    "Let''s be real-without the Liddells, you''re just some nobody''s daughter. Do you


    even have a shred of self-awareness, or are you really that delusional?"


    Xenia''s face went pale. She bit her lip, forcing herself to look pitiful, hoping someone woulde to her defense.


    Donovan turned to Magnus, his voice low and warning. "Magnus, this is a family matter. Don''t you think you''re overstepping?"

 Chapter 466

    "Oh, so you can use the Cantrell family''s influence to push Noelle around, but I can''t mess with you a little? Do you seriously think I don''t know why you got engaged to the Cantrells'' crippled daughter," Magnus said casually.


    The moment those words left his mouth, Donovan''s expression darkened. On the other hand, Noelle stiffened at the word ''engaged.''


    She suddenly remembered that Donovan had a fianc¨¦e back in Yasnia. Whether in her past life or this one, he had barely mentioned her. So, the Cantrell family''s daughter had a disability? It was no wonder why Donovan never talked about it. Donovan red at Magnus, clearly pissed. "That''s none of your damn business." Magnus smirked. "I just can''t stand guys like you, so yeah, I''m making it my business. What are you going to do about it?"


    Donovan''s jaw tightened, his face going pale with fury, but he could not do a damn thing about Magnus. Instead, he turned to Noelle, his voice low. "I really underestimated you."


    Xenia, ever the instigator, chimed in with a sickly sweet smile. "Noelle always had a lot of friends. Even Alfred seems to be quite close to her."


    Magnus'' face immediately turned cold. That was a clear jab at Noelle, implying she had a messy personal life. Without missing a beat, he pulled out his phone and looked straight at Xenia. "Do you want to exchange contacts?"


    Xenia blinked in surprise, looking downright ttered. Her heart pounding, she quickly pulled out her phone. She wondered if Magnus had finally realized what kind of woman Noelle really was.


    But before she could do anything, Magnus pulled his phone back with a smirk. "Damn, you really thought I was serious? Who the hell do you think you are?


    "You probably hand out your number to any guy who asks. Guess that means your personal life is even looser than I thought."


    Xenia''s face went stiff, her hands frozen mid-air. On the other hand, Donovan could not hold back anymore and chimed in, "Magnus, don''t you think that was a little too much?"


    Magnus retorted casually, "Oh, but when this bitch hinted that Noelle sleeps around, that was totally fine?


    "You think I missed that? I''m just giving her a taste of her own medicine."


    His words were as sharp as knives, and Xenia could not take it anymore-her eyes turned red as she actually started crying. She did not understand why all the men from the Greene family were so ruthless.


    Meanwhile, Noelle suddenly felt a lot better. She could not help but think Magnus'' way of insulting people reminded her of Cedric.


    She turned back to Donovan, her


    voice dripping with mockery. "So it turns out this is how you pulled all of this off: by using your fianc¨¦e''s. family connections. But the way you made it sound, you acted like you did it all on your own."


    Donovan''s face turned an ugly shade of red. He looked like he had just been publicly humiliated, and he had no choice but to storm off, dragging Xenia with him.


    Noelle watched him leave, shaking her head. "I really didn''t expect his fianc¨¦e to be from the Cantrell family."


    Magnus nodded. "Yeah, she was born with a disability-one of her legs is shorter than the other. The Cantrells never let her be seen in public, so barely anyone in high society has ever met her."


    That exined a lot. Noelle had always wondered why Donovan never once mentioned his fianc¨¦e in her past life or even brought her to meet the Liddells¡ª now, it made sense.


    Donovan was the kind of man who cared about his pride more than anything. He probably thought being engaged to a girl with a disability was humiliating, like people would see him as some gold-digging freeloader.


    She chuckled, shaking her head. Just minutes ago, Donovan had been acting all


    high and mighty, threatening her like he was untouchable.


    Magnus added, "I heard a while back


    that the Cantrells were looking for someone who''ll agree to their matrilocal arrangement-someone easy to control. They kept things tight-lipped, so no one knew who it was. But damn, turns out it was the Liddells'' golden boy all along."


    Noelle raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure the Cantrells were looking for a matrilocal arrangement?"


    It was unbelievable for someone like Donovan to agree to something like that.

 Chapter 467

    Noelle had assumed Donovan only agreed to marry a girl with a disability


    because he wanted the Cantrell family''s power. However, she never expected him to agree with the matrilocal arrangement.


    Donovan had always been so dominant-could he really handle being treated like that? She seriously doubted it.


    Magnus raised an eyebrow. "You really didn''t know? This engagement was arranged over a year ago. I had no idea. He rarely came back, and he never mentioned it."


    In her past life, Noelle only discovered this in college-and even then, it was through Xenia''s gossip. But back then, Donovan never mentioned being a live-in son-inw. He probably found it too humiliating to admit.


    Noelle scoffed. "It was no wonder the Liddells have been growing so fast this past year. Donovan''s been insanely busy and barely even returned home."


    It all made sense now-he must have been using the Cantrell family''s resources to expand.


    However, it was not just Donovan''s business that had skyrocketed-ke and Lucas''s businesses had also skyrocketed, with tons of new opportunities pouring in. It finally dawned on Noelle that this was where all those resources had reallye from.


    Magnus knew that Noelle had achieved her sess through hard work. He smirked and said, "A man who lives off a woman''s family has no right to threaten you."


    Now that Noelle had already pieced it together, she nced at Magnus and said, "Thanks for showing up. But how did you even know I was here?"


    Her press conference had been strictly confidential, and only Cedric had known.


    Magnus shrugged. "I was at TG Public Rtions earlier and saw you leaving. Looked into it a little and found out you had a press conference, so I figured I''de watch the show."


    Like hell, he would admit he overheard Emma mentioning Noelle on the phone and rushed over to back her up. Hearing the answer, Noelle did not question it further.


    Instead, she turned to the TG Public Rtions team and said, "It looks like the in- house press conference isn''t happening anymore."


    "Ms. Liddell, don''t worry just yet. Let me go back and see if there''s a way to salvage this," Tilly reassured her. She nned to report this unexpected situation


    to Cedric first, and only then could they decide on the next steps.


    Magnus caught on to what the team was implying. He turned to Noelle and said, "The Cantrells have always had a lot of influence over the media-way more than TG Public Rtions. Donovan''s pretty damn resourceful, managing totch onto them like this."


    After all, not everyone could ess the Cantrells'' resources. Noelle replied, "I know, but that doesn''t mean I''m out of options."


    The Liddells were scrambling to


    cover things up because they did not


    want her to expose the truth. Nheless, even if they silenced her, it would not change the fact that ke would still be held


    §à


    ountable for what he did, and his career was on the line.


    The ones who should be panicking right now were not her¡ªit was them.


    Magnus noticed the slight worry in Noelle''s expression and smirked confidently.


    "You don''t need to stress. This might be handled by tomorrow."


    If Cedric had not been out of town, the press conference would have gone as nned. But now, with Emma and the Cantrells getting involved, things had gotten,plicated.


    Noelle nced at Magnus and said, "I''ll take your word for it. Anyway, I''m heading back to campus now. I''ll treat you to a meal sometime."


    Magnus had helped her out multiple times already, and she would not forget that.


    Magnus grinned. "I''ll give you a ride, then. Might as well swing by your training base and see if your team is even good enough topete with us."


    "Sure," Noelle agreed without hesitation. "If you''re there to push them, they''ll improve even faster."


    Having Magnus as a training partner was an opportunity no one on her team wanted to miss. After that, they left together.


    ...


    Meanwhile, Tilly immediately called Cedric. "Mr. Greene, I have something to report. Today''s press conference was canceled."


    Cedric''s brows furrowed. "Why?"


    Everything had been set up before he left, and there was no reason for it to be called off suddenly. After hearing Tilly''s exnation, he could not help but be surprised. He had not expected the Cantrell family to interfere, and even more unexpected was that Donovan was engaged to the Cantrells'' daughter.


    His voice dropped. "How''s Noelle?"


    "Ms. Liddell''s handling it well," Tilly reassured him. "And Mr. Magnus showed up to


    back her up. She wasn''t at a disadvantage."

 Chapter 468

    After hanging up, Cedric immediately called Alfred and asked, "Is Donovan really the guy who agreed to the Cantrells'' matrilocal arrangement?"


    "Honestly? I have no clue," Alfred admitted. "The Cantrells have been keeping this under wraps. They said they wouldn''t announce anything until they''d finished evaluating him and my cousin had bonded with her fianc¨¦."


    After exining, Alfred hesitated. "Where did you even hear it was Donovan? That sounds way too far-fetched."


    Cedric quickly filled him in on Noelle''s press conference and everything that had gone down. Alfred fell silent for a moment before blurting out, "Wait-Magnus knew? What the hell? I didn''t even know!"


    Cedric said, "I''m wondering the same thing. I''ll ask himter."


    Alfred let out a sigh. Even he had not expected such coincidences. He replied, "Alright, I''ll check with my uncle and see what''s really going on with the Cantrells."


    Cedric ended the call and immediately dialed Magnus. When he did not receive an answer, he sent a message asking how Magnus had found out about Donovan''s engagement to the Cantrells'' daughter, Mia Cantrell.


    Meanwhile, Magnus and Noelle had just arrived at her campus. Since he did not want to risk exposing his brother''s identity, Magnus ignored the call.


    The moment Noelle stepped into the training base with Magnus, the entire team froze. Then, as if on cue, they exploded into excited screams.


    No one had ever expected to see their idol casually show up at school like this. After all, Magnus was one of the youngest esports legends in the scene and had a massive fanbase.


    Noelle grinned at the team. "He''s your training partner today. Don''t waste the opportunity."


    Before Magnus could even check Cedric''s message, Noelle shoved him into a chair, forcing him into unpaidbor as their training partner. As he yed against the team, he made a mental note-Cedric owed him for this.


    Meanwhile, Noelle returned to the office and turned to Grace. "Order coffee for everyone. It''s on me."


    Grace perked up. "How did your press conference go? I didn''t see it trending." Noelle said tly, "It didn''t. It never even started."


    Seeing Grace''s concerned expression, Noelle quickly added, "Don''t worry about me. Just make sure they''re actually training and not just fangirling over Magnus."


    Once Grace left, Noelle''s expression darkened slightly. She remembered that when Lucas had been in trouble, Donovan had not reacted this urgently.


    Yet, with ke, it was different-he was going all out. Clearly, Donovan had invested a lot of money into ke.


    Just then, her phone rang. She nced at the screen. The caller information showed it was ke.


    Without hesitation, she declined the call. A few secondster, the officendline rang.


    Curious, she picked up. "Hello? Who''s this?"


    "Noelle," ke''s voice came through, calm but unreadable. "I heard you nned


    to hold a press conference today to expose everything, right?"


    Noelle frowned slightly, thinking it was odd that he did not sound angry. She kept her tone neutral "That''s right. Didn''t expect it to get shut down, but I''ll just go live instead. Donovan can''t stop me."


    ke let out a low chuckle. "Noelle, Donovan''s nning to send Frank to Carl for treatment. If that happens he won''t be able to testify about the will. Are you really willing to just watch everything fall into Xenia''s hands?"


    Of course not.


    "Let''s make a deal," ke added smoothly.


    Noelle raised an eyebrow. "A deal? You can''t be serious. What could we possibly


    have to talk about?"


    She was already considering hanging up.


    ke insisted. "It''s necessary. Now that you know about Donovan''s engagement


    to the Cantrells, you should realize something.


    "If you can''t even take down the


    Merlocks, what makes you think you


    can go up against the Cantrells? Even if you try live streaming, they have enough influence to shutt down. Hell, even the tformyou''re using has Cantrell family shares."


    Noelle let out a coldugh. "You''re still lying. We both know that''s not the real reason you came to me."


    She knew ke too well. Then, the other end of the line went silent for a long moment.


    Finally, ke sighed, sounding almost resigned. "Donovan''s nning to hand my entertainmentpany over to Xenia. He''s trying to turn her into an A-list celebrity.


    "I won''t let that bitch win. Thatpany is my blood, sweat, and tears. What right does he have to just give it away?"


    Noelle snorted. Her voice wasced with mockery as she replied, "Oh, so now she''sing for yourpany? Well, well... Looks like karma finally caught up with you."

 Chapter 469

    Noelle had not expected Xenia to move this fast. She thought for a moment before saying, "So I guess Donovan decided you were deadweight more of a liability than an asset.


    "That''s why he''s kicking you out and recing you with Xenia. Which means that even if I don''t go live or expose anything, you were already going to face the consequences of thew."


    That was Donovan''s real goal all along. After all, he had poured massive investments into the entertainment industry. There was no way he would let everything go to waste. If he was already dividing things up now, that meant he had officially given up on ke.


    ke''s voice cracked with frustration. "Damn it, you''re right. I''ve fallen this low... It''s worse than jail. Are you happy now?"


    He had never thought Donovan would actually throw him away, and he definitely had not expected that a driver''s daughter like Xenia, under Donovan''s protection, could not only steal everything from Noelle-but now take what was his, too.


    Noelle let out a coldugh. "Yeah, pretty satisfied, actually."


    She thought nothing was more satisfying than seeing them suffer the same fate she once had.


    ke took a deep breath. "Then you should agree to work with me. If you don''t, it''ll be toote to do anything once Xenia gets her hands on all your assets."


    Noelle burst outughing. "Oh, now you''re panicking? But back when Xenia stole everything from me, you stood on the sidelines and told me to just ''let it go.'' Now that she''s taking yourpany, suddenly it''s uneptable?"


    Her words were sharp, slicing straight through ke''s pride. For a long moment, he did not say anything.


    Eventually, he muttered in a low, unsteady voice, "I finally understand what you went through. I know how unfair it was-"


    Noelle scoffed, cutting him off before he could say anything else. "Yeah? Well, you deserved it!"


    ke finally lost it. "Noelle, I''m sorry. I really am. I was selfish and arrogant-it was my fault."


    His voice was hoarse, even trembling slightly, as if he truly regretted everything. Noelle chuckled. "You''d be better off crying to Donovan. Maybe if you beg hard enough, he''ll take you back. After all, you''re family, right?"


    With that, she hung up. But despite the satisfaction, she could not shake the unease settling in her chest.


    She had already assigned her PR team to investigate Sean, but there were no leads. It was ridiculous how a man who was very much alive had left no trace behind.


    After hacking Xenia''s phone and getting caught, she knew Xenia would have been on high alert, erasing everyst bit of evidence. If it were not for the idental photo her PR team had captured, Noelle might have even doubted herself-wondered if she was imagining things.


    Nheless, she knew what she had seen. And now, with Donovan throwing massive resources at Xenia, the mastermind behind her would only be even harder to track down.


    Noelle''s thoughts were tangled, and she needed to think things through carefully. Just then, her phone rang again. It was from Firestorm''s administrator.


    "Ms. Liddell, your ount has been reported, and we''re temporarily suspending your live-streaming privileges while we investigate. Once weplete the review, your ount will be reinstated-please don''t worry."


    Noelle did not even have to ask and knew it was definitely the Cantrell family''s doing. It was clear now that they really wanted to protect Donovan.


    Not long after, Magnus strolled into her office, knocking on the door while holding two coffees. "So, one cup of coffee is enough to pay me back for today''s hardbor?"


    Noelle smirked. "Thank you, oh mighty gaming god, for your generous sacrifice. I promise I''ll treat you to a real mealter."


    Magnus took a sip of his coffee. "Fine, I''ll hold you to it. I''m heading out now before the swarm of fans outside makes it impossible to leave."


    Noelle nced outside and saw that the crowd had grown. Most of them had probablye after hearing that Magnus was on campus. So, she discreetly led him out through the side entrance.


    Magnus pulled his cap low and left the base, finally calling Cedric back. "Ced, I overheard it by ident. Mom and that old hag from the Merlocks have been hanging out with Mrs. Cantrell a lottely one time, they were talking about this engagement, and I happened to catch it."


    "Then why didn''t you say anything earlier?" Cedric asked.


    Magnus exined, "Back then, they only mentioned that the guy''sst name was Liddell-from Aldoria. No parents, just siblings. I didn''t think much of it at the time. But today, when I found out the Cantrells were the ones who got all those media outlets to back off, I finally connected the dots-Donovan was the guy set to marry Mia."

 Chapter 470

    That afternoon, when Magnus saw Donovan''s face darken, he knew he had guessed right. Meanwhile, Cedric rubbed his temples as he processed the new information. This was something even he had not expected.


    Magnus smirked. "Ced, you could just step in directly. But Mom and Grandma don''t seem to approve of you and Noelle. If Grandma already had a word with the Cantrells, your influence might not be enough this time."


    Cedric replied, "That''s not your concern. Just keep an eye on Mom and Grandma for me."


    "Got it, Ced. You know I''m on your side I fully support fighting against these stupid arranged marriages!" Magnus dered dramatically.


    He added, "But since I''m stuck at home babysitting them, I can''t go out and make extra cash. I''m kinda broke, you know."


    "I''ll increase your credit limit," Cedric said tly.


    Magnus beamed. "Ced, you''re the best! Mission epted."


    When he checked his ount, he saw that his credit limit had increased. His grin widened, and he thought it was time to upgrade his car.


    ...


    After leaving the base, Noelle returned to her dorm, exhausted. She barely made it onto her bed before flopping down.


    Grace sat beside her with a sigh. "Donovan is so shameless. He''ll use any dirty trick to force you to back down. He doesn''t even care that you almost died that day."


    Noelle rolled onto her side. "I''ll handle it. Don''t worry."


    Grace clenched her fists. "I just feel bad for you. You have so many brothers, yet everything was stolen by Xenia-that driver''s daughter."


    Noelle''s lips curled into a smirk. "I don''t even feel bad for them anymore. I''m doing just fine on my own. I don''t need to hold onto some stupid idea of family."


    The moment she finished speaking, her new roommate, Micah, who had been quiet until now, finally chimed in. "I don''t agree. Family is important. No matter what happens, you should always stick together."


    Noelle turned her head and nced at Micah. "Most families are worth it. Some aren''t."


    Grace crossed her arms. "You don''t even know what Noelle has been through."


    "Alright, enough," Noelle interrupted. She had zero interest in debating family values with a stranger. People who did not believe her never would, and she did not need anyone''s approval to survive.


    Her mind drifted back to what ke had said. After a moment of hesitation, she dialed Frank''s number, only to find that his phone was turned off.


    The next morning, with no sses scheduled, Noelle headed straight to the hospital to find Frank. After all he was her strongest witness.


    However, the hospital room walne!


    empty when she arrived, so she immediately asked the nurse at the station.


    "Mr. Liddell has been transferred to another hospital," the nurse informed her.


    Noelle''s expression darkened as she recalled ke''s warning from the night before. She wondered if Donovan had already sent Frank to Carl. Just then, a familiar voice came from behind her.


    "Noelle, I knew you''de to the hospital today." ke stood a few feet away, still dressed in a hospital gown, his face mostly concealed under a cap and mask.


    Noelle wasted no time and asked, "Where is he?


    ke admitted, "He was transferred. Frank and Donovan got into a huge argument about the will. The next day, Donovan had him forcibly moved. Even I don''t know where he is now."


    Noelle clenched her jaw, her gaze sweeping over the empty room. Donovan was faster than she had expected. She turned back to ke and said, "Looks like Donovan has a lot of money invested in yourpany."


    ke replied, "That''s right. But it


    wasn''t making much of a profit


    before. Thanks to the scripts you


    wrote, ourtest TV series went viral, and the movieing out in a few


    months will bring in even more revenue."


    His expression darkened slightly. "There''s a screenwriterworking event tonight. Donovan is taking Xenia. If you don''t show up, all your hard work will go straight into her hands."


    Noelle scoffed. "Didn''t you used to be just like them? Why are you pretending to be a good guy now?"


    ke looked embarrassed. "I was


    [


    messing with you on purpose before. I wanted to make things harder for you. But now, I finally realize I was just another idio being yed by Xenia. That''s why we need to take back what''s ours."


    Noelle tilted her head, studying him. "I have one condition." She did not trust ke-not one bit.


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


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 471

    Noelle knew exactly why ke was so desperate to work with her. It was not about morality, redemption, or even regret. In truth, he just could not bear the thought of losing hispany to Xenia.


    It was funny how it only hurt when the knifended on him.


    ke exhaled sharply. "What''s your condition?"


    Noelle replied, "It''s simple. Transfer all yourpany shares to me."


    ke''s head snapped up. He eximed in disbelief, "Noelle, are you crazy? If I hand over my shares, then everything I''m fighting for will have been for nothing!"


    Noelle arched a brow. "Didn''t you just say you''d do anything to make up for what you did? That as long as I didn''t press charges, you''d agree to whatever I wanted?"


    ke''s jaw tightened. For once, he had nothing to say. "Thepany is something I built with my own hands."


    "I know that. But you can always take Donovan''s shares instead. You''ll still be a top star, and your public image won''t take a hit. Any way you look at it, you''re the one profiting," Noelle reasoned.


    ke scoffed. "You''ve really gotten greedy, haven''t you?"


    Noelle stepped closer, her voice calm but piercing. "Greedy? If I hadn''t written those scripts for you, would yourpany even exist today? I earned this."


    There was a time when she just wanted to escape the Liddells. However, she was not stupid anymore. If something belonged to her, she was not going to hesitate to take it.


    She turned away and continued, "If you''re not interested, forget it."


    "Then you''ll get nothing," ke said through gritted teeth.


    Noelle argued. "At least I won''t lose my reputation. I''ll still have options. You, on the other hand? You won''t get another chance."


    Her gaze was full of mockery, knowing ke all too well that he could not afford to lose. And sure enough, she had barely taken two steps before his voice rang out behind her.


    "Fine. I''ll ept it," ke mumbled, defeat hung in his tone.


    Noelle turned back around. ke was leaning against the wall, his back slightly hunched. Gone was the arrogant, condescending man who used to look down on her.


    After a long pause, he finally straightened up and faced her. "We''ll have to work together to make sure Donovan never controls mypany again."


    Noelle tilted her head. "What? You don''t want to go into business with your dear big brother?"


    ke let out a bitterugh. "If he wants to throw me away, I''d be a fool to keep holding on."


    He refused to let everything he had worked for fall into Xenia''s hands. If Donovan wanted to protect her so badly, then fine-he could do it without using ke''spany as a bargaining chip.


    ...


    Later that evening, Eion arrived with their outfits for the event. Noelle changed quickly and nced at ke, who had also swapped into a sleek suit. Despite the formal attire, he still wore a mask, covering the scars on his face. At a nce, he did not look much different than usual.


    Noelle studied him for a moment. "You do realize this will make you an enemy of Donovan. Do you really think Carl will still give you that reconstructive surgery?"


    Carl was brilliant at surgical procedures. However, Donovan still held sway over the Liddells, and ultimately, money dictated power.


    ke exhaled. "Carl isn''t that kind of person. I already told him everything that''s been happening. Not everyone is as blind as Donovan when ites to Xenia."


    Noelle''s lips curled slightly, her eyes flickering with skepticism as she thought, "Oh, really?"


    She turned to the car window, her fingers absently brushing against her waist. In her past life, she had not just lost money to the Liddells-she had lost a kidney. And guess who got to live with it? Xenia.


    Noelle saw the entire Liddell family as the same. Before long, the car slowed as


    they pulled up to their destination.

 Chapter 472

    Noelle took a deep breath. In her past life, by the time she learned about this screenwriting event, it was already toote. Xenia had stolen the credit and was trending as the most talented screenwriter.


    That was when Noelle realized her scripts had been signed under someone else''s name. Yet, what could she have done? She had been forced to watch helplessly as Xenia took everything from her, leaving her with nothing but ruin.


    But this time? Noelle was not going to let Xenia have her way.


    ...


    Inside the banquet hall, Xenia stood at Donovan''s side, wrapped in a designer gown, radiating elegance and poise. She needed to make a good impression because starting today, she was officially MM Bean¡ªthe brilliant screenwriter behind thetest industry hit.


    As for Noelle? That idiot would forever be nothing more than a stepping stone. First, she would be an acimed screenwriter.


    Then, she would take over ke''spany. Once she controlled all his resources, she would use them to elevate herself to stardom.


    The more Xenia thought about it, the more excited she became. Bing a famous actress had always been her childhood dream.


    Sean''s n was already proving sessful as Donovan had given her the charity foundation and was even handing her control over ke''spany. Xenia believed she was on her way to the top.


    ...


    As the venue filled, the host took the stage and announced, "I''m sure everyone here is familiar with the hottest TV series of the season. Tonight, we wee a representative from Moonbright Entertainment to say a few words."


    Donovan stepped onto the stage, delivering a few polished remarks. Then, with a proud smile, he turned to Xenia. "Moonbright Entertainment faced some challenges in recent years, but fortunately, I have a very talented sister."


    Apuse erupted across the room. Xenia basked in the attention, her heels clicking confidently as she ascended the stage. She had worked for this moment; her years of effort had finally brought her here.


    However, just as she reached the steps, the doors to the banquet hall swung open. When Xenia saw the pair of figures strolling in, her breath caught, and her smile froze.


    Seeing Noelle and ke, Xenia''s mind reeled as she wondered what Noelle was doing there. Then, a wave of unease crashed over her.


    If Noelle was present, how was Donovan supposed to announce that she was the real screenwriter? Of course, not only Xenia was startled; Donovan''s expression flickered as his gazended on ke.


    He thought, "What on earth is ke doing here?"


    Eion''s voice rang across the hall. "ke is officially out of the hospital today! He made a special trip just for this event!"


    Some attendees had failed to recognize him due to the mask he still wore, but with the announcement, everyone knew.


    ke strolled toward the stage, stopping in front of Donovan. "Donovan, you wouldn''t mind if I said a few words, would you? I mean, I have been overseeing this project for a while now."


    Donovan''s grip tightened around the microphone. Lowering his voice, he growled, "Why did you bring Noelle?"


    ke smirked. "Didn''t you just say we should be thanking our talented sister? I figured I''d help you; otherwise, after your speech, who exactly were you nning to call up?"


    Then, he turned to the woman


    standing at the top of the stairs. His voice rang out loud and clear. "Or were you nning to have our


    adopted sister take the spot that rightfully belongs to


    rbiol


    sister?"


    A murmur spread through the crowd, and soon, all eyes shifted to Xenia. She froze. Her face stiffened as a burning sense of humiliation crept up her spine, not expecting ke to dare disrupt the event like this.  s?novel


    Xenia had always assumed he would not go against Donovan. That was why she had never bothered keeping up the sweet act around him. I fact, she had openly mocked him, belittled him, and taunted him.


    If she had known this would happen, she would have kept pretending.


    She clenched her fists, barely maintaining herposure. On stage, Donovan''s re darkened. "Enough, ke. Don''t make a scene. You''re messing up my ns."


    ke turned back to face him. "Oh? But weren''t your ns to officially announce our talented sister?"


    Then, without another word, he turned to Noelle. "Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to introduce the real genius behind the hit series-my brilliant sister, Noelle!"


    The room buzzed with whispers as Noelle gracefully lifted the hem of her gown and ascended the steps. She walked at a steady pace, exuding confidence.


    When she reached the top, she paused. Then, with an effortless smile, she extended a hand to Xenia and asked, "Are you joining me?"

 Chapter 473

    Noelle smiled as she reached out a hand toward Xenia as if inviting her.


    Xenia was beyond angry. She had memorized her speech for this banquet, only to have it ruined. Yet Noelle still had the audacity to invite her on stage? Noelle was humiliating her!


    Upon seeing the situation, Donovan quickly chimed in, "Xenia, both of you should go up together. After all, you''re sisters and have both contributed to the script."


    Xenia reluctantly reached for Noelle''s hand, only for thetter to suddenly withdraw hers. "I was just joking. Did you think I was serious? Since I, as the rightful creator, am here, there''s no need for you to give the speech on my behalf."


    Noelle smirked. "After all, you''re just a faker."


    She pushed past Xenia, intentionally bumping into her. Xenia stumbled, and her face twisted with rage. Noelle, that bitch!


    Meanwhile, Noelle calmly stepped onto the stage and looked at Donovan, whose expression was far from pleasant.


    She smiled. "My dear brother went out of his way to prepare such a grand surprise for me. I''m touched!"


    Donovan was fuming inside, but he couldn''t lose his temper with so many people watching.


    ke handed another microphone to Noelle.


    Noelle took the microphone and turned to the audience. "Hello, everyone. I am MM Bean. I haven''t been in the best conditiontely, so my brother decided to let our family''s adopted daughter speak on my behalf.


    "But I still came. After all, I wrote this script. She doesn''t even understand it."


    Donovan immediately interrupted, "Noelle, if I remember correctly, Xenia also contributed to the script. Have you forgotten?"


    "Oh, I haven''t forgotten. She did help. By bringing me some water. Oh, and by identally damaging myputer, which caused me to lose my entire draft."


    Of course, Noelle remembered Xenia''s so-called efforts. She looked coldly at Xenia.


    "Thanks to your clumsy mistake, I had to rewrite the entire script, which turned out even better. So yes, you did help. Just in the worst way possible." Noelle couldn''t make this any clearer.


    Xenia''s face burned with humiliation. She turned away, not wanting to be in the spotlight. She was red with anger. Noelle had clearly done this on purpose!


    Donovan continued to defend Xenia. "It was just an ident. Besides, she was involved in the script''s creation."


    It seemed Donovan was determined to paint Xenia as the co-writer. Noelle felt disgusted. Fine, she would let him have his way.


    She turned to Xenia. "Tell us: how exactly did you contribute to the script?"


    Feeling the attention on her, Xenia quickly responded, "My inspiration for this script came from..."


    She had memorized the speech, so she answered smoothly.


    Noelle listened with a smirk. "You im to have contributed so much. Tell me: how many versions did this script go through?


    "How many times were the


    characters'' settings changed? How


    many rtionship crises did the


    main couple experience? And how


    hovel


    many times was the viin''s


    backstory revised? Do you


    remember them?"


    Xenia''s face fell. How was she supposed to remember all that? No one said she needed to answer these kinds of questions! She didn''t write the script, so how could she possibly know?


    Noelle stared her down. "You can''t answer, right? That''s because you weren''t involved in the creation process at all."


    Donovan quickly stepped in, "Noelle, this script has been revised so many times.


    How could anyone possibly remember every detail?"


    Noelle turned to him. "But I remembered everything."

 Chapter 474

    ke piped up, "That''s right, I remember very clearly, too. This script went through many revisions and discussions."


    With ke speaking up for Noelle, Xenia''s speech now seemed even more insincere. People around them started murmuring.


    "The worst thing anyone in the industry could possibly do is put someone else''s name on a script we worked so hard on."


    "Exactly! Why should our hard work be shared with others? How shameless."


    Xenia''s gaze darkened when she overheard the discussion. She could only look pitifully toward Donovan for help.


    Donovan turned to ke. "I saw Xenia participating in the scriptwriting. You can''t just dismiss her."


    "Donovan, I know you want Xenia to get some credit, but this script was written entirely by Noelle. It''s wrong to force her name in." ke didn''t hold back in exposing Donovan.


    Donovan felt awkward. After all, ke was influential in the entertainment industry, so his words were far more convincing.


    ke stepped closer to Donovan. "Donovan, Xenia needs to practice more. She''ll have plenty of chances in the future. But this script was written solely by Noelle, so let''s celebrate her achievement first."


    Although Donovan''s expression darkened, he couldn''t argue further. He walked off the stage with a stern face, snorting disdainfully as he passed by Noelle.


    Noelle smirked as Donovan walked over to Xenia, seemingly trying tofort her. But this time, she wouldn''t let Xenia take what belonged to her.


    Now, alone on stage, ke addressed the audience. "Everyone knows I recently had two hit dramas and also had a dispute with my sister over an audition, which led to some rumors online. So today, I brought her here to clear up the misunderstanding."


    Noelle''s expression softened as she listened to ke. In addition to reiming control over the entertainmentpany, ke wanted to rify the controversy surrounding the livestream incident.


    She didn''t object. After all, her partnership with ke was only temporary. Her priority right now was investigating why Xenia''s father was still alive and uncovering the truth about the car ident all those years ago.


    She had to make it impossible for Xenia to stay with the Liddell family and force


    the people backing her to intervene. Only then could she get closer to finding Xenia''s father.


    ke finished his speech and


    cautiously nced at Noelle. Seeing that she didn''t object, he finally


    rxed. As the two stepped off the


    stage, many people came over to greet them.


    Xenia was ovee with jealousy when she saw Noelle being praised. She turned to Donovan with a pitiful expression.


    "Donovan, ke deliberately brought Noelle here today. He doesn''t support you giving me control of Moonbright Entertainment and might even hold a grudge against you."


    Donovan noticed it, too. He walked over stiffly and said to ke and Noelle, "You two,e with me. I need to talk to you."


    ke stood his ground. "Donovan, let''s talk after the banquet. You should be celebrating with Noelle now. But why do you look so upset?"


    Noelle hadn''t expected ke to switch sides and put Donovan in his ce.


    Xenia chimed in with a sickly sweet tone. "Donovan didn''t mean anything bad, ke. He''s been cleaning up the mess you and Noelle caused for a while now. How can you treat him like this?"


    Noelle scoffed. "What did we do to him? ke just rified that I was the script''s original author and didn''t agree to add your name to it. That''s all."


    Xenia''s face twitched, but she shamelessly insisted, "But I still put in effort, too."


    Donovan looked at Noelle and said firmly, "Whether you agree or not, Xenia''s name has already been added to the script."


    Noelle had no say in this family.

 Chapter 475

    Noelle was furious. "I''ve never met anyone more shameless than you."


    Xenia replied in her usual sweet tone, "I can''t remember exactly how many times the script was revised, but I contributed to the initial idea and the storyline. You can''t just discard me after using my idea."


    Noelle was amused. She turned to the industry professionals around her.


    "Did you all hear that? Xenia''s so-called ''contribution'' was just some useless suggestions that were never adopted. She spoke once, and now she thinks she deserves credit for my script."


    The crowd was outraged.


    "This is beyond shameless! How dare she im she contributed without any proof?"


    "I''ve heard that the Liddell family treats their biological sister poorly while spoiling their adopted sister. Now I finally see it for myself."


    Everyone in the room had written their fair share of maniptive characters and saw through Xenia''s act instantly.


    Xenia stammered, "It''s not like that. I really participated in the scriptwriting."


    Someone scoffed. "Then show the drafts you worked on. Drop the pitiful act."


    Xenia immediately went silent. She had no drafts to show and looked to Donovan for help.


    Donovan was furious as well and red at ke. "Don''t think that bringing Noelle here will change anything.


    "I''ve already decided that Xenia will manage thepany. You should take a break ande back after the storm dies down."


    As the shareholder, Donovan''s word could determine ke''s fate. Which meant ke was kicked out.


    A glint of triumph shed in Xenia''s eyes. She turned to ke with a sickeningly sweet voice.


    "Don''t worry, ke. I''ll take good care of thepany. I''ll be sure to ask for your advice if I run into any trouble."


    Noelle rolled her eyes. "ke has been running thepany this whole time. Xenia, you scored a zero on your college entrance exam, so you probably can''t even read a financial report. You think you can manage apany?"


    Donovan felt humiliated. "Noelle, you''re just a scriptwriter and don''t understand business either. From now on, any script you write must be approved by Xenia."


    Xenia grew even more smug. So what if Noelle was a talented writer? She was still just a worker under her control.


    Xenia feigned concern. "Noelle, I


    know you''re great at writing scripts, but you wouldn''t be here without thepany''s support. I hope you can keep producing better work. Thepany can''t give you special treatment."


    She then leaned in and whispered, "You''ll never beat me no matter how hard you struggle."


    Noelle shoved her away. "ke begged me to write those scripts because they were good, which is why they got fast-tracked into production.


    "It wasn''t due to any special treatment. I told you. You don''t understand business, but you still refuse to believe me."


    ke stepped in as well. "That''s right. I did beg Noelle to write those scripts. She may be a neer, but everyone can see her talent."


    "But a scriptwriter''s work is nothing without apany!" Xenia couldn''t stand how ke kept defending Noelle.


    Noelle burst outughing. "Did you all hear that? ording to Xenia, we scriptwriters are nothing."


    That remark enraged the entire room.


    Xenia realized she had said the


    wrong thing and quickly tried to


    backtrack. "I didn''t mean it like that! I wasonly talking about Noelle, not everyone else."


    Someone in the crowd finally snapped. "Mr. Donovan, you''re putting a greenie in charge of thepany! Are you trying to make it go bankrupt even faster?"


    Donovan shot Xenia a disappointed look. What an idiot! Still, he defended her.


    "I will hire a general manager to run thepany. Xenia will learn from them, so there won''t be any issues with management."


    ke smirked. "Donovan, you don''t get to decide who the general manager is."


    He finally caught onto Donovan''s stubbornness and knew he was dead set on usingpany resources to support Xenia. In that case, ke wouldn''t hold back.


    Donovan scoffed. "I hold the most shares in thepany. Why wouldn''t I have the final say?"

 Chapter 476

    "Starting today, you''re no longer the major shareholder." Just then, Frank appeared in a wheelchair.


    He looked grim. "ke and I can transfer our shares to Noelle. That would make her thepany''s biggest shareholder."


    The room gasped in shock.


    Donovan''s face fell, and he lowered his voice, "What exactly are you trying to do?"


    He had never expected them to join forces against him!


    Frank continued, "Donovan, are you sure you want to discuss this here? You''re just embarrassing yourself."


    Donovan clenched his jaw, then nodded stiffly before heading to the lounge with a stern look.


    Noelle hadn''t expected Frank to show up. Wasn''t he being held captive by Donovan?


    ke turned to the onlookers. "I apologize for the spectacle. But Noelle will be managing thepany from now on. You''ve all seen her screenwriting skills. I hope we can coborate in the future."


    Xenia was furious at ke''s deration and stormed off after Donovan. Meanwhile, Noelle, ke, and Frank moved to a quieter area.


    Noelle looked at Frank in surprise. "How did you get here?"


    "ke sent people to look for me, and I rushed over immediately. There''s no way we can let Xenia take over thepany," Frank said. "ke had shed blood, sweat, and tears for thepany. But he hadn''t expected Donovan to be this biased for Xenia.


    ke smiled bitterly. "We underestimated Xenia."


    Frank turned to Noelle. "Noelle, don''t worry. I''ll always stand by your side."


    Noelle didn''t respond. Instead, she turned and walked toward the lounge. ke pushed Frank''s wheelchair as they followed.


    Noelle entered the lounge first. She saw Xenia whispering something to Donovan. Donovan''s gaze darkened at Noelle.


    He stormed toward her, his voiceced with fury. "Noelle, I


    underestimated you. Didn''t you once storm out, swearing you had nothing to do with the Liddell family anymore?


    "Yet now you came back to fight for the inheritance? Have you no shame?"


    Noelle smirked. "And you knew full well that I wrote that script alone, yet you still tried to credit Xenia. Do you have any shame?"


    Donovan faltered before snapping, "But Xenia contributed to the script, too! How could you humiliate her in front of everyone?"


    "Swear on it, then. Swear that what you''re saying is true. If you''re lying, may thepany go bankrupt, every project fails, and you lose everything." Noelle stared at him coldly. "Go on. Swear."


    Donovan remained silent, his face twisting in anger. "You''re being superstitious!"


    "I''m superstitious? But you''re not


    swearing by it, either. That means


    you know the truth." Noelle knew Donovan had done all this to rob her of what was rightfully hers and force her into submission.


    However, he flipped the me onto her instead. "Noelle, I wouldn''t have had to do


    this if you hadn''t backed me into a corner!"


    She chuckled. "Well, I only learned from the best." Noelle smiled triumphantly.


    "Now, I''m the biggest shareholder. And your words mean nothing!"


    Donovan''s face turned red with rage. He was absolutely livid.

 Chapter 477

    Noelle smirked. So even Donovan had his limits. ke and Frank stayed firmly beside her, making it clear where their loyaltiesy.


    Donovan pointed at them furiously. "You ungrateful traitors! Would yourpany have even gotten off the ground if it weren''t for me? And now you''re handling all your shares to Noelle! Have you lost your mind?"


    Frankughed bitterly. "Donovan, the only one who has lost their mind is you. Noelle is our sister, not an enemy."


    He couldn''t understand why Donovan was going this far.


    Xenia was fuming. Why did ke and Frank side with Noelle? And they were even transferring their shares to her!


    Wouldn''t Xenia''s ns go up in smoke if Noelle became thepany''s biggest shareholder?


    She couldn''t ept this and stepped forward. "Frank, you know better than anyone how much effort Donovan has put into the Liddell family. He gave you shares out of love, and now you''re betraying him!"


    "Save your moral high ground guilt-tripping." Noelle shot Xenia a cold look. "He took all of the Liddell family''s money and assets when he started hispany. That was an investment from all of us. It''s only natural that we get our share of the profits."


    Xenia''s eyes sharpened at Donovan. "Donovan, I would never betray you if I had your shares."


    Donovan was angry beyond words. He had never imagined this day woulde. He red at Frank and ke. "Are you really choosing to side with Noelle against me?"


    Frank spoke up. "Donovan, I''m not against you. But handing thepany to Xenia? Noelle is the better choice. At least her scripts made thepany a lot of money."


    "Haha! Have you all forgotten that Noelle sent Lucas and ke to prison? She''s heartless toward the family, and you''re just letting it slide?" Donovan was livid.


    He never thought his own brothers would turn on him. Everything he had done was for the good of the family!


    ke snorted. "Have you lost your mind, Donovan? I was wrong when it came to what happened with Noelle. I did want to punish her and make sure she never forgot the lesson.


    "I was blinded by Xenia. And I admit I made a mistake. That was on me, on Xenia for manipting me. What does Noelle have to do with it?"


    ke was firm. "And Xenia was responsible for what happened to Lucas, too. She stole Noelle''s work and then dragged Lucas into it. Sure, he wasn''t innocent, but Xenia was the real mastermind.


    "Noelle is the victim for having her work stolen!"


    Donovan gritted his teeth. "It was all a trap set by Noelle."


    "Oh? Did Noelle force Xenia to steal her work? Did she make you betray her?


    "No, right? We were the ones at fault from the start!" ke grabbed Donovan by the cor and pointed straight at Xenia. "She''s the real culprit. Both incidents were because of her."


    Xenia immediately put on a pitiful expression. "ke, I only did all that so Frank''spany would win the bid. As for you attacking Noelle, that had nothing to do with me. You''ve always been violent."


    ke''s anger boiled over.


    Donovan shoved him away. "I know Xenia better than any of you. She may not be smart, but she''s not an evil girl."


    Noelle almost burst outughing. Not smart, but not an evil girl? What a joke. She didn''t even bother arguing.


    "I don''t care what you do with Xenia, but you have no say in thepany. She''s out."


    ke calmed down and added, "Donovan, I built thispany. Xenia has no right to take over it."


    "But I already signed her as an


    actress under thepany," Donovan countered. "All future scripts will be written for her. And she''s been cast as a supporting role in the uing movie."

 Chapter 478

    Donovan was arrogant. "The contract is signed and in effect. And you''ll have to pay Xenia a heftypensation if you want to terminate it now."


    Noelle chuckled. Donovan always had a knack for making people sick with disgust. He wasted no time in setting things up for Xenia. How efficient of him.


    ke snorted. "And? Thepany makes its own decisions, and Xenia''s acting is an embarrassment."


    Xenia wouldn''t get any valuable resources as long as Donovan wasn''t in charge.


    Noelle smirked at her. "As the boss, I advise you to work on your acting skills and make thepany some money.


    "Wait, never mind. Your acting has always been excellent. You were born for this."


    Xenia''s face twisted in rage. She always envisioned herself as thepany''s owner. But Noelle had snatched it away from her. Xenia couldn''t ept this.


    ke sneered. "Her acting is trash. The only role she''s ever nailed is ying the victim in the Liddell family. She''s nothing outside of that."


    Tears welled in Xenia''s eyes. She felt humiliated and ran out of the lounge.


    Donovan red at Noelle. "You''re so capable and actually got them to side with you."


    "This isn''t about my capabilities. I was never in the wrong. They feel guilty; that''s why they''re standing with me." But Noelle wasn''t sure how long that guilt wouldst.


    However, all she needed to do was back Xenia into a corner and force the people behind her to reveal themselves.


    Donovan sneered. "Noelle, don''t think you''ve won just yet."


    Frank interjected, "Donovan, haven''t you always wanted us to be a close family again? Noelle even agreed to let go of what happened with ke and Lucas. You should uphold your promise and let here home."


    Donovan tugged at his tie. "I did say that. But has she admitted her mistakes?"


    Noelle was indifferent. "I have nothing to admit. I''m not the one who should apologize."


    "You''re right. Noelle isn''t in the wrong; we are." Lucas stepped in from the doorway and shot Noelle a guilty look.


    "I was stupid and fell for Xenia''s lies. ke was right. I''m not innocent. I''ll transfer my shares to you aspensation."


    ke followed suit. "Lucas, Frank, and I owe you an apology, Noelle. You did nothing wrong."


    Noelle remained silent for a moment. Frank wheeled himself forward. "Noelle, we know now we made a mistake. Won''t youe back to the family?"


    Noelle noticed Xenia lurking near the doorway out of the corner of her eye. She hadn''t left.


    Xenia always fantasized about kicking Noelle out of the Liddell family and taking her ce, including her father''s past position, but Noelle wasn''t about to let them have their way.


    She smirked. "Alright, I ept your apologies."


    If she pretended to rejoin the Liddell family, Xenia and the people backing her


    would start their next move.


    Xenia couldn''t help but step out


    from behind the door and cast


    Do letting Noelle back in the


    Donovan a pitiful look. "Donovan, are


    you re


    family?"


    Why was Noelleing back when she was supposed to be gone?


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


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 479

    Noelle''s mood lifted when she saw the look on Xenia''s face. It was clear that Xenia was unhappy about her return to the Liddell family, especially now that Frank, ke, and Lucas were all on her side. However, that was exactly the effect Noelle wanted.


    Donovan''s expression hardened at Xenia''s question.


    Before he could respond, Frank said, "Donovan, didn''t you say that the family should stay together? We''ve had our conflicts, but now that Noelle is willing to make peace and Lucas and ke are fine, can''t we all take a step back?"


    Xenia was unwilling to give in. "Frank, Noelle agreed to reconcile out of nowhere. Don''t you think she has an ulterior motive?"


    Xenia couldn''t let Noelle return and take her ce in the family, no matter what.


    Frank snorted. "Noelle is our biological sister, the daughter of the Liddell family. Of course, she would want to reconcile. After all, this is her home."


    ke pointed at Xenia and scolded, "You''re just a driver''s daughter. Who are you to question this? Do you think you could take Noelle''s ce in the Liddell family if she didn''te back? Dream on!"


    Did Xenia really think ke couldn''t see through her schemes?


    Tears gathered in Xenia''s eyes. She turned to Donovan.


    "Donovan, I never wanted to rece Noelle. I just feel that since she used to hate the Liddell family, her sudden change of heart must mean something."


    Donovan scolded ke. "Xenia''s father died saving our parents. She has always been treated like ady of the family. She has no reason topete with Noelle."


    ke sneered. "Donovan, the Liddell family has done more than enough for Xenia. Wasn''t her father the reason the ident even urred? What did he ever do for our family?"


    Noelle''s expression shifted. "What do you mean by that?"


    Did ke know something? Xenia was startled and hurried to exin, "ke, what are you saying? My father died in that car ident! What does that have to do with him?"


    Her heart pounded anxiously. Did ke know her father was still alive?


    Noelle walked up to ke and asked seriously, "What really happened in that ident?"


    ke continued, "How could the ident have happened if Xenia''s father hadn''t been driving carelessly? Doesn''t he bear some responsibility?"


    Noelle''s heart sank. That wasn''t the answer she was looking for.


    Xenia secretly sighed in relief. It was fine as long as ke didn''t know the truth about her father.


    She immediately looked pitiful. "ke, my father was always a


    careful driver. That day, som


    ran @light and crashed into his car. How was that his fault?"


    "But the ident report showed that your father never even hit the brakes and was driving at high speed. Wouldn''t he have at least tried to stop the car under normal circumstances?"


    Xenia was speechless. She didn''t actually know the full details of the ident.


    She had asked her father about it before, but he had never told her anything, only that she should be careful not to ask too many questions.


    She sobbed, "Maybe my father was too shocked to react. But he''s been dead for years now. Why are you still ming him?"


    "You''re right." Donovan looked at


    ke, "investigated the a''s


    was the other driver''s fault. father had nothing to do wit


    it."


    It


    ke frowned. "But didn''t you say that it was strange the driver never hit the brakes?"


    "I did," Donovan admitted. "But there could be other exnations. Maybe he panicked. But there''s no point in digging deeper now that he''s gone." Donovan had looked into it and found the real culprit was the reckless driver. Noelle suddenly spoke. "What if the brakes had already been tampered with?" If Xenia''s father was still alive, then maybe he had done something to the car. Xenia refuted, "That''s impossible! My father would have checked. Even if the brakes were faulty, it had nothing to do with him. He died, too!"

 Chapter 480

    Noelle smirked. "I was just making a guess. Why are you so nervous?"


    Xenia stood beside Donovan with an aggrieved look. "Donovan, I know I''m not wee in this family, especially since Noelle ran away because of me. The others have even more reason to dislike me.


    "But I won''t let anyone use my father. He died saving Uncle and Auntie."


    She knew Donovan would feel guilty toward her if she emphasized this. Sure enough, Donovan reassured her, "Xenia, don''t worry. No one will mistreat you as long as I''m here."


    "I know, Donovan. But I''m just worried that Noelle won''t be able to adjust aftering home. After all, she fought so badly with our brothers and almost sent them to jail."


    Xenia deliberately brought this up, knowing it was a sore spot for them.


    Frank cut her off. "The past is the past. We''re family. There''s no grudge thatsts overnight.


    "But you, on the other hand, should stop bringing up unpleasant things. It makes it seem like you''re trying to drive a wedge between us."


    Xenia immediately put on a pitiful look. "Frank, I didn''t mean it like that."


    "Good. By the way, you should pack up and move out of the room in the Cloudscape Vi since Noelle ising back to the Liddell family. That''s her room." Frank scoffed.


    Xenia''s heart dropped at this. She hesitated before ncing at Donovan. "Donovan, didn''t you say that room was mine? I never had a room of my own growing up. You promised it would be mine."


    Donovan cleared his throat. "There are plenty of rooms in the vi. Noelle can just pick another one."


    Noelle smirked. "Our parents bought that vi, right? And they did say the biggest room with the best view was mine."


    She wasn''t going to let go of what rightfully belonged to her.


    Noelle turned to Xenia. "Even if you get to choose a room, it should be one that didn''t already belong to someone else. My room is mine. No one but our parents has the right to change that."


    Donovan frowned. "Noelle, it''s just a room. Why make a fuss?"


    Noelle sneered. "Exactly! I was here first. I


    there, it somehow became


    sont just because I wasn''t livin


    room? How shameless Jenia''s


    can you be?"


    Xenia burst into tears at this. Donovan immediately defended her. "Noelle, do you have to make a scene the moment you return?"


    ke scoffed. "Donovan, it''s your fault for letting Xenia stay in Noelle''s room in the first ce."


    Lucas added, "You''re the one causing trouble here, Donovan."


    Frank followed up, "Our parents left that room to Noelle. Donovan, you had no right to give it to Xenia."


    Noelle crossed her arms. "Mr. Donovan Liddell, did you hear that? This is all your fault."


    "Hmph! This isn''t up to you all to decide!" Donovan snapped.


    Noelle rolled her eyes. "Oh? But the four of us together own more shares than you. If ites to it, who knows if you''ll even remain the president of Liddell Corporation?"


    Donovan''s face fell. Xenia stepped forward. "Noelle, you¡ª"


    Before she could finish, Noelle reached out and yanked the ne from her


    neck. "This was my mother''s. You think you deserve to wear it?"


    the


    She had noticed something off aboe earlier and nearly forgot about it. A mark appeared on Xenia''s neck from the pull. She shouted, "Donovan gave that to me!"


    Noelle retorted, "He can''t give away what belonged to me."


    Donovan immediately snapped, "Noelle, why are you so petty?"


    Noelleughed. She stepped forward and fixed Donovan''s tie. He froze, unable to


    tell what she was up to.

 Chapter 481

    Noelle looked up at Donovan. "You used to say that the ties I picked for you looked the best. Every time you had an important contract to negotiate, you''d have me buy a new one and tie it for you."


    Donovan stiffened. "And?"


    Was Noelle trying to y the emotional card? If she could just behave, he might consider forgiving her this time.


    The next second, Noelle yanked off Donovan''s tie. "Didn''t I buy this for you?"


    Without hesitation, she tossed it into the trash can. Donovan was furious. "What are you doing?"


    Noelle pped Donovan, leaving him in shock.


    "Now we''re even. I won''t hold it against you for giving my room and my belongings to Xenia." Her voice was eerily calm. "And I''ll buy you a new tie. This one was old anyway."


    Donovan was too shocked to respond.


    Noelle continued, "Now that we''ve cleared things up, let''s go. I don''t want people to think the Liddell family is fighting."


    She linked her arm through Donovan''s. "Come on."


    Xenia panicked. "Donovan!"


    Donovan nced at her guiltily. "I know what you want to say, but Noelle is still part of the Liddell family. Causing a scene won''t be good for the family."


    Noelle''s temper was a double-edged sword. It would be beneficial if she reconciled with them. She might have teamed up with the brothers to take over the entertainmentpany today, but she could just as easily interfere in Liddell Corporation tomorrow.


    Xenia was overwhelmed with fear. Why was Donovan so quick to forgive Noelle? Could she continue to stay with the Liddell family if Noelle returned to the family?


    She blurted, "But they just tried to kick you out of thepany!"


    Noelle chuckled. "Oh, that? It''s just a joke. Thepany belongs to Lucas, after all. I was just standing up for him."


    Xenia was livid. That liar!


    Xenia grabbed Donovan''s arm desperately. "I''ll go with you." She couldn''t let Noelle steal Donovan from her.


    Noelle smirked. "I don''t mind. After all this time, I''vee to understand a lot of things."


    Donovan was relieved. "It''s good that you''vee around, Noelle. Just remember, you''re a Liddell."


    Noelle smiled at the irony. Oh, she hadn''t forgotten.


    She had returned to the Liddell family for one reason. It was to uncover the truth behind the ident all those years ago and bring Xenia''s father to justice for her parents'' deaths.


    With that thought, she walked out with Donovan.


    ke watched them leave and turned to Frank. "Frank, don''t you find Noelle''s sudden change of mind strange? Is she plotting something?"


    Her sudden shift in attitude was strange. Frank remainedposed. "It doesn''t matter what her reasons are. As long as she''s willing toe home, that''s all that matters."


    ke then looked at Lucas. "It''s rare that Noelle has agreed not to hold our past against us. No matter what happens from now on, we need to stand by her side. Don''t let Xenia deceive you again."


    Lucas nodded. "I know."


    Recently, Xenia had been cold and distant toward him,pletely different from before. It was clear she had only been friendly when he was useful. Now that she saw no value in him, her true colors were showing.


    Lucas finally realized that Xenia had tricked him, which was why he had treated Noelle so unfairly.


    Back at the banquet, many guests were shocked to see Noelle walking in with Donovan. After all, they had just witnessed a heated argument within the Liddell family.


    Donovan spoke first. "Apologies for the scene earlier. There were some family disagreements, but we''ve resolved everything."


    Someone asked, "So, who''s the real author of the script?"


    Noelle answered immediately, "Me, of course. Right, dear brother?"


    Donovan knew Noelle would stir up trouble again if he sided with Xenia.

 Chapter 482

    In the end, Donovan nodded. "That''s right. I asked again, and the script was indeed written solely by Noelle. I was mistaken."


    Xenia''s gaze darkened. She hadn''t expected Donovan to not speak up for her. Doesn''t that mean she made a fool of herself at the banquet?


    Noelle looked at Xenia. "I know you''ve always wanted to achieve something, but forcefully attaching yourself to someone else''s work won''t help you. It''ll only harm you. I''m saying this for your own good. You won''t me me for this, right?"


    Her sugar-coated words nearly drove Xenia insane. Xenia''s expression turned sour. "I need to use the restroom."


    As Xenia left, Noelle finally let go of Donovan''s arm. She had done it all just to irritate Xenia. After all, Donovan was the only one still standing by Xenia''s side.


    Noelle continued to y her role throughout the event, avoiding embarrassment, which lessened Donovan''s resentment toward her.


    Donovan lowered his voice. "See? Isn''t this much better? You and Xenia should make peace and get along from now on."


    Noelle smirked. "Sure. But you need to be fair and return all my belongings to me. Only then can I do as you say."


    "Fine. I''ll keep everything Mom and Dad left you safe and give them back to youter. How else would I know if you truly want toe back to the family?"


    Donovan was still wary. He suspected Noelle had returned only for the inheritance. What if she changed her mind if he handed everything over too soon?


    Noelle shrugged, "Alright. But Xenia can''t get her hands on anything, including the charity foundation."


    "Sure." Donovan agreed without hesitation. He could alwayspensate Xenia in other wayster.


    Noelle nced down at her champagne ss. Xenia would be livid once she found out about this. And this was only the beginning.


    A man as self-important as Donovan always prioritized the bigger picture. In the past, she had been the one suffering. Now, it was Xenia''s turn.


    Fortunes would always change. Noelle was curious to see how long Xenia couldst. More importantly, she wanted to see Donovan''s reaction when he discovered that Xenia''s father was still alive and was responsible for the ident that took their parents'' lives.


    After the event ended, Xenia finally emerged from the restroom with a dark look.


    Frank turned to Noelle and said, "Come home for dinner this weekend. It''ll be our first meal together as a family after reconciling."


    "Sure, but my room needs to be put back in order. Seeing Xenia''s fury, Noelle added, "By the way, Xenia, the charity foundation belongs to me, 1 wasn''t around before, but it should be returned to me now that I''m back."  s?novel


    Xenia was outraged. "Donovan! Didn''t you say the foundation was mine?"


    Was he going to take even this away from her?


    Donovan cleared his throat. "I only said that to provoke Noelle. Don''t worry, I''ll make it up to you."


    "But I''ve put so much effort into the


    foundation! even nned a charity auction, and the invitations have already been sent. What am I


    supposed to do if you make me step down now?" Xenia truly hadn''t expected Donovan to turn on her so quickly just because Noelle showed some goodwill.


    So, this was the power of blood ties.


    Noelle''s eyes lit up at the mention of a charity auction. "Really? So you did put in you a lot of effort. In that can continue organizing the event."


    She knew Xenia would tamper with the funds. Donovan looked at Noelle in surprise. "You''re okay with that?"


    He thought Noelle would oppose it. And he rxed now that she had agreed.


    Noelle turned to Xenia with a smirk. "Make sure you don''t mess it up. Do a good job, and I''ll even pay you a sry."


    Xenia was furious. Noelle was treating her like an employee! The auction funds were supposed to be hers. Why should she settle for a mere sry?


    Noelle''s return had thrown her entire n into shambles. She had to contact her father and eliminate her!

 Chapter 483

    Noelle turned and left after mocking Xenia.


    Frank stepped forward. "Noelle, let us drive you back to school. It''ste, and I don''t feelfortable letting you go alone."


    "No need. I''ll take a cab." She remained distant. After all, she had only agreed to reconcile and never intended to forgive them.


    Once she uncovered the truth behind the car ident, she would never see them again. Without hesitation, Noelle got into a car and left.


    Xenia watched her retreating figure and gritted her teeth in anger. She thought, "Just you wait. Thest ident didn''t kill you. But who knows what will happen next time?"


    When she turned back to Donovan, she feigned concern. "Donovan, I''m happy that Noelle is back, but something feels... off."


    Donovan frowned. "What do you mean?"


    Xenia shook her head. "I don''t want to doubt her, but... Noelle was so furious before. Yet she''s suddenly willing to reconcile and isn''t even pursuing what happened with ke and Lucas?"


    "You''re overthinking it. She backed down because of Mom and Dad''s inheritance. She doesn''t want it all to end up in your hands. But I won''t be handing over the inheritance until I''m certain of her intentions."


    Donovan was convinced Noelle had lowered her guard because of the inheritance. Once everything settled, they would see how things yed out.


    Xenia felt uneasy. For so long, she had livedfortably with the Liddell family, almost believing she was their sister. But Noelle''s return changed everything.


    Her eyes twitched. It was a bad omen. She had a feeling something terrible was about to happen.


    Xenia''s expression darkened as she lowered her gaze. She couldn''t just sit around and wait. Noelle wouldn''t let her off if she reimed her ce in the family.


    She needed to make ns for herself. She had already taken plenty of benefits from the charity foundation and might as well make onest big score before it was toote.


    Meanwhile, Noelle returned to campus. She smirked at the thought of Xenia''s reaction.


    This was just the beginning. Once the charity auction was over and she had evidence of Xenia''s crimes, she would make her move.


    Xenia had only been in charge of the foundation for a few days, yet she had already tampered with the ounts, siphoning off millions. It was no wonder she had been unting brand-new designer outfitstely.


    Xenia wouldn''t dare hold onto so much stolen money herself. She must have transferred it to her father.


    Noelle considered several strategies,


    forcing herself to stay calm. She


    didn''t trust any of the Liddell


    brothers. Right now, they were on her side only because Xenia threatened their interests.


    This alliance was temporary.


    Back in her dorm, Noelle received a message from Cedric: "I''m back from my business trip. Are you free tomorrow?"


    She checked her ss schedule. "I have sses all day. Let''s meet at the gym in the evening."


    Cedric had been away for a few days, and she hadn''t gone to the gym in his absence. Now that she had mostly recovered, she wanted to resume boxing, knowing that she needed to grow stronger.


    Cedric nced at the gift beside him. He would give it to her tomorrow then.


    Alfred leaned over from the passenger seat. "I suggest taking Noelle somewhere fun for a date tomorrow."


    Cedric shook his head. "She wants to go to the gym. I''ll be her sparring partner."


    Alfred sighed. "Most couples go on dates, and you two basically live at the gym." Cedric shrugged. "I''ll always be there with her as long as it''s something she enjoys."


    Alfred changed the topic. "What''s your n regarding Salena interfering with the press conference?"


    Cedric''s expression darkened. "I''ll ask Noelle about it tomorrow."


    Alfred tilted his head. "Why not just handle it yourself? Girls usually love a domineering president."


    Cedric shook his head. "Noelle wouldn''t like it if I made decisions for her. That would make me no different from her brothers. I respect her choices."


    Cedric ran his fingers over the gift box, his gaze softening. He would support Noelle''s decisions.


    The next day, after finishing her


    sses, Noelle returned to her dorm


    to change. She chose a short skirt,


    one just long enough to cover the scar on her leg that was left by the ident all those years ago.

 Chapter 484

    Grace smiled. "Are you going on a date, Noelle? You''re even wearing a skirt today."


    Noelle swirled around. "How does it look?"


    "It''s beautiful! Your legs look so wless. I''m so jealous." Grace realized what she had said and quickly changed the subject.


    Noelle grabbed her bag and headed downstairs. As she walked, she noticed someone had spilled their takeout on the stairs, making the floor dangerously slippery.


    She thought for a moment and texted Grace: "The stairs here are a hazard. Remind our roommates not to take this way."


    Grace checked the photo and nced at their new roommate, who was sitting at her desk. "If you''re heading outter, don''t use that staircase. Noelle said someone spilled their food and didn''t bother to clean it up."


    The new roommate was surprised before murmuring, "Thanks for the warning."


    Grace didn''t say anything else. Their new roommate was quiet, and they coexisted peacefully.


    Noelle went straight to the gym without changing clothes, heading directly to the boxing area. She spotted Cedric leaning against the ring with his phone, seemingly sending a message.


    A mischievous idea crossed her mind. She crept up behind him, intending to surprise him. But just as her hand reached his eyes, she was pinned down. His reflexes were astonishingly fast.


    Noelle looked up at him, stunned. "It''s me."


    Cedric chuckled and lifted her onto the edge of the boxing ring. He ced his hands on either side of her and leaned in. "Your sneak attack was too slow."


    "How was that slow? Your reaction speed is just insane! Why are you so on guard all the time?" Noelle was surprised by how many skills Cedric had up his sleeves.


    She looked up while Cedric stared at her. Their eyes met, and Noelle''s heart raced as she stared at his handsome face.


    Cedric''s gaze darkened, and he brushed his lips against hers. Noelle tensed before deepening the kiss.


    Cedric stiffened and slid his hand to the back of Noelle''s head. Her hands clenched nervously, and she slowly reached around his waist. Her heart was filled with joy-she really loved Cedric.


    The sunset streamed through the windows, and their shadows intertwined. Noelle''s breathing grew erratic. A buzzing filled her ears, and for a moment, the entire world seemed to fade away.


    Finally, Cedric pulled back. His gaze was unreadable as he gently wiped the


    saliva from her lips. His voice was husky. "Go change."


    Blushing, Noelle nodded and looked down.


    Cedric''s eyes drifted to her legs. Due to their intimacy, her skirt had ridden up, revealing the scar from the ident.


    A sharp pang struck his heart, and he sobered up instantly. Cedric pulled her skirt back down. "Don''t wear short skirts again."


    Noelle teased, "You call this short?"


    "Yes. I think it''s too short. I don''t want others looking at you." Cedric lifted her off the ring.


    Noelle adjusted her skirt. "Fine, I won''t wear it next time."


    "Are you stupid?" He flicked her forehead: "Wear whatever you want. I might get jealous, but I can take


    care of any wandering event


    Noelle should live freely. He would handle any trouble that came her way.


    Noelle blushed and ran toward the locker room. On her way, she unexpectedly encountered Laura, Samantha''s older sister.


    Noelle stopped. "What a coincidence. Ms. Merlock, are you here to work out, too?"


    Something felt off. Why would someone from the Merlock familye to a small gym near the university?


    Laura forced a smile. "I''m here to look for someone."


    Noelle was curious. Who would the esteemed Laurae looking for?

 Chapter 485

    Noelle was curious, but she didn''t ask any further. After all, she and Laura weren''t close.


    However, Laura couldn''t ignore the blush on Noelle''s face or the rosy tint on her lips. Laura swallowed her bitterness. "Did youe to the gym alone, Ms. Liddell?"


    "No." Noelle didn''t exin and headed straight to the locker room.


    Laura watched her retreating figure with sorrow. She then walked toward the boxing area and finally spotted Cedric.


    She stepped forward. "Cedric, why have you been avoiding me these past few days?"


    Cedric''s expression hardened at Laura. He stared at her coldly. "Why would I be avoiding you?"


    Laura pressed on. "Then why haven''t you answered any of my calls?"


    "If it''s a work-rted matter, you should speak to thepany''s representative. I don''t see a reason for us to talk." He sounded indifferent.


    Laura''s eyes watered. "You''re cutting ties with me because of her?"


    "You need to understand that there was never anything between us." Cedric''s tone remained calm but firm. "I had my brother rify the rumors this time. But I''ll do it myself if your family keeps clinging to me."


    His gaze sharpened. "I''m only giving you a choice out of respect for our families'' history. Either you address it yourself, or I will. Think carefully."


    Laura paled. She never expected Cedric to be this ruthless, but she also knew he wasn''t bluffing. He would do it.


    Cedric''s patience was wearing thin. "You should leave before my girlfriend sees and gets the wrong idea."


    Laura clenched her fists. "Do you even know that she was dating an older man back in high school?"


    Cedric''s expression darkened. "I don''t want to hear any provocation again."


    Laura scoffed. "You''re saying you don''t care?"


    Cedric shook his head. "That ''older man'' was me. And we were just friends back then. Don''t spread baseless rumors about her."


    Laura was stunned. That school doctor was Cedric? Her mind raced. Why had Cedric been working as a lowlyschool doctor? Had he known Noelle all along?


    His expression hardened. "Go back and warn your sister. If she targets Noelle again, your family will regret it."


    Laura took a step back, shaken. Then, she turned and fled.


    Cedric narrowed his eyes. The Merlocks are getting bolder these days. He assumed they would take the hint after Magnus dismissed the engagement rumors.


    Not long after, Noelle returned in fresh clothes. Her face warmed when she saw him.


    "Oh, I forgot to tell you. The press conference a few days ago didn''t go well."


    "That was because I wasn''t there. We can always reschedule it. This time, there won''t be any issues Cedric looked at her seriously. "I ise."


    He regretted his business trip even more. He hadn''t expected Donovan to plot against Noelle.


    Noelle smiled. "No need."


    Cedric hummed. "What''s your n now?"


    Noelle shrugged. "I''m going back to the Liddell family."


    Cedric''s expression shifted. "Why?"

 Chapter 486

    Noelle sighed. "You probably already know that Donovan is using my parents'' inheritance to threaten me. Since there was no will for the inheritance distribution, I can''t retrieve those items for now, and I don''t want them to fall into Xenia''s hands."


    "Mr. Rodrick told me about this. Lawsuits take time, but you don''t have to return to the Liddell family because of it." Cedric held her hand. "And you don''t need to be afraid of the Cantrell family. What happenedst time was only because I wasn''t there."


    "It wouldn''t have changed much even if you had been. The Cantrell family holds immense power in the media industry. Ordinary people can''t win against them." Cedric paused. "Noelle, you don''t have to be so cautious all the time."


    "We''re in Yasnia. Sometimes, you have no choice but toply." Noelle looked at him seriously. "But my decision to return to the Liddell family isn''t just about reiming my parents'' inheritance. There''s another important reason."


    Cedric was confused. "What is it?"


    She took a deep breath. "I discovered that there''s more to the car ident back then."


    Cedric''s heart dropped. It took him a while to find his voice again. "What did you find?"


    Did she discover his involvement? Cedric felt like a prisoner awaiting judgment.


    Noelle hummed. "I found out that Xenia''s father is still alive."


    Cedric was in disbelief. "Wasn''t her father your parents'' driver? He supposedly died in the explosion."


    He had been at the scene back then and saw the driver return to the car right before it exploded. Survival was impossible under those circumstances.


    Noelle nodded. "I used to believe that, too. But I had TG Public Rtions track Xenia, and they captured photos of her meeting with a middle-aged man."


    Cedric was skeptical. "Are you certain that man is Xenia''s father?"


    "I''m sure. There''s no mistake." At first, Noelle had doubted herself. But after recalling the past, she confirmed it was Xenia''s father.


    Cedric was shocked. So the driver didn''t die after all?


    He pressed, "Then who was driving that day? The driver did die. But are we sure it was Xenia''s father?"


    Noelle hummed. "Exactly. I tried to probe my brothers, and they insisted that the driver was Xenia''s father. Some of them even saw him before the trip."


    Cedric suggested, "Could there have been a switch midway?"


    Noelle nodded. "I''ve considered that, but my parents are gone, and I can''t remember exactly what happened have no evidence to support


    theory As for Xenia''s father, boot.ne


    appeared just once, and then we lost all traces of him."


    Cedric was surprised. "Even TG Public Rtion couldn''t track him?"


    Noelle shook her head. "No. That''s why I decided to return to the Liddell family. If I can push Xenia into a corner likest time, the people behind her will eventually reveal themselves."


    Cedric thought for a moment. "I found no connection to the Merlocks when I investigated the ident, even though they were the prime suspects. But if we look at it from


    this angle, it''s very likely that Xenia''s father orchestrated everything."


    Noelle gasped. "You''re right. Ipletely overlooked that. If we start by looking into the driver, we might uncover something."


    Cedric ran his fingers through her hair. "It''s just spection for now. A lot of time has passed. We need to be patient."


    Noelle sighed. "I know, but the ident wasn''t as simple as it seemed. Donovan once mentioned that the driver had ties to the Merlocks. And there was someone else in that car."


    Cedric pursed his lips and felt speechless. Even his fingers were trembling. Finally, he found his voice. "What do you n to do if you find that person?"


    "I want to know why they were in such a rush that day and why they ran the yellow light." Noelle grew emotional. "The ident never would have happened if they hadn''t run the light."


    None of this would have happened if the ident hadn''t happened.


    Her eyes were filled with hatred. "I will make them pay!"


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


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 487

    When Cedric met Noelle''s gaze, he almost lost his bnce for a moment. Her eyes were bloodshot, seemingly filled with hatred.


    That look in her eyes felt like a knife stabbing into his chest, causing him immense pain. He found that it was hard to even breathe.


    Cedric carefully wiped away the tears at the corners of her eyes. "He will pay for this."


    However, they had already paid the price.


    Noelle quickly regained herposure and replied, "I have to find out the truth about the car ident from then on."


    "I''ll help you with the investigation," Cedric replied.


    He made up his mind. Since Xenia''s father was still alive, he realized that the ident was not as simple as he had thought. He began to wonder if the Merlock family was really innocent.


    Cedric needed to look into the matter thoroughly. He nced at Noelle and could not bring himself to say what had been on the tip of his tongue.


    Noelle looked at the clock and said, "Shall we start sparring practice?"


    He turned around and brought out a box. "I got this when I was on my business trip. I hope you like them."


    She opened the box and found a pair of red boxing gloves. "It looks good!"


    Noelle had been using the gym''s gloves but had not yet bought her own. She had nned to purchase a pair of boxing gloves once she got better at the sport, but she did not expect Cedric to have already bought one for her.


    "Do you like them?" Cedric asked.


    "I like them! This is a great gift," Noelle replied. She immediately put them on and found that it was a perfect fit.


    As he stared at her smile, his eyes became filled with a mix of emotions. He eventually spoke up with a heavy heart. "Try them on and see how they feel."


    Noelle was too focused on the gift to notice the deep sorrow in his eyes.


    After sparring practice, Noelle was so exhausted that shey t on the floor. She looked at her gloves and said, "Having my own boxing gloves really does feel different. These are so much better."


    Cedric considerately brought her a towel and a bottle of water and even helped to wipe the sweat off her neck.


    Noelle suddenly reached out and cupped his face. "Cedric, I just realized that there''s something on your face."


    "What is it?" he asked.


    "I realized that you''re kinda handsome," she replied.


    She realized that Cedric did not react much, so she cleared her throat and exined, "That was supposed to be a cheesy pick-up line. Ever heard of them?"


    What was supposed to be a cheesy pick-up line seemed to have been turned into ame joke.


    Cedric stared at her face and lowered his head to kiss her on the lips. That kiss was sudden, but it was even more passionate than theirst.


    Noelle wrapped her arms around his neck and closed her eyes, her eyshes trembling slightly.


    The light above them cast a glow over them. Cedric opened his eyes and stared at Noelle in front of him, his gaze filled with deep affection He had to admit that he got afraid when he came face to face with Noelle.


    It was not until they heard the sound of a


    nearer moving their tools


    nearby that Noelle finally opened her eyes from embarrassment. She then locked eyes with Cedric''s deep gaze.


    She felt that Cedric was not in a good mood somehow.


    Cedric moved away and handed her a bottle of water. "Let''s rest for a bit and then


    change our clothes. Do you want to grab ate-night snack after?"


    Noelle took a sip of water and then checked the time. "It''s already gettingte.


    Let''s skip thete-night snack. I''m not that hungry anyway."


    She then looked up at him and asked, "What''s wrong, Cedric?"


    "Nothing," he replied.


    "Liar. You were obviously not in a good mood just now."


    Noelle grew a little worried, wondering if he was facing some kind of trouble.


    Cedric used a towel to help wipe off the sweat on her neck and replied, "You must be seeing things. Why would I not be in a good mood when I''m on a date with you?"


    He was good at hiding his feelings as well as adjusting his tone.


    Noelle looked at him closer and saw nothing unusual, so she did not press on further.


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 Chapter 488

    Noelle stood up and took off her boxing gloves. "If anyone''s giving you a hard time because of me. Just tell me, okay?"


    Cedric unexpectedly felt protected by someone. He took her gloves and smiled. "Alright, I''ll ask you for help if I have to."


    Noelle finally headed to the changing room to change her clothes. Cedric looked at her red boxing gloves and lowered his head to kiss them. His expression became twisted from a mix of emotions.


    He was afraid of saying it out loud. He was afraid of her looking at him with hatred in her eyes. And so, he could not do it.


    When Noelle came out from the changing room, she saw that Cedric was no longer waiting for her at their usual spot.


    As she was about to take out her phone to give him a call, she saw that he had left her a message. "Something just came up at thepany, so I had to leave right away. I left some stuff at the front desk for you."


    So, he had already left.


    Noelle headed to the front desk and saw a bag containing arge box of sushi. Although she did not have much of an appetite, she could still enjoy some sushi.


    She lowered her head and sent a reply to Cedric. "I picked up the food. Don''t overwork yourself, okay?"


    On her way back to university, Noelle wondered if Cedric was working overtime because of the Al project. When she arrived back at her dorm, she overheard Grace''s anxious voice.


    "Are you okay, Micah? Do you need to go to the hospital?"


    Noelle saw Micah copsing to the floor, so she rushed forward to catch and support her. Grace''s physique was too small to support Micah alone.


    Micah''s face was deathly pale, and her body was shivering. "I don''t need to go to the hospital. I just haven''t eaten anything."


    Noelle handed the box of sushi to Grace and said, "Hold this for me. I''ll carry her to the infirmary."


    "I''ming with you!" Grace ran alongside Noelle as they headed straight to the infirmary.


    Noelle ran all the way to the infirmary and ced Micah down on a bed before she urgently exined the situation. "Doctor! She suddenly fainted! She said that she hadn''t been eating properly. Could it be because of low blood sugar?"


    The doctor examined Micah for a while and exined, "If Micah doesn''t have any other pre-existing medical conditions, then it''s most likely hypoglycemia, which is what you know as low blood sugar. She''s also slightly malnourished."


    Noelle let out a breath of relief as she realized that it was not something too serious.


    She looked at Micah lying on the infirmary bed and asked, "What would you like to eat, Micah? I''ll order some takeout for you."


    Micah''s voice was soft. "There''s no need for that; thank you."


    But right after she finished speaking, her stomach let out a loud growl.


    Noelle took the box of sushi from Grace and said, "Let''s just eat together. There''s plenty to share anyway."


    She was initially not very hungry, but running around had really made her hungry.


    Grace walked over and said, "This


    sushi is from a really famous and et


    Densive restaurant! Your boyfriend sure treats you well, Noelle


    "Really? I didn''t really check on the brand," Noelle replied before taking a piece of sushi and cing it into her mouth. She soon realized that it was indeed delicious.


    She handed one piece to Micah and said, "No need to be embarrassed, Micah. I


    can''t finish all of it anyway. Help me out!"


    A piece of sushi was now ced on Micah''s hand. She nced at it and whispered, "Thanks, you two."


    Grace smiled and replied, "There''s no need to thank us, Micah. We''re roommates, so we should look after one another!"


    Micah lowered her head and ate the sushi in small bites.


    Noelle and Grace looked at each other. They did not ask Micah why she had not


    been eating and just acted like everything was normal.


    They stayed with Micah while she received a glucose drip.


    Grace then asked Noelle. "Can you get back the inheritance your parents left for you?"


    "I''d have to go to court for it. It won''t be easy, considering there''s no written will," Noelle replied.


    Grace was furious on Noelle''s


    behalf. "Donovan sure is awful! He just gave all your stuff to Xenia and


    even forced you to give in to her, even though you were the one who got beaten up!"


    Noelle tried to brush it off casually. "I know, but I already have a n anyway. I


    won''t let Xenia take what''s rightfully mine."


    "Is there something we don''t know going on between Donovan and Xenia


    anyway? Why is he so biased toward her?" Grace asked.


    When Micah heard that, her eyes seemed to be lost in thought.


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 Chapter 489

    Noelle had never really considered such a possibility. She recalled that in her previous life, Xenia was chasing after Justin with the intention of marrying into a wealthy family.


    She figured that Xenia would not even spare a nce for a family like the Liddells. She shook her head and said, "I''m not sure about that."


    Donovan had always been biased toward Xenia. In Noelle''s previous life, he was the one who suggested bringing Xenia into the Liddell family, which was why even Noelle herself had no idea.


    After a while, Micah spoke up. "You two should just head back to the dorm for now. You don''t have to wait for me."


    Grace immediately replied, "It''s not like there''s much time left anyway. I already talked to the dorm supervisor and told her that we''d be back muchter. It''s fine."


    Noelle chimed in and said, "The three of us came here together, so we''ll also be going back together."


    Micah was afraid of meeting Noelle''s eyes. Her hands hiding under the covers slowly clenched together as she decided not to say more.


    And so, the three of them headed back to the dorm together.


    Grace and Noelle deliberately slowed down their own pace to match Micah''s slower steps.


    Once they returned to their dorm, Noelle took a shower and went straight to bed. She had already gotten plenty of exercise that day.


    There were no sses the next morning, so she slept all the way until noon.


    When she got out of bed, she noticed that the table was filled with various delicious-looking dishes. She was surprised, as she did not expect Micah to usually eat so well.


    Micah gathered her courage and spoke up. "Let''s eat together, Noelle."


    "Sure!" Noelle quickly realized that it was Micah trying to thank her and Grace for their help, which was why Micah invited them for a meal.


    Noelle did not refuse. After Noelle finished freshening up and sat down for lunch, she noticed that the dishes were all from L Bistro.


    She had eaten at L Bistro before, and she recognized the dishes'' signature taste. Even the tableware was the same.


    It would seem that Micah came from a well-off family.


    In the afternoon, Noelle went to the e-sports team''s base for training as usual while the film crew continued their shooting outside. The school life-themed drama was not yet finished after all.


    As soon as Noelle arrived, she overheard the director scolding Xenia with a harsh tone.


    The manager spotted Noelle and enthusiastically rushed to her side. "You''re here, Ms. Liddell! Come and have a seat over here! It''ll help shade you from the sun."  fo


    Noelle was now the majority shareholder of thepany, so they could not afford to offend her. She smirked a little as she walked into the shade. The spot used to Belong to ke.


    The moment Xenia noticed Noelle''s arrival, her expression turned even uglier. Noelle was half smiling as she turned to the manager. "Is Xenia not doing well?" "Ms. Quigley is still a newbie after all, so her acting skills aren''t quite up to par," the manager replied.


    Noelle turned to Xenia and said, "You should pay attention to the director''s tutge, Xenia. I don''t want you wasting thepany''s resources."


    Xenia was so furious that her eyes turned red.


    Ever since Noelle became thepany''s majority shareholder, all of the employees had switched sides in an instant. It was nothing short of infuriating for


    her.


    With that, Noelle turned and left for the e-sports team''s base, not intending to linger outside any longer.


    Another employee next to the manager asked, "Wasn''t Ms. Quigley supposed to take over thepany? Why did it suddenly end up in Ms. Liddell''s hands?"


    The manager exined, "You don''t get it, do you? Noelle Liddell is the true heiress of the Liddell family. Blood is thicker than water, after all.


    "Siblings may have a falling out once in a while, but they''ll always reconcile in the end. Well, at the end of the day, outsiders will always be just that, outsiders."


    The manager''s words were meant for Xenia''s ears.


    Had Xenia not deliberately used that video to provoke ke, the live stream incident would not have happened, and ke would not have been disfigured.


    Now that Noelle was made thepany''s majority shareholder, it was clear that the family would always stick together.


    Xenia now finally understood the concept of a cruel and harsh reality, leaving her heart filled with hatred.


    If Noelle were to return to the Liddells, Xenia''s days would be numbered.


    She could not take it anymore.

 Chapter 490

    As Noelle returned to the team''s base, she sent a message to the TG PR team. "Keep a close watch on Xenia these days."


    Xenia had grown ustomed to an easy life with the Liddell family. Now that Noelle had been slowly shedding Xenia of her innocent facade, Xenia would definitely try to reach out to her father.


    For the next two days, Xenia continued being scolded on set. Even the manager''s attitude toward Xenia grew noticeably colder. Noelle just assumed that it was most likely under ke''s orders.


    On Friday, Noelle suddenly found herself added back to the family''s group chat. She recalled that she had left the group chat right after she was reborn in her current life.


    She read the messages and saw that Frank had tagged her. "It''s the weekend tomorrow. Are you free toe home for dinner tonight?"


    Noelle immediately agreed.


    Xenia, who was outside, also saw the message in the group chat. She became so furious that she smashed the cup in her hand in a fit of rage.


    The group chat had always been just the few of them without Noelle for some time now.


    Xenia felt that she had been the happiest in her life, but now, Noelle hade back to ruin everything.


    She walked aside and pulled out an old backup phone to make a call, her voice trembling as she suppressed her sobs. "How much longer do I have to endure all of this? Can''t we just get rid of Noelle with a car ident just like back then?"


    A voice replied from the other end. "Xenia, you can''t let your impatience ruin our ns. Didn''t you say that the Liddells are currently investigating the incident? I can''t make any moves now because of that, or I''ll risk being exposed."


    "So I''m supposed to endure even more of this?" Xenia asked.


    The voice exined, "Bear with it, for now, Xenia. You can take out some money from the foundation if you need to.


    "And for the Al project, if you can manage to persuade Donovan to coborate with the person I rmended, we will be able to siphon more than half of Liddell Corporation''s funds. Once that''s done, you won''t have to suffer under the Liddell family any longer."


    Xenia reluctantly nodded after she finished listening to the voice''s exnation. She agreed to endure a little longer.


    Once the Liddell family went bankrupt, she would pay back the humiliation she received that day a thousandfold back to Noelle.


    ...


    After the e-sports team''s training was over, Cedric called Noelle. His voice was as calm as ever. "Any ns for the weekend?"


    "Not yet, but I''m heading back to the Liddell residence tonight. You know, to keep up the act till the end," Noelle replied.


    Cedric could hear the eagerness in her voice. "You sound excited."


    "Of course I am. This is going to be a great show."


    "But I''m worried about you going back there alone. I''ll go with you."


    Cedric was worried that the Liddells might lose their temper and resort to violence against Noelle.


    Noelle almost choked on her drink. "You want toe with me?"


    "Yeah, why? Is there a problem?" Cedric asked.


    She smiled and replied, "No, I just think


    A that i


    `it''s unnecessary. How


    you join me to visit


    parents'' graves after the


    Year?"


    To Noelle, her parents were the only family. Cedric fell silent for quite some time


    before giving his reply. "Okay."


    But deep down in his heart, he was still uncertain.


    He wondered if Noelle would still choose to stay with him once he confessed everything.


    "Alright, that''s a promise. Oh, and let''s have dinner together tomorrow," Noelle replied.


    "Sounds good. Send me the address and keep me updated about your whereabouts."


    Noelle did as he asked and sent Cedric the address.


    As she left the campus to hail a taxi,


    she noticed ke''s car parked by the side. ke''s manager stood outside the car and greeted her "Ms. Liddel the future Best Actor, has personallye to pick you up for dinner."


    Just then, Xenia also walked out of the campus and recognized ke''s car instantly.


    She gritted her teeth and approached the car. "ke, are you here to pick us up?"


    ke rolled down the car window.


    He was still wearing a mask, and his


    gaze was ice-cold. "I''m here to pick


    up my sister. Who do you think you are?"

 Chapter 491

    Noelle just stood silently by the side, watching as Xenia''s face turned red with anger.


    Xenia spoke with an aggrieved tone. "ke, I''m also a part of the Liddell family."


    "You''re not worthy!" shouted ke before rolling up the car window, no longer intent on talking with her.


    Noelle walked over and nced at Xenia. "Did you really think that your little tricks wouldst you a lifetime? That is unless you can keep up the act forever. Unfortunately, you''ve failed."


    Xenia''s expression darkened instantly.


    She deeply regretted not listening to her father and continued putting up an act in front of ke.


    But ke''s attacks were too painful for her to bear. At the time, his reputation was in shambles, and he was about to face awsuit from Noelle.


    Xenia thought ke was done for and no longer bothered to keep up the act in front of him. She never expected that ke and Noelle would end up joining forces.


    The car drove away right after Noelle had gotten into it.


    Xenia was left standing by herself, stomping her feet in frustration. She swore that once she and her father had drained the Liddell family of everything, she would make them pay for everything they had done.


    ...


    Meanwhile, inside the car. Noelle nced at Xenia, left on the road, and asked, "Aren''t you afraid that she''llin to Donovan?"


    It was what Xenia excelled at doing, after all.


    ke remained silent for a while before replying. "Donovan''s the only one still protecting her now. Everyone else already knows what kind of person she is."


    "Yeah, most people only realize how painful it is when they''re the one that gets hurt. I get that feeling," Noelle mocked him and said nothing more.


    ke hesitated for a while and then asked, "There is still plenty of work to do at thepany. How do you n to handle them?"


    "You''ll take care of them. I don''t really have the time for that right now," she replied.


    ke let out a sigh of relief after hearing Noelle''s reply. He realized that Noelle''s target was Xenia and not him.


    The car soon arrived at a vi. Noelle looked at the house and remembered that in her previous life, she had only lived in Aldoria and had never had the chance toe here. As she stepped out of the can, she saw the housekeepers lined up in two neat rows.


    Just then, Xenia had also arrived by taxi. She stormed out of the car angrily and, upon seeing the grand wee, deliberately rushed ahead of Noelle to enter the house first.


    "Wee home, Ms. Quigley!" the housekeepers spoke up in unison.


    Xenia walked to the front with a smug smile, enjoying the attention of the housekeepers. But it did notst long, as someone grabbed her by her hair and yanked her


    je


    backward. ke had grabbed onto her hair and forcefully dragged her to the back.


    Xenia teared up from the pain as she asked, "ke, what are you doing?"


    "Know your ce, Xenia. Today''s event is specially arranged for Noelle alone.


    Who do you think you are to walk ahead of her?" ke replied before pushing Xenia aside, causing her to copse to the ground.


    Having been humiliated in front of a


    crowd, Xenia noticed that the housekeepers were all giving her disdainful and mocking looks. She lost heposure and yelled, But I''m also a member of the Liddell family! Why can''t I walk in first?"


    For a long time, she was the only princess in the family.


    Xenia had grown ustomed to being the center of attention, but everything had changed now that Noelle had returned.


    ke sneered and exined, "The Liddell family treated you equally at first. But you know full well about what you''ve been plotting behind our backs. You''re not worthy of the kindness that we''ve shown you."


    He recalled Xenia''s immediate shift in character after she took over thepany from Donovan a few days ago. He immediately felt that all the goodwill he had shown her for years was a shameful mistake and a taint on history.


    Xenia felt so guilty that she became speechless. She regretted not keeping up the act in front of ke for a little longer.


    ke turned to Noelle and said, "Let''s do this again properly."


    Noelle had been watching as the entire scene unfolded before her. She tilted her head slightly and nced at Xenia before taunting her. "Trying to take my ce, Xenia? Not even close."


    With that, she turned and walked toward the vi.


    The housekeepers greeted her in unison with loud and clear voices. "Wee home, Ms. Liddell!"


    Frank and Lucas were both waiting by the door, each of them holding a bouquet of flowers.

 Chapter 492

    Xenia turned green with envy as she watched the scene from the gate. It was all supposed to be hers, yet Noelle had taken it all away the very moment she


    returned.


    She felt that the Liddells were ungrateful. She had treated them so well for so many years, yet they had never treated her as well as Noelle.


    Xenia turned to the housekeepers and shouted arrogantly. "Why is no one helping me up? Are you all blind or something?"


    The housekeepers just ignored her and rushed back into the vi.


    Xenia had no choice but to wobble her way into the vi on her own.


    Meanwhile, Noelle looked around the vi''s interior and said, "The furnishings here remind me of Aldoria."


    Frank exined, "That''s right. Mom and Dad designed it long ago, and we never changed a thing. We tried to keep it as it was."


    Her eyes became filled with a sense of nostalgia.


    Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed that Xenia had entered the house. So she deliberately asked, "Where''s my room?"


    Frank immediately replied, "It''s upstairs. We''ve already tidied it up for you."


    "If that''s the case, that would mean that a certain someone might not have a ce to stay anymore," Noelle turned to Xenia with a feigned look of concern. "But I guess it can''t be helped. This house was bought by my parents, and the biggest room was always meant for me."


    Xenia furiously retorted, "Donovan already bought me another house aspensation!"


    It would seem that Donovan really did treat Xenia well.


    Frank saw through Xenia''s attempt at showing off and replied bluntly. "Since Donovan already got you another house, you should move out."


    Xenia''s expression shifted immediately, and she was at a loss for words for a long time.


    ke nodded in agreement. "That''s right. You aren''t really our family, after all. It''s not right for you to live with us."


    Xenia was so furious that she started to cry. But this time, no one came tofort her.


    Frank, ke, and even Lucas were all on Noelle''s side, pretending as if Xenia did not even exist.


    Noelle casually strolled upstairs as she deliberately shot Xenia a provocative look.


    It was only just the beginning.


    Noelle returned to her room and felt emotional for a moment.


    In her previous life, she never even had the chance to set foot into the vi, let alone stay in her room. It was given away to Xenia, and nothing was ever left for Noelle.


    Soon, it was time for dinner.


    Donovan had returned, and Xenia was the first to rush forward and greet him. Aside from Donovan, the rest of the brothers no longer cared about her after all.


    Donovan noticed that Xenia''s arm was scraped, and his expression immediately sank. "How did you get hurt?"


    Xenia stammered, "When Noelle returned, identally walked in front of her, and she got angry about it. It''s not her fault, Donovan, really. She finally got toe home, so I don''t really want to cause trouble."


    "Hmph! Who the hell does she think she is? Does Noelle think that she can do whatever she wants?" Donovan replied before storming into the vi.


    A cold smirk appeared on Xenia''s face as she stood at the side. As long as


    Donovan was still on her side, no one else could really harm her.


    Noelle was sitting on the sofa when she looked up to see Donovan approaching her with an angry look on his face. It was apparent that Xenia had already voiced hepints to him.


    Donovan spoke up. "Noelle, you''ve only juste back, and you''re already causing trouble! Why did you hurt Xenia?"


    Noelle lifted her gaze slightly with an amused look, not saying anything.


    ke then stood up with an irritated look. He stepped forward to grab Xenia''s hair and then shove her to the ground.


    Xenia screamed out loud. "Donovan!"


    Donovan was so shocked that he could only stare at ke and asked, "What are you doing?"


    "I''m showing you how Xenia got hurt, Donovan. Do you see it now? This is exactly what happened. It had nothing to do with Noelle," ke replied.


    It took quite some time for Donovan to squeeze out a response. "There''s no need for you to do it again!"


    Noelle could not help butugh. It was just too entertaining of a scene.


    Donovan, both furious and embarrassed, red at Noelle and said, "How can you


    stillugh, Noelle? Everything here happened because of you!"


    Noelle mmed her cup down and put up a dramatic tone. "Oh, I guess this family doesn''t really like mypany that much. I guess I should be taking my leave then. So much for that so-called


    reconciliation that we talked about just a few days ago, hmm?"


    With that, she walked out of the vi.


    ke seemed as if he had given up. "Donovan! If Lucas and I end up in jail, it''s because you made Noelle leave!"


    Donovan''s face turned red from anger as he turned around to chase after Noelle.

 Chapter 493

    As Noelle reached the doorway, Donovan chased after her and shouted, "Stop right there, Noelle!"


    Noelle had no intention of arguing any further. "There''s no reason for me to say now that your words meant nothing."


    His expression changed slightly as he immediately came up with a lie. "I must have misheard what Xenia said just now, which caused me to misunderstand that you were the one that hurt her."


    He could not afford to take responsibility for what would happen to ke and Lucas if Noelle were to leave now.


    Noelle smirked and asked, "Did you really mishear things? Or did someone deliberately lie to you?"


    Donovan''s tone turned softer. "Does it matter?"


    "Of course it does. You guys always loved to sweep everything under the rug and call it a day, and I''m no longer a fan of that. Everything should be made clear as day," she replied.


    As soon as Noelle finished speaking, ke pulled Xenia forward with him.


    He then red at Xenia and said, "Tell us exactly what you said to Donovan just now. Repeat it, word for word."


    Xenia felt extremely guilty as she nced at Donovan. "Donovan, I never said that it was Noelle who hit me."


    Donovan felt wronged in that instant. Although Xenia had not explicitly stated who had hurt her, her tone suggested that Noelle had done it.


    Donovan thought for a while and then turned back to Noelle. "Well, I was the one who misheard things. Is that good enough?"


    ke exined, "Donovan, you should apologize to Noelle since you misheard the details. "


    Frank walked over and chimed in as well. "That''s right, Donovan. It''s your own mistake to assume that Noelle was wrong. Noelle suffered a lot because of our prejudice against her. We can''t let history repeat itself."


    Donovan looked visibly reluctant to apologize, as he was the eldest brother in the family.


    Noticing his hesitation, Xenia exined, "Donovan did nothing wrong! It was my fault for misleading him and causing all of this misunderstanding. Let me apologize instead."


    Donovan felt relieved when he saw Xenia take responsibility for her actions. He had been rather upset with her before.


    As Xenia put up her usual pitiful act and approached Noelle, Noelle suddenly raised her hand and pped Xenia across the face. Xenia was stunned.


    Noelle casually rubbed her wrist and said, "Since you''re apologizing, it means that you''ve admitted to your mistakes. This p is a little punishment for your own good."


    Xenia shrieked, "For my own good?!"


    "Of course Your vague and


    misleading words can easily cause misunderstandings. It''s not a good habit to have. I''m kindly helping you correct it, so you should be thanking me," Noelle replied. ''


    She then helped Xenia up and continued in a pretentious tone, "It''s best not to talk


    like that again, okay? I really don''t want to punish you."


    Xenia felt a chill running down her


    spine as she stared at Noelle''s gentle expression. She felt that


    Noelle was even more terrifying like this. She could only wonder what Noelle was actually nning.


    Xenia hurriedly turned back to Donovan. "Donovan!"


    Donovan cleared his throat and replied, "Noelle''s right. She even helped you back up. It shows that she still wants to get along with you."


    Xenia was bbergasted. She felt that Noelle''s behavior was anything but trying


    to get along with her. But now that Donovan had spoken, she did not dare to say anything else.


    Noelle let go of Xenia''s hand and deliberately wiped her own hand on Xenia''s clothes.


    Xenia''s face turned red from anger. She could tell that Noelle was doing all of this on purpose and that Noelle was just pretending to return to the Liddells so that she could take everything away from her,


    The group soon returned to the living room, and Gordon approached them. "Mr. Donovan, shall we serve dinner now?"


    Noelle''s gaze turned cold when she saw Gordon, realizing that he had alsoe


    to Yasnia. Gordon noticed her gaze, but he did not dare to meet her eyes.


    As everyone started taking their seats, Noelle saw Xenia casually pulling out a chair, and she immediately sat down on it. "Thanks, Xenia."


    Xenia snapped at her. "That''s my seat!"


    "Is that so? But I just so happen to prefer this seat for dinner." Noelle showed no intention of moving away.

 Chapter 494

    ke spoke up. "Xenia, Noelle just came home, so you should amodate her."


    Frank chimed in as well. "Any seat is the same, no? You can sit here, Xenia."


    Xenia was so angry that she burst into tears. Back then, she had always deliberately taken away Noelle''s seat, and her older brothers had always spoken up for her. She never expected that one day, she would be the one on the receiving end.


    Donovan remained silent. Xenia was left with no choice but to take another seat, still feeling wronged. Noelle noticed that Xenia was visibly displeased, which was what she wanted to see.


    Gordon soon arrived to serve up the dishes along with other housekeepers.


    Noelle''s cutlery slipped from her hand and fell to the ground, so she looked up at Gordon and said, "Give me a new pair."


    Gordon did as he was told and brought over a new pair of cutlery.


    After taking a bite of the food, Noelle spat it out on the te and said, "Gordon, is something wrong in the kitchen? How could you serve something so awful? Are you trying to tell me that I''m not wee back home?"


    Gordon was starting to lose his patience. "Ms. Noelle, all the dishes were prepared by the head chef. There''s no way that they would taste bad."


    Her gaze carried a hint of mockery. "It tastes bad to me. Looks like you''re not doing your job well enough. I suggest recing our butler."


    Xenia quickly interjected her. "Gordon''s been with our family for over a decade! Everyone''s already used to having him around! How can you just rece him like that?"


    Noelle was adamant. "He changed the front gate''s password without permission and even tampered with stuff that our parents left behind. I don''t think someone like that is fit to work for the Liddell family. I don''t want to see him again."


    Donovan was at a loss for words, so he turned to look at Frank.


    Frank spoke up. "Since Noelle doesn''t like Gordon, we''ll just hire someone else. But considering that Gordon''s been with us for over a decade, let''s just send him back to our old home in Aldoria.


    "He doesn''t have to stay here with us any longer. What do you think, Donovan?"


    Donovan felt that it was just a trivial matter. If this was in the past, he would have just told Noelle to let it go. But now, with Noelle''s temper, if they were to anger her, she would probably cause a scene and say that they no longer wanted to reconcile.


    After weighing his options, he decided that it was best for Gordon to leave. He nodded and replied, "That works, too."


    Xenia began to panic when she saw that Donovan had agreed. "Donovan, we can''t just send Gordon back to our old home!"


    Donovan grew annoyed as he replied, "Why are you being so stubborn, Xenia? Gordon also came from Aldoria, so going back there is the most suitable option for him."


    Xenia held onto Donovan''s arm and acted like a spoiled kid, thinking that she could gain his pity like before. "But Gordon''s already like family to me! I don''t want to see him leave!"


    This time, however, Donovan just pushed her away. "We''ll do as Frank suggested."


    It was just about dismissing a butler. It was nothing worth making a fuss over.


    Frank turned to Xenia and said, "If you really can''t be without Gordon, then you can go back to Aldoria with him."


    Xenia immediately fell silent, as she did not want to go back to their old home. But without Gordon around, she would no longer be able to pull off her usual tricks.


    All of the housekeepers were newly hired. They were all eager to curry favor with Noelle and disregarded Xenia.


    Xenia sat at the table with a sour expression and barely ate anything. Noelle, on the other hand, was feasting to her heart''s content. Her joy was derived from Xenia''s suffering.


    After the meal, Donovan turned to Noelle and said, "Now that you''ve made peace with the family, it''s time for you to go to the police station and withdraw your disputes as well as rify everything to the public."


    "There''s no need to rush. We can take our time," Noelle replied.


    She was not so foolish as to do as she was told. She knew that Donovan would immediately turn his back on her if she had done so. With that, she left the dining


    room.


    Donovan set down his cutlery and said, "Hmph! Noelle''s getting worse! Xenia, you should stop provoking her for now."


    Xenia was furious. She watched


    Noelle''s retreating figure and made up her mind to deal with her that night Otherwise, she would not be able to stay around in the Liddell family for long.

 Chapter 495

    Noelle sat in the outer living hall and had Gordon bring her some tea. She picked up the cup to sniff and immediately put it back down. "Brew it again," she said.


    Gordon was angry, but he did not dare to speak up. He brought the tea back and brewed another cup for her.


    When Noelle reached for the cup, she found that it was too hot and directly sshed it onto Gordon. "Are you trying to scald me?"


    Gordon''s gaze turned cold as he quickly apologized. "I''m sorry, Ms. Noelle. I didn''t mean to."


    Noelle sneered in response. She had done what she did on purpose.


    Xenia walked over after witnessing the scene. "Noelle, Gordon''s already quite old. You should just have the other housekeepers serve your tea."


    "He''s also a housekeeper, is he not? If you feel so sorry for him, why don''t you go and brew the tea in his stead?" Noelle asked.


    "Noelle, you''re just making things difficult for him," Xenia was not going to do it herself.


    Noelle sneered and replied, "That''s right. I don''t like him, so I''m doing all of this on purpose. Got a problem with that? Not that you can say anything about it."


    She would no longer tolerate anything or anyone in the Liddell family that made her ufortable.


    Xenia turned to look at Donovan, only to find that he just pretended not to see a thing. It made her even angrier, as she felt that Donovan should be on her side.


    ke sneered at Xenia and said, "If you want to y pretend as a saint, then go ahead and do Gordon''s job, too, instead of just standing around."


    Xenia finally shut her mouth for good.


    Noelle then spoke up. "Isn''t the foundation organizing a charity sales event? How''s the preparation for it going?"


    Xenia reluctantly answered, "It''s on this weekend."


    "Give me a copy of the event nning. I need to see what needs fixing."


    "The event is already happening this weekend! How is there any time left for changes?"


    Noelle smirked and replied, "I''m the boss, you know? I decide everything. If you don''t want to be in charge, you can quit right away."


    Xenia immediately turned to look at Donovan for help.


    Noelle then spoke up. "Looking to Donovan for help is useless, Xenia. The foundation is mine, so I have the final say."


    Donovan cleared his throat and said, "Xenia, it''ll be best if you don''t interfere with things. Saves you the trouble."


    Xenia did not want to let it go. "No way! I''ll see my responsibilities through to the end!"


    Noelle sneered upon seeing how persistent Xenia was about the charity sales event. She could not believe just how greedy Xenia was to even go after money from an event about charity.


    After that, Noelle went back to her room.


    She then received a message from Cedric. "Is the show over?"


    "Today''s a wrap. Turns out being an unreasonable person makes life much more pleasant," she replied.


    Noelle then started a video call with Cedric. "Look, this is the room that my parents decorated and left for me."


    Cedric saw that the walls were fully colored pink, as well as all the decorations that a little girl would love.


    His gaze turned deep as he spoke up. "You really were your parent''s little princess."


    "Of course," Noelle replied.


    Looking at the room, she could feel that her parents had really loved her.


    The two of them chatted for a while before Xenia''s voice came from outside. "Here''s the event nning."


    Noelle nced at Cedric and said, "I''m hanging up for now."


    She ended the call and went to open


    the door.


    Xenia then reluctantly


    handed Noelle the docue Den


    "These are the stuff you wanted."


    Noelle took a look at them and said, "You wrote all of this?"


    "That''s right, I wrote the whole thing. Donovan also reviewed it and said that there were no problems with it."


    "But I see a lot of problems. Seems


    like


    plenty to be revised.


    Listen well, Xenia, evvel I must be done by toniol


    II


    Xenia gritted her teeth and replied, "Fine."

 Chapter 496

    Noelle pointed out numerous issues before tossing the document toward Xenia''s face. "Revise all the things I''ve mentioned and have it done by tonight."


    "Alright, Noelle. Don''t lock your door, alright? I''lle find you once I''m done," Xenia replied.


    "Sure, now get out."


    Noelle then watched as Xenia left, her eyes flickering with various thoughts. The moment she returned to her room, Xenia''s expression turned gloomy.


    Gordon opened the door quietly with a ss of milk. "Ms. Xenia, you can''t just sit around and wait for your demise. You need to take action, or your life will only get harder!"


    "You think I don''t know that?" She took a look at the documents in her hand and then looked up at him. "I have an idea, but I don''t know if you have the guts to go through with it."


    "Tell me about it, Ms. Xenia."


    "Since you''re getting sent back to Aldoria tomorrow anyway, why not take revenge before you leave? Noelle will be expecting my revised documents tonight, so she won''t be locking her door."


    Xenia''s voice was dripping with malice as she continued, "Just pretend that you''re drunk and barge into her room. After that, you can do whatever you like."


    Gordon''s eyes lit up for a moment before he hesitated. "I heard that Ms. Noelle is quite skilled at defending herself."


    "I know. I''ll arrange for a housekeeper to bring her some milk that I''ve drugged, and then I''ll check and see if she already drank it when I deliver the documents. She won''t be able to fight back by then," Xenia replied.


    She felt extremely satisfied just imagining her n going well. She believed that Noelle could no longer live normally afterward.


    Gordon was still hesitating. "I''ll definitely end up in prison for that! How will I survive without my job?"


    Xenia looked at Gordon excitedly. "Rx, I''ll pay you some money as well. Just say that you were drunk. I''m sure that Donovan won''t be sending you to prison for the sake of keeping up appearances. The most he''ll do is to kick you out of the house.


    "So, what do you say? You''ve been single for years, aren''t you? Getting to sleep with a youngdy like Noelle is hardly a loss."


    "That makes sense," Gordon rubbed his hands together excitedly and looked at Xenia. "Ms. Xenia, to be honest, the person I''ve always loved is you."


    Xenia''s eyes shed with disgust, but she maintained her smile. "But I''ve always seen and respected you as an elder of mine. I still remember that you once said that we''re kindred souls and that you''d always stand by my side. Is that still true?"


    Gordon could not help but pick up Xenia''s hand. "Of course it is. Unlike the Liddells, my loyalty to you never faltered. I will always protect you."


    Xenia felt extremely disgusted as she looked at the strands of white hair on his head.


    She had only befriended Gordon out of fear of being rejected by the rest of the Liddell family, deliberately causing him to fall in love with her. Over the years, he had also helped her out plenty of times.


    Xenia withdrew her hand and said, "Go drink some alcohol and get ready. I''ll ring the bell to alert you when it''s time."


    "Alright," Gordon even kissed the back of her hand before reluctantly leaving her


    room.


    As soon as he left, she rushed to the bathroom to wash her hands. She hoped that once Noelle''s life was


    ruined, she would also no longer have to look at that disgusting butler ever again. She swore to give Noelle a tragic end that night.


    Xenia sent the documents to her assistant in the foundation and berated them viciously until she finally felt satisfied.


    A few hourster, she prepared the revised documents and knocked on Noelle''s bedroom door. It was not locked just as she had hoped, so she pushed open the door and walked in.


    Noelle was gaming at the time. When she saw Xeniaing into her room, she calmly spoke up. "Give me a moment, Xenia. I''ll talk to you after I''m done here."


    Xenia was annoyed. She then nced at the cup of milk on the table and saw that it was already empty. A smirk appeared on her face as she realized that her n was going smoothly.


    Not long after, Noelle let out a yawn and then stood up, looking rather drowsy. "I''ll look at the documentster. You can go away for now."


    "Alright, but make sure you look at them carefully, okay?" Xenia hurried out of Noelle''s bedroom with a devious grin. She could not wait to ring the bell and call Gordon over. "Noelle''s done for!" she murmured to herself excitedly.


    "Heh, are you so sure?"

 Chapter 497

    A cold voice rang out from behind Xenia. She turned around stiffly and saw Noelle standing at the doorway.


    Noelle walked up slowly and stared at her. "Do you want me dead that badly?"


    "Why are you here, Noelle? You must have misheard me! I wasn''t talking about you just now," Xenia replied.


    She broke into a cold sweat from panic. She was certain that Noelle should have been unconscious after drinking the drugged milk. She could notprehend why Noelle was in front of her.


    Noelle smirked and then stepped forward to knock Xenia unconscious without hesitation. She was curious to see what exactly Xenia had nned for her.


    Noelle easily dragged Xenia back to her bedroom. After thinking for a while, she decided to put her on her bed and turn off the lights.


    She then hid herself in the bathroom, eager to see what would happen next.


    Time passed by slowly, and the bedroom door eventually creaked open. The silhouette of a man could be seen slipping inside.


    It was none other than Gordon. He was reeking of alcohol, still holding a bottle of liquor in his hand.


    He tiptoed to the bed and saw a woman sound asleep. He then reached out to strip off her clothes before pressing himself onto her to grope and kiss her.


    Gordon drunkenly cursed out under his breath. "You bitch. Did you have fun insulting me and kicking me out of the house? Now I''m going to fuck you! So what if you''re from a rich family? Now you''re just like a defenseless woman like any other!"


    Noelle''s lips curled up into a cold sneer as she listened to his vulgar insults. It would seem that it was the climax of Xenia''s scheme that she had gone to great lengths to prepare.


    Given her efforts, Noelle felt that Xenia ought to y the role of the main character herself. She could not help but wonder what kind of face Xenia would make once she realized what had happened.


    Before long, the quiet bedroom became filled with soft moans mixed with Gordon''s insults. Suddenly, the bedroom door was kicked open.


    Frank stormed into the room and switched on the lights.


    He was immediately enraged upon seeing the pair entangled on the bed. "Gordon! What the hell are you doing?!"


    Gordon groggily opened his eyes. He flinched when he saw Frank, but the alcohol had already emboldened him.


    He raised his voice and said, "Ms. Noelle called me here! She said that she had something to tell me since I''m leaving tomorrow!"


    "You bastard! Who do you think you are to touch my sister?! I''m going to fucking kill you!" Frank''s eyes were red with anger. He could not believe that Gordon dared toy his hands on Noelle.


    He tackled Gordon to the ground and started beating him up mercilessly. The drunk Gordon muttered, "It was Ms. Noelle who seduced me! She seduced me!"


    Frank mmed his fist onto Gordon''s face again and again until Gordon''s face became covered in blood.


    Momentster, Donovan and ke arrived in the room, too. The weird scent in the room instantly darkened their expressions.


    ke was furious. He grabbed Gordon and shouted, "Who the fuck allowed you to touch her?!"


    Gordon''s face was already a bloody mess, but he still let out a mocking smirk before passing out cold. ke threw him to the ground and kicked him repeatedly. He would have killed Gordon on the spot if he could.


    Donovan''s expression sank as he ordered Lucas to shut the door. He did not want any housekeepers to witness the scene any further as it might risk causing rumors to spread.


    Frank''s eyes were bloodshot. "Donovan, I''ve told you long ago that something''s wrong with Gordon, but you insisted on bringing him to Yasnia as well! Now look at what happened!"


    Donovan felt so guilty that he could note up with a reply. ke tugged at Frank and said, "You need to calm down first, Frank."


    Frank was so furious that he could barely stand straight. "How am I supposed to fucking calm down?! You want me to calm down after what just happened to my own sister? Call the police! Now!"


    Donovan refused and said, "No. We can''t call the police. If we get the police involved, news about this will spread all across Yasnia in no time. What''s gonna happen to our family''s reputation then?"

 Chapter 498

    Frank threw a punch at Donovan and said, "Then what about Noelle? She was hurt!"


    Donovan''s expression remained unchanged. "I''ll make it up to Noelle for what she had suffered, and I''ll make Gordon pay for what he did. But we can''t call the police or make this public!"


    ke spoke up. "Now''s not the time to talk about this. We''re all men here, so it''s not appropriate for us to stay around. Let''s get Xenia over here."


    Right after he finished speaking, Noelle opened the bathroom door and walked out. Everyone was stunned upon seeing her.


    Frank immediately walked up to her and asked, "Noelle, are you okay?"


    Noelle replied, "Yeah, I''m as fine as ever."


    ke looked at her in disbelief. "If you''re in the bathroom, then who''s the person on the bed?"


    Donovan felt a bad feeling creeping up his heart. He walked over to the bed, lifted up the nket, and saw Xenia''s face. He took a step back from shock. "It''s Xenia!"


    Frank was confused. "What the hell is going on?"


    Donovan stormed over to Noelle and questioned her angrily. "Did you do this?"


    Noelle''s gaze was filled with mockery as she walked up to the bed before pping Xenia several times.


    Donovan''s expression darkened. "What are you doing?"


    "I''m waking her up so that you can ask her your questions," she replied.


    Donovan wanted to stop her, but as the nket slipped a little further away, he hesitated and turned his eyes to the ceiling instead. "That''s enough, Noelle!"


    "Oh, it''s definitely not anywhere near enough."


    ke and Frank also turned around. They exchanged nces as they realized the gist of the situation.


    Eventually, Xenia woke up and shrieked when she saw Noelle. "What are you doing?!"


    "I''m waking you up so that you can tell Donovan what really happened!" Noelle replied.


    It was only then that Xenia realized that she was naked. She also realized that her body felt extremely ufortable. When she noticed the unconscious Gordon lying on the ground, disheveled, she almost lost her mind.


    5


    It took her a long time to snap back to reality, her lips trembling as she stared at


    Noelle. "Why did you do this to me?!"


    Xenia finally realized that she had


    fallen into Noelle''s trap. Noelle''s


    gaze turned cold as she replied "You''re just reaping what you sowed, Xenia. It''s how you ended up n bed together with Gordon."


    Xenia was livid. "I''m going to fucking kill you, Noelle!"


    She reached out to try and strangle Noelle, but Noelle immediately pped her away. She was no match for Noelle.


    Xenia broke down and started sobbing uncontrobly. "Donovan! Noelle did this to me!"


    Noelle smiled helplessly as she looked at her brothers, all with their backs turned. "Xenia isn''t wearing any clothes right now, Donovan. It''s best to stay calm, right?"


    Donovan rubbed his temples in frustration and said, "Xenia, put on some clothes first."


    Xenia''s hands were trembling as she quickly dressed herself before throwing herself into Donovan''s arms. "Donovan! You have to call the police!"


    A look of disgust flickered in Donovan''s eyes as he caught a whiff of Xenia''s scent.


    Noelle continued, "Calling the police is a no-go. Otherwise, everyone will learn about what happened in the Liddell family after all, and that would be nothing short of humiliating."


    Xenia started crying even harder. "Is what happened to me less important than the Liddell family''s reputation?!"


    Donovan was at a loss for words.


    Noelle''s gaze was filled with


    mockery, as she was simply


    repeating the exact words he had


    said just now. It was just being


    reiterated now for Xenia instead of


    her.  s?novel


    Donovan never expected that Xenia would be the one on the bed. It did not make


    any sense, as the room was supposed to be Noelle''s bedroom.


    Donovan turned to Xenia in confusion. "Xenia, why are you in Noelle''s room?"


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


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 499

    Xenia screamed, "I was knocked unconscious and brought here by Noelle!"


    Noelle smirked and replied, "That''s not true. We were discussing the event proposal together, and you fell asleep because it was gettingte."


    "You''re lying! You knocked me unconscious and brought me here! You knew what was going to happen, so you did this on purpose to hurt me!" Xenia shouted.


    She wished that she could kill Noelle right then and there.


    Noelle then asked, "What do you mean by, ''I knew what was going to happen''? Do you have any proof?"


    "Of course, there''s proof! The hallway has-" Surveince cameras.


    But Xenia suddenly remembered that she had ordered Gordon to turn off the cameras long ago so that she could erase any evidence of her presence. Now, she had no proof that Noelle had brought her here.


    She was now at a loss for what to do.


    Noelle''s gaze turned cold. "You wanted to say there were surveince cameras, correct? Sure, why not? Go and check the cameras.


    "Hmm? Why did you stop talking, Xenia? Is it because you already know that Gordon turned them off earlier, so there''s no evidence left?"


    Xenia was extremely guilty and naturally did not admit to the truth. "How could I possibly know that?! You''re the one who turned off the cameras! It must be you!"


    Donovan was getting a headache. "So what exactly happened?"


    Noelle picked up the ss of milk beside her and exined, "Someone tampered with this milk, and drinking it would make you fall unconscious.


    "Xenia and I just so happen to be discussing the event proposal, and she told me not to lock my doors at night. And after that, the drunk Gordon barged into my room."


    Xenia immediately exined, "I don''t know anything about this! You were the one who wanted to fire Gordon, making him resent you! That''s why he did this!"


    She had already prepared an excuse beforehand.


    Noelle nodded and replied, "You''re right, that''s what happened. But who would have thought that you''d fall asleep in my room? I just went to the bathroom for a moment, and then this happened."


    "That''s not true!" Xenia immediately refuted her, as she had not fallen asleep.


    Noelle pressed on. "So you''re saying that I already knew that Gordon woulde and assault me, so I deliberately brought you here to have you take my ce?"


    Xenia naturally could not admit to that, so she lowered her head to cry pitifully. "Donovan, I remember that I was in my own room! It was Noelle who brought me here!"


    Noelle turned to Donovan and said, "Xenia fell asleep in my room all on her own. She remembered it wrong."


    Without surveince footage as evidence, Xenia''s ims were unproven. Xenia burst into tears. "Donovan, you have to believe me!"


    Noelle stared at Donovan with a mocking smile. "So even now, you still believe only Xenia''s words, yes? Guess I really should leave. There''s no way I could remain in this family any longer."


    Donovan felt his headache getting worse. He did not dare to say anything, as given Noelle''s temper, she might threaten to leave the family again if things did not go her way.


    Frank spoke up. "Let''s wait until Gordon wakes up. We''ll know the truth once we ask him. He might not even know who the girl on the bed was."


    ke nodded and said, "Yeah, right, this is Noelle''s room! It''s obvious enough that he was going after Noelle."


    Xenia''s heart sank as she realized that she would be exposed if they made Gordon talk.


    She immediately suggested, "Let''s lock Gordon up in the basement. I''d also like to ask him some questions myself tomorrow."


    ke immediately stepped forward and said, "There''s no need to wait until then wake him up right now and ask him for the truth so that a certain someone won''t have the chance to weasel their way out of this."


    He had fallen for Xenia''s tricks before, so he was determined to make sure that Donovan saw her true colors. He did not want to give Xenia the chance to amend her schemes.


    ke immediately dragged Gordon into the bathroom and poured cold water over him.

 Chapter 500

    Xenia became visibly worried. She realized that she had toe up with something as she could not afford to let Gordon expose her.


    Noelle noticed her panicking expression and smirked. She was curious to see how Xenia would defend herself.


    Gordon was soon awakened by the pain.


    ke dragged Gordon out of the bathroom and stomped on his hand. "Speak! Who told you to do this?"


    Just as Gordon was about to speak, Xenia lunged forward and began punching and kicking him. "You bastard! Who told you to do this to me? I''ll kill you!"


    Gordon was stunned. When he saw that Xenia''s clothes were disheveled, he said, "Why is it you?"


    It did not make any sense. As they were in Noelle''s room, the person on the bed should have been Noelle! He could not tell what was happening.


    Xenia sobbed uncontrobly. There were even bruises on her neck.


    Gordon looked at her and subconsciously swallowed. Slowly, he realized that the person he had slept with was actually Xenia, and for a moment, he felt kind of happy.


    Xenia pped him hard across the face and shouted, "Who told you to do this?! Who set me up?!"


    Gordon thought for a while and then looked at Noelle. "It was her! Ms. Noelle was the one who ordered me to do it!"


    Xenia''s gaze turned cold for a moment before she turned to look at Noelle with a heartbroken expression. "So it was you, Noelle! It''s no wonder you asked me toe to your room at midnight to revise the event proposal! You even made me drink the milk!"


    She started sobbing uncontrobly once more.


    Noelle burst intoughter and replied, "That''s some really good acting right there! If only you could act this well when you''re on set.


    "Why are your acting skills so bad when you''re on the clock, Xenia? You could just do what you''ve been doing all the time."


    She did not expect Xenia to twist the truth around and me her instead.


    Xenia was still sobbing as she turned to Donovan. "Donovan, it''s the truth! You can''t just take Noelle''s side because she''s your sister! I''m the victim here!" Donovan looked at Noelle helplessly and asked, "Why did you do this?" Before Noelle could say a thing, Frank stepped in front of her and replied, "Donovan, I believe that Noelle has nothing to do with all of this."


    ke also stepped forward as well. "I agree with Frank. Gordon was clearly targeting Noelle."


    Gordon then said, "It was Ms. Noelle who seduced me! I had no idea that the person on the bed was Ms. Xenia!"


    He took Xenia''s side as he felt that he had to take responsibility after already having tasted her body.


    Xenia seized the opportunity and began crying even harder. "Donovan, I want to call the police! I won''t just let this go!"


    Donovan hesitated for a moment. "We can''t call the police."


    Xenia was stunned. She could not believe that Donovan still refused to involve the authorities after what had happened to her.


    He cleared his throat and continued, "We can''t get the police involved for something like this. It won''t be good for your reputation either, Xenia, If the Parham family finds out about this, they would never let you marry into their family."


    Xenia finally felt fear after hearing Donovan''s exnation, but it would soon be reced by rage. "Donovan, all ofthis is Noelle''s fault! I want her to pay the same price as me!"


    She could not believe that Noelle had reversed her scheme and made her sleep with that old man. It was nothing short of infuriating! Just thinking about what happened almost drove her to insanity.


    Donovan turned to Noelle and said, "We can''t call the police, but you''ll still have to take responsibility for this, Noelle.


    "The foundation''s funds will be given to Xenia aspensation. And then, from now on, no one is allowed to mention this matter ever again!"


    Noelle startedughing out loud. "I''m supposed to be the victim here!"


    Frank added on. "Donovan, this is obviously a scheme plotted by Xenia and Gordon. She just so happened to suffer the consequences of her own actions, that''s all."


    Donovan''s eyes twitched in frustration. "Gordon already said that it was Noelle who ordered him to do it! Noelle! You im to be the victim, but do you have any proof?"


    "I do," she replied.


    Noelle then walked over to the table and picked up her phone. "Luckily, I had my phone recording a video the entire time, so I captured everything."


    Xenia''s expression shifted as she realized that Noelle had even recorded a video. She wondered if Gordon had said something incriminating while he was drunk.

 Chapter 501

    When Noelle took out her phone, the entire room fell silent.


    Xenia shivered in fear and turned to Donovan. "I wanna get some rest, Donovan. I don''t want to stay here and see Gordon anymore. That disgusting freak."


    "Wait, there''s no rush." ke blocked her way and taunted, "Weren''t you confident? Now that you''re feeling guilty, you''re trying to run away?"


    A moment ago, Xenia was acting like she was going to convict Noelle. But now that there was a video, she was trying to escape.


    Xenia''s eyes flickered with diffidence. "The truth is obvious that I''m the victim here. Nothing happened to Noelle anyway."


    Why couldn''t they just let her go? Noelle yed the video. Though the lightning


    was dim, it was clear that Gordon was pressing down on Xenia.


    Donovan turned away and instructed, "Turn up the volume." This wasn''t something he should watch as the eldest brother of the Liddells.


    Soon, Gordon''s curses came from the video. "So what if you''re from a rich family? Now you''re just like a defenseless woman like any other! Xenia won''t let you off that easily since you''ve offended her "


    Upon hearing that, Frank immediately pped Xenia''s face. "What do you have to say for yourself now? How could you be so vicious?"


    He''d never expected Xenia to go as far as to have Gordon do something like that! As an adopted daughter, how dare she!


    ke turned to Donovan. "You heard that, didn''t you? The truth is clear that Xenia orchestrated all of this! This is who she really is!"


    Donovan looked as if he''d just suffered a heavy blow. He looked up at Noelle, and his expression carried a hint of guilt, yet he didn''t know what to say.


    Just then, Gordon shouted, "I-I was drunk and talking nonsense! This was all my doing, and I received orders from no one! Ms. Liddell wanted to kick me out, so I did it out of resentment!"


    He took the me for everything. Upon hearing that, Xenia finally rxed. Now, none of this had anything to do with her. She started crying pitifully.


    "Donovan, I understand Noelle has never liked me, but I''ve never harbored any bad intentions toward her, and I''d never do anything that cruel! Plus, am I not the real victim?"


    Feeling soft-hearted after hearing her pleas, Donovan helped her up. "I know that''s not who you are."


    ke scoffed. "Xenia, this is what it means to shoot yourself in the foot. Serves you right!"


    "That''s enough! Can''t you see how miserable Xenia is?"


    Donovan kicked Gordon and said, "Lock him in the basement. We''ll send him to the police tomorrow."


    Noelle''s voice was mocking when


    she said, "Why not call the police now? Didn''t Xenia say there was something wrong with the milk''I gave her? Let''s do a blood test right now to see if she actually drank it."


    Xenia panicked because she hadn''t drunk the milk. She quickly turned to Donovan and said, "Let''s not call the police now. If this gets out, it''ll damage the Liddell family''s


    reputation, and I don''t want people


    to know about this."


    If the police investigated and found something, she was doomed.


    Donovan nodded. "As sensible as always, Xenia. Go back to your room and take a shower. We''ll talk about this tomorrow."


    "Stop right there. Did I say you could leave? It isn''t up to you to call the police." Noelle hadn''t expected Donovan to insist on protecting Xenia even with such solid evidence.


    Donovan walked up to her and


    chided in amanding tone, "Enough! You could''ve stopped this from happening, but you stood by and watched as Xenia was assaulted instead. Do you think you did the right thing?"


    Noelle lifted her head and snapped, "That''s what they say to reap what you sow. She deserved it."


    Everyone in the room knew the truth deep down.


    Donovan furiously raised his hand to p Noelle, but she grabbed it and coldly asked, "Did I say anything wrong? You know exactly what happened, yet you chose to protect Xenia!"


    Donovan''s expression darkened, but he wouldn''t allow the matter to escte no matter what. "But Xenia suffered, too, so let''s just leave it at that. Delete the video from your phone."


    "Not a chance. It''s my first day back, and now that I''ve received such a pleasant surprise, I''ll make sure to get to the bottom of it."


    "What do you want then? You heard it yourself; this has nothing to do with Xenia. Gordon took full responsibility, and even if you call the police, nothing wille out of it!"


    There was a threat in Donovan''s tone. The mockery in Noelle''s gaze was unsettling, so he turned around and left the room with Xenia.


    Frank approached Noelle and said, "You should sleep in the guest room tonight, Noelle. I''ll have your room cleaned."


    ke looked at her. "Did you know about Xenia''s n?"


    Otherwise, why would Xenia have ended up in Noelle''s room for no reason?

 Chapter 502

    Noelle''s eyes carried a cold glint as she refuted, "How could I have known Xenia''s n? This is just karma at work."


    She nced at the empty milk bottle on the table. "There''s still a little left inside. I''ll use it as evidence."


    She hadn''t drunk the milk and poured most of it out to leave just enough for proof.


    Frank looked at Noelle with aplicated gaze. He''d guessed that she''d known about Xenia''s n and simply yed along so that Xenia could have a taste of her own medicine. They''d all figured it out.


    Frank urged, "Go ahead and get some rest in the guest room, Noelle. We''ll deal with this tomorrow."


    Noelle turned and entered the guest room.


    Once she left, Frank couldn''t help but say, "Have you noticed how much Noelle has changed, ke? She knew about Xenia''s vicious scheme and could''ve stopped it, yet she stayed in the bathroom and watched as Gordon..."


    He couldn''t ept that Noelle had just stood by and done nothing.


    ke scoffed. "If Noelle hadn''t been smart, she would''ve been the victim tonight. I think she did the right thing, and Xenia deserves to suffer the consequences of her actions."


    "But was this really necessary? Couldn''t we just give Xenia a lesson?" Frank was unsettled by the fact that Noelle had watched Gordon assault Xenia without interfering.


    "You''re too soft, Frank. Noelle did the right thing, and we should call the police to have them investigate. Maybe they''ll find evidence linking this to Xenia."


    "Forget it. Reporting this would ruin the reputation of thedies in our family. Plus, Xenia has suffered enough."


    ke disagreed but didn''t call the police either. They would see how things yed out the next day.


    Noelle returned to the guest room and locked the door. As shey in bed, she thought about Gordon and Xenia''s thrilling scene and figured thetter must be seething with rage. What a show, huh?


    She was too excited to sleep, so she picked up her phone and saw a message from Cedric telling her to reply if she was free. She thought about it before texting back.


    . "I''ve just watched an exciting show, but you''re probably asleep by now. I''ll tell you about it tomorrow."


    As soon as she sent the text, Cedric video-called her. Noelle answered and looked at him on the screen. "Why are you still awake thiste?"


    His gaze was deep as he said, "Because you haven''t replied yet."


    Noelle chuckled. "If I didn''t reply all night, would you have waited till morning?"


    "I might just wait outside the Liddell residence."


    Noelle knew he wasn''t joking. Rolling over on the bed, she said, "It''s true that I didn''t have time to reply earlier."


    "What happened?"


    "Little bitch tried to set me up, but she ended up suffering the consequences herself." She recounted the entire incident.


    When Cedric heard about the spiked milk, his expression darkened instantly. "I''ll pick you up."


    "No need. I''m not that stupid.


    Gordon is the only person she can control, and now that he''s gone, the


    only person left for her to


    on is


    her father, who''s very much alive."


    And that was exactly what Noelle wanted. Cedric''s gaze turned cold. "I still don''t feel at ease."


    "It''s fine. I can handle myself. Plus, the rest of the brothers, except for Donovan, are on my side for now." Noelle intended to push Xenia to a dead end.


    Cedric pressed his lips into a thin line. He''d been investigating Sean but hadn''t found any clues.


    They talked for a while before Noelle drifted off to sleep. He listened to her steady breathing, and his expression softened.


    He''d believed the car ident back then was just an unfortunate


    incident, but now that it seemed


    therewas more to it, he needed to reinvestigate.


    What exactly were the Merlocks hiding?


    The next morning, Noelle yawned as she went downstairs, only to find a group of housekeepers gathered in the main hall.


    She frowned and walked over. "What''s going on?"


    "Gordon took his life in the basementst night."

 Chapter 503

    Gordon took his life? Noelle rushed to the basement in disbelief and found all the Liddells gathered.


    Donovan stood at the door and watched Gordon''s hanging corpse. Though he was frowning tightly, he felt relieved deep inside. They could pin all the me on Gordon with the excuse that he''d taken his life just to escape punishment.


    When Frank noticed Noelle approaching, he immediately stepped in front of her to block her view. "Don''t look. You''ll have nightmares."


    Noelle''s face was cold. "Gordon couldn''t have killed himself."


    For Xenia to have manipted Gordon, she must''ve bribed him. How could a greedy man like him willingly take his life?


    ke asked, "Are you saying he was murdered?"


    "That''s impossible."


    Donovan was the first to object. "If this was murder, who did it? Xenia is just ady, and she couldn''t have done this. Don''t try to frame her."


    Noelle smirked. "Couldn''t she find help?"


    Sure enough, the man backing Xenia had made a move.


    Donovan fumed. "She''s an orphan, so where could she have found such powerful assistance? Someone who''d even kill for her?"


    Frank nodded in agreement. "Donovan has a point. Maybe Gordon did kill himself out of guilt."


    After thinking about it, Donovan said, "We''ll say Gordon stole valuables from the house. He embezzled a lot of money, and that can serve as evidence.


    "We could say he tried to sneak into Noelle''s room to steal somethingst night but ended up getting caught. Now he''s taken his life after feeling too overwhelmed by guilt."


    Frank nodded. "That works. Gordon''s financial records have always been shady, but I turned a blind eye to it."


    Noelle found his words ridiculous. How could a man with such a poor character be allowed to stay with the Liddells for years?


    ke''s words voiced the thoughts in Noelle''s mind. "Since you knew Gordon was no good, why did you keep him around?"


    Frank cowered slightly under his questioning. "He''s been with us for years, so firing him outright didn''t seem appropriate. Plus, Xenia used to be close to him."


    No one had expected Gordon to be such a dangerous man. Xenia rushed over. "Donovan, I heard Gordon took his life. Is it true?"


    Donovan stopped her. "Yes. Don''t go in. It''s not a sight you''d want to see."


    Xenia''s eyes were red with tears. "I never thought he''d kill himself. Though I think he deserves it, it''s still a life lost."


    Deep down, she was relieved that Sean had taken care of the problem for her, but too bad she couldn''t kill Noelle yet.


    Noelle rolled her eyes. "Another act, huh?"


    ke stepped forward and shoved Xenia into the basement. "Since you care that much, why don''t you take a good look at the dead Gordon?"


    Xenia identally took a nce at Gordon''s face and instantly screamed in horror. Her body went so limp that she could barely move. Anyone would be terrified to see a corpse.


    Donovan quickly carried her out and red at ke. "That was too much."


    "She was pretending to care about Gordon, wasn''t she? Then she should''ve gotten a closer look."


    Xeniay weakly in Donovan''s arms. Her face was pale, and she could


    bra single word. It was the


    first time she''d ever seen a dead body, one Sean had killed at that.


    Noelle returned to the main hall. She hadn''t expected Sean to make such a fast


    move.


    Taking out her phone, she texted the TG Public Rtions team. "Check the surveince around my horse. That person must''ve appeared again."


    This was the perfect opportunity to trace the clues back to Sean.


    Donovan turned to Noelle and instructed, "When the police arrive, you and Xenia need to give


    matching statements. Say that Gordon was caught stealing and killed himself in his guilt. Understood?"

 Chapter 504

    Xenia obediently nodded while Noelle looked up and said, "I''ll tell the truth. Why should I turn the other way?"


    As soon as she spoke, she noticed the drastic change in Xenia''s expression. It was obvious thetter didn''t want the issue to escte.


    Noelle stared at her and stated, "Plus, I don''t think Gordon took his life. He must''ve been murdered."


    "That''s impossible!" Xenia immediately refuted. "He felt guilty and decided to take his life. No one had the motive to kill him either.


    "Plus, we were all in our roomsst night. Who could''ve done it?"


    Donovan shot Noelle a look of disapproval. "If this issue blows up, it''ll harm both your reputations."


    "I don''t care. I wasn''t the one who slept with Gordon either." Noelle''s eyes carried a mocking and malicious glint, instantly igniting the fury in Xenia''s heart. If only she''d emptied the Liddell family''s wealth sooner, Noelle would''ve diedst night!


    As she recalled Sean''s words, Xenia cried pitifully. "Donovan, it''s okay if I suffer. But Noelle and I were in the same roomst night. If this spreads, no one will believe she wasn''t involved."


    ke snapped, "Oh shut up, Xenia!"


    Noelle took out her phone. "I have a video as proof that you''re the one who slept with Gordon."


    Xenia gritted her teeth in anger. "But the outside world won''t believe your so- called evidence!"


    Donovan rubbed his temples in frustration. "Noelle, what do you want just to cooperate?"


    "My demands are simple-return the assets Mom and Dad left me and transfer all your shares to the entertainmentpany." It was only then that Donovan would lose control over thepany.


    Donovan gritted his teeth. "You''re taking advantage of the situation, Noelle."


    "Oh wow, you figured that out? Those are my only two conditions, and I''ll cooperate with the police investigation only if you agree."


    "Dream on! I''ll never agree to those demands!"


    Noelle chuckled and turned to Xenia. "See? Profits are what matter the most to Donovan."


    Donovan fell silent while Xenia panicked. She grabbed a fruit knife and pointed it at herself. "If outsiders find out, how am I supposed to stay in Yasnia? People have always mocked my background anyway, so I might as well die!"


    Donovan snatched the knife away. "Calm down, Xenia."


    "Just let me die, Donovan. That way, I won''t inflict the Liddells with pain or drag anyone down." Xenia continued weeping, and deep down, she was terrified.


    She and Sean were doomed if the police did investigate and uncover anything, so she had to stop this, even if it meant staging a suicide attempt.


    Donovan had no choice but to clench his jaw and say, "Fine. I ept your terms, Noelle. But for Mom and Dad''s assets, I can give them to you only when Lucas and ke are truly safe."


    "That''s fine. You can transfer the entertainmentpany shares to me now."


    Donovan''s expression darkened as he said, "I''ll have my secretary draft the contract."


    "No need for the trouble. Just sign this." ke withdrew a share transfer contract and ced it in front of Donovan.


    Donovan''s expression turned ashen as he stared at ke. "Are you sure you want to sever ties with me? Would yourpany have made it this far without me?"


    "I''ll walk my own path from now on." ke was determined to hold full control of thepany now.


    Donovan had no choice but to sign. "Fine! From today onward, don''t expect another dor from me for yourpany!"


    Xenia pitifully murmured, "I''m sorry, Donovan. It''s all my fault. You wouldn''t have


    lost so much money if you hadn''t tried to protect my reputation."


    "As your brother, it''s my duty to protect you, Xenia. You''re the victim here, unlike Noelle, who only takes advantage of the situation."


    Donovan red at Noelle and


    continued, "Look at how


    magnanimous Xenia is! She''s willing to forgo calling the police for the


    sake of the Liddell family while you''re trying to force us into a dead end!"

 Chapter 505

    For the sake of the Liddell family? Noelle threw a cup of Xenia and snarled, "She''s only doing this for herself."


    Xenia clutched her hand in grievance and seemed itching to protest but dared not.


    Donovan immediately stepped forward to defend her. "How dare you resort to violence, Noelle. You''re getting more out of control."


    "Yeah, I am. What are you gonna do about it?" Noelle shot Donovan with an arrogant and defiant look as if warning him not to mess with her.


    Donovan stared at her for moments and relented. If the situation escted, Xenia''s scheming or Noelle''s retaliation would both be disastrous for the Liddell family.


    He tossed the signed documents to ke. "You''ve all grown wings now, huh? Let''s see how far you''ll actually go."


    Noelle indifferently replied, "Don''t worry. Thepany will go further than you''ve ever imagined."


    To be honest, the entertainmentpany''s revival was thanks to ke''s acting skills and the three sessful scripts she''d written. Boiling in an awful mood, Donovan nced at Xenia. "You know what to say to the police, don''t you?"


    "I do," Xenia mumbled. She could tell he was upset after Noelle''s extortion, but she wasn''t feeling any better either.


    All of this should''ve been hers. If not for Sean''s reminderst night, she would''ve already fallen out with the Liddells.


    Noelle could''ve stopped the assault, but she''d just stood by and watched. Xenia continued fuming at the thought that after she was assaulted by Gordon, everyone seemed keen to sweep it under the rug. Not only was Noelle not held ountable, but all her demands were also satisfied.


    Soon, the police arrived. Xenia turned pale from shock as she curled up on the couch for fear they''d uncover something.


    Noelle sat across from her and smirked. "Why do you look so guilty? Didn''t you want a thorough investigation? Go on, talk to the police."


    Xenia mped her mouth shut and was too afraid to say a word. If she provoked Noelle, thetter might reveal something to the police.


    In the end, the case closed as Gordon''s self-murder after he stole from the Liddells and got caught. The body was soon taken away.


    After sending off the police, Donovan breathed a sigh of relief and looked at Noelle in the living room. "Are you happy now?"


    "Not really."


    "Do you have to be this sarcastic all the time?"


    Noellezily looked up and snapped, "If someone makes me ufortable, I''ll make sure they feel twice as bad."


    Donovan was furious at her expression but dared not speak too harshly. Noelle was nothing like before, and she was nowpletely unruly.


    Annoyed, he stormed off. "I''m going to the office."


    Xenia pitifully said, "Donovan, could you take me to the hospital?"


    She refused to be left alone in the Liddell residence. She''d only suffer without Donovan backing her up.


    Donovan took her outside, and she aggrievedly continued, "Maybe I should move out, Donovan. Staying here will just make Noelle mad and cause more fights."


    "Don''t worry about Noelle. Just stay."


    Xenia clenched her teeth. She really wanted to leave. Now that Noelle returned with a vengeance, Xenia wasn''t willing to stay and beat a disadvantage.


    She continued pleading, "Maybe I should move out for now. I''lle back once Noelle calms down."


    "There''s no need for that, but endure what you must for now. Don''t provoke that little troublemaker."


    Xenia almost erupted in anger. Why should she have to endure anything?


    Noelle had just been back for a day, and everyone was already siding with her. If she didn''t act soon, t was only a matter of time before she got kicked out.


    So, she changed the topic and asked, "How''s the Al project going? I think the


    foreign investor seems quite reliable."

 Chapter 506

    "We''re still in talks, and we have to investigate the investor''s background."


    Xenia asked, "Donovan, can you take me along in this project? I want to learn more so I can help you with work in the future."


    Donovan felt relieved. "That''s Good. If only Noelle were half as sensible and well- behaved as you are."


    Xenia''s expression stiffened as she lowered her gaze to hide the darkness in her eyes. One day, she''d make Noelle kneel and lick her shoes in humiliation.


    After Donovan left with Xenia, the main hall resumed silence. Holding the share transfer contract, ke nced at Noelle cautiously. "You haven''t forgotten our agreement, have you?"


    Noelle met his eyes. "Rx. Once I get the inheritance from our parents, I''ll hand over the shares Donovan gave up." She needed some security for herself, too.


    "I''m not trying to doubt you, and I''m just asking. I''ll keep the contract safe for now."


    ke breathed a little easier but didn''t hand over the contract immediately. He, too, needed assurance.


    Frank frowned. "ke, do you still not trust Noelle? We''ve seen Xenia''s true colors, and it''s not like we''ll be deceived by her like before."


    "It''s not that I don''t trust her, but keeping the contract with me ensures that if Donovan causes trouble, I have a way to shut him up."


    Noelle saw through ke''s thoughts but didn''t expose him. Instead, she stood up and headed upstairs. Frank continued looking at ke with disappointment. "Even you''re wary of Noelle?"


    "Please, Frank. I''m not as selfless as you are, and blood-rted siblings settle things clearly. It''s better toy everything out. Instead of questioning me, why don''t you talk some sense into Donovan? I heard Xenia introduced him to an investor for the Al project, and that doesn''t sit right with me."


    How could Xenia possibly be acquainted with such a well-connected investor?


    Frank sighed. "You think I haven''t tried? If Donovan listened, things wouldn''t have escted to such an extent with Noelle."


    "Let''s not interfere then. When the Al project crashes and burns because of Xenia, Donovan will see her true colors. Just like what Noelle said, he''ll only feel the pain from a direct impact."


    With that, ke left with the contract.


    Noelle came downstairs after changing her clothes. TG Public Rtions team had


    sent over new findings, and she wanted to check them out in person.


    Frank was still in the living room and asked, "Where are you going, Noelle?"


    "Out for a bit."


    "Let me take you there."


    "No need. Save the trouble." She rejected outright and refused to let the Liddell family know what she was up to. It''d expose the true reason she''d returned.


    After leaving the Liddell residence, she saw Cedric''s car parked by the roadside. He rolled down the window and said, "Get in."


    "Why are you here?" Noelle was surprised. As soon as she got into the car she turned to look at him and asked, "You haven''t stayed here all night, have you?"  fo


    Cedric coughed lightly. "No."


    "But you''re wearing the same clothes asst night, and even your tie is the same


    color. Your eyes are tired, which means you didn''t rest well."


    She remembered what he''d been


    wearing during their video callst night. Given his obsession with cleanliness, there was no way he''d wear the same clothes in this heat.


    Cedric sighed helplessly. "You caught me. After you said you were set upst


    night, I was worried, so I stayed nearby in case something happened."


    Noelle''s heart warmed, and her eyes instantly glistened with tears. Without hesitation, she leaned in and kissed his cheek.


    Cedric grabbed her shoulder and deepened the kiss. But then, someone pounded on the car window aggressively. "What are you two doing? Stop this at once!"

 Chapter 507

    Startled, Noelle turned to see Frank standing outside the car window and instantly felt a little awkward. What was he doing here?


    Cedric''s expression darkened after the interruption. The more he saw the Liddells, the more he disliked them.


    Frank stood by the car window and furiously pointed at the two. "Get out of the car!"


    Noelle wiped the corner of her lips. She''d initially been nervous, but after seeing Frank''s expression, she soon calmed down. Then, she rolled down the window and looked at him. "What do you want?"


    Her expression was cold, as if Frank was just a stranger. Frank was furious. He nced at Cedric, who sat beside Noelle. "Noelle, why are you still with him?"


    Noelle retorted, "Why can''t I be?"


    "He''s not right for you. He has an unclear background and an ordinary job, and it''s clear he''s only after your status."


    Frank had always been prejudiced against Cedric. Thetter used to be a school doctor in their hometown, and now that Noelle came to Yasnia, he followed her here, too. Wasn''t it obvious that he was clinging to her?


    Noelle scoffed. "I like him no matter who he is."


    "Noelle, you''re young, and we mistreated you. This man took the chance to get close to you, but I can clearly see that he''s not a good person."


    "Enough. Whether or not he''s a good person is not up to you to decide."


    Frank turned to Cedric and warned, "I''m warning you not toy a finger on Noelle. Otherwise, the Liddells will never let you off."


    "The Liddells aren''t any better either," Cedric snapped in an ice-cold voice. "She was almost hurtst night. Is this what you mean by taking care of her?


    "If this is the care meant by the Liddell family, which could send her to prison for years, who the hell would dare ept your so-called care?"


    Frank was momentarily speechless. His hands clenched the car door tightly, and he snapped out of his thoughts to retort, "Last night was an ident."


    "Oh? Why does the Liddell family have so many idents? I hope you all suffer from these idents one day. There will be no ident as long as Noelle stays by my side."


    With that, Cedric started the car and stepped on the gas to speed away.


    Frank ran after them. "Get out of the car, Noelle! I need to talk to you!"


    But Noelle simply rolled up the window and ignored him. The car turned instantly quiet.


    Noelle turned to look at Cedric. "You''re as sharp-tongued as ever."


    "I usually don''t like to curse, but when I see them, I just can''t help it."


    Noelle chuckled.


    Just then, her phone rang. She didn''t need to check to know who was calling, but she didn''t answer.


    Cedric drove for a while before asking, "Where do you want to go?"


    "To TG Public Rtions. They found some clues."


    Cedric thought about it and suggested, "I suggest we go to the gym instead. There are too many eyes around there."


    More importantly, he wouldn''t be able to hide his identity if they went to TG Public Rtions.


    After saying so, he wasn''t certain if Noelle would agree, but she nodded. "Okay."


    Investigating Sean had to be done in secret.


    W the people behind him met make it harder to find evide and


    wind of it, they''d surely hide a


    Cedric rxed after hearing her agree.


    Noelle messaged the TG Public Rtions team and arranged to meet at the gym


    instead. Upon arrival, they headed straight to the boxing area.


    Noelle took out her red gloves. "I really like this gift."


    She looked up, and seeing Cedric


    approac


    on


    13


    her gaze instinctively fell


    Klips. Her mind recalled the


    kiss that''d been interrupted earlier.


    He approached her and leaned down. "Then I want a gift, too."


    "What do you want¡ª" Her words were swallowed halfway through.


    Cedric wrapped his arms around her waist and pressed his lips against hers with utmost gentleness.


    Noelle responded by encircling his


    neck as her heart fluttered in joyet


    Pulling her tightly into his arms he gripped her waist firmly as his palms burned hot against her skin.

 Chapter 508

    Noelle was dizzy from all the kisses as her eyshes fluttered. Finally, Cedric stopped and uttered in a hoarse voice, "They''re probably here."


    Upon hearing this, Noelle instantly sobered up. She''d almost forgotten they''de to the gym to meet with the PR team, yet she was here getting all lovey- dovey with Cedric.


    Her face flushed red as she tripped to break free from his arms, yet he refused to let go. He rested his chin on her shoulder. "Let me hold you a little longer."


    "But they''re all here... It wouldn''t be okay for them to see us like this." Her voice was small and filled with embarrassment.


    Still, Cedric refused to let go. "They''ve been here for a while. A few more seconds won''t make a difference."


    Noelle blushed even more as she stayed in his arms and listened to his strong and steady heartbeat. Her mind was aplete nk, still stuck on the kiss they''d just shared.


    After some time, Cedric finally let go.


    Noelle, who still had a flushed face, stammered, "I-I''ll check outside."


    Then, she scurried away almost as if she were fleeing. Cedric nced at her and let out a low chuckle.


    Outside, Noelle took a deep breath and patted her face. She needed to calm down, as keeping the team waiting wasn''t polite. Sure enough, she looked up and saw the TG Public Rtions team running on the treadmills.


    Tilly noticed her and immediately walked over. "We saw that you were busy, so we didn''te over to interrupt. We figured we''d use the time to get some exercise. It''s good for the body, too."


    Noelle embarrassedly apologized. "I''m really sorry for keeping you waiting."


    "It''s nothing. Meeting at the gym is actually a great idea. Getting a workout during work hours is a win-win."


    Tilly''s words soon eased Noelle''s worries. Seriously, who would dare interrupt the rich bachelor of Yasnia when he was making out with his plus-one? Plus, with Cedric involved, there wouldn''t be anything that couldn''t be solved.


    Noelle led the team to the boxing area, where Cedric sat with a bottle of mineral water. He said, "Go ahead."


    Tilly reported, "Ms. Liddell, we hacked into the Liddell residence''s surveince systemst night and found that someone did sneak into the house in the middle of the night.


    "But the intruder seemed very familiar with the surveinceyout. There was no clear footage of their face aside from a blurry silhouette."


    "If they''re familiar with the Liddell residence''s surveince setup, Xenia must''ve provided them with the information," Noelle pointed out.


    "That''s what we suspect, too. We''re currently reviewing surrounding surveince footage and have identified a few suspicious vehicles. We''re investigating them one by one, but it''ll take some time."


    Noelle knew this wouldn''t be easy. Still, the fact that they''d forced Sean to take such a risk and attempt


    murder meant her strategy was winning. As long as they pushed Xenta into a corner, the peopte hiding behind her would eventually show themselves.


    Noelle nodded. "We''ll find the truth as long as there are clues."


    Cedric gently ruffled her hair. "There are no secrets in this world that stay hidden forever. It''s only a matter of time before we uncover everything. You did great."


    "It''s just a shame that Gordon was murdered, and they pinned all the me on him. We still can''t bring down Xenia yet."


    She''d hoped they could finally take Xenia down and added in a slightly regretful voice, "I don''t think this was the first time Seanmitted a murder.


    "Do you remember Betty, who helped Xenia cheat during the college entrance exams? I think it was Sean, too."


    If Sean could easily take a life, he must be associated with her parents'' death, too! It hadn''t been just an ident!


    Cedric found it equally suspicious and agreed that the driver from back then was problematic. He said, "Since we''ve found some clues, we''ll get to the bottom of it. I promise."


    He wondered if Noelle would hate him a little less if he uncovered the truth about the car ident.


    Noelle nodded. "Hopeful Hearts Foundation is holding a charity sales event tomorrow, and that little bitch will definitely make a move. This


    time, I''m going to get solid proof of


    her embezzlement and see how she


    talks her way out of it."


    After their boxing practice, Noelle and Cedric had a meal together before he drove


    her back to the Liddell residence.


    "Call me if anything happens. Don''t try to handle things alone. If there''s fighting to do, let me take care of it, and don''t dirty your hands."


    "Got it." Noelle was starting to like him more and more.


    After getting out of the car, she waved at him before heading into the Liddell residence. The main hall was brightly lit, and all her brothers were present while Xenia sat behind Donovan.


    Noelle looked up and said, "Wow, everyone''s here. Having a family meeting?"


    Donovan was the first to question in a sharp tone. "Didn''t Frank say you broke up with that poor school doctor a long time ago? Why are you still messing around with him? Are you that desperate for a man?"


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


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 509

    Noelle''s expression turned ice-cold after hearing Donovan''s words. She couldn''t tolerate anyone speaking about Cedric that way.


    She turned to Frank and announced, "I''ll say this onest time: Cedric is someone I really like."


    "You''re young, so what do you know about love? Now that you''re in Yasnia and the Liddell family is here to back you up, you''ll marry a wealthy heir, not the poor school doctor!"


    Donovan''s anger was evident as he couldn''t believe Noelle still hadn''t broken up with Cedric. Noelle let out a mockingugh. "Who I marry has nothing to do with you."


    "Who says it doesn''t? You''re my sister! If word gets out that you married a broke school doctor, what will people think of me?"


    He''d nned out the future for both Noelle and Xenia. Since they were staying in Yasnia, they had to marry into powerful families and live a life of luxury. That would benefit the Liddell family as well.


    Then, Xenia spoke up in a soft voice, "Noelle, Donovan is thinking for your sake. What good would it do you to marry a poor man?"


    Though Xenia secretly wished Noelle would marry a penniless man, she knew the more she said so, the more Noelle would rebel.


    Noelle''s eyes gleamed with a venomous glint. "Oh? Should I act like you did? Fawn over Justin and casually sleep with him, only to be scorned and humiliated by Mrs. Parham?"


    Xenia''s face turned pale with rage. "What nonsense are you talking about? There''s nothing going on between me and Justin!"


    "That lie might fool an idiot." Noelle sneered. "Justin has been bragging to his friends about how he slept with you and took your virginity."


    Donovan fumed. He raised his hand and pped Xenia hard across the face. "How dare you behave that disgraceful!"


    Xenia''s cheeks burned with pain from the p, and she looked at Donovan in disbelief. She hadn''t expected him to turn on her this quickly.


    His expression was grave as he snapped, "Speak!"


    Xenia stammered, "J-Justin tricked me into it."


    "I said you could date, but never sleep around! Did you not take my words seriously!"


    Noelle fanned the mes by saying, "Everyone knows you were always around Justin and practically threw yourself at him."


    Xenia burst into tears. "Donovan, I swear I''ll get back with Justin!"


    Noelle scoffed. "Mrs. Parham has arranged two bodyguards to keep an eye on Justin every day. She


    watches him closely just to keep you away from him. The Parhams have made their stance clear."


    Donovan looked at Xenia, disappointed. "How do you expect me to make ns for you now?"


    Xenia shot Noelle a resentful re


    and said, "At least I tried my best for the family! But as the true daughter


    of


    be


    Liddells, Noelle would rather


    a lowly school doctor."


    "You''re both giving me a headache," Donovan muttered as he rubbed his temples. "Xenia, forget it if you can''t Cure Justin. The Parham family is out of reach anyway.


    "I''ll arrange for you to marry the son of one of our business partners. That way, at least you''ll live afortable life."


    Xenia felt a surge of unwillingness. Though she was against the idea of marrying a small, insignificant family, she dared not argue right now.


    Then, he turned to Noelle. "As for you, you need to break up with that country bumpkin at once."


    "Cedric is no country bumpkin. Plus. I have money and don''t have to rely on a marriage alliance to climb higher. Unlike you, I don''t sell myself for power."


    Her words referred to Donovan agreeing to a matrilocal arrangement.


    Donovan turned livid at her words. "Say that again if you dare!"


    "I said, I''m not like you. I won''t sacrifice myself for a marriage alliance. Being in a matrilocal arrangement must be tough, huh? Is that why you dare not let us know?"


    Donovan''s eyes turned red with fury. "Everything I do is for the Liddells, just so you all can live without worries! What have I done wrong?"


    "The Liddell family has been livingfortably for quite some time now, and you''re doing this just to satisfy your ambitious greed."


    Noelle could tell why Donovan had schemed his way into a matrilocal arrangement with the Cantrell family. With that, she turned and went upstairs.


    In the main hall, Donovan exploded with rage and mmed the table in frustration. He felt utterly humiliated by what Noelle had just said.

 Chapter 510

    Xenia seized the chance to say, "Donovan, calm down..."


    "Shut up! You all causing trouble is the reason I''m this upset!" Donovanshed out at her as well before storming out in a fury.


    Xenia hadn''t expected him to be this rattled while ke sneered. "Donovan has always been proud. Now that Noelle has exposed his secret, it''s no surprise that he can''t take it."


    Frank agreed. He''d known about the engagement with the Cantrell family but never brought it up for the sake of Donovan''s dignity.


    Xenia clutched her sore cheek and pitifully said, "Noelle has been with the poor man for so long, Frank. What if he deceives and takes advantage of her?"


    Frank''s expression darkened. He''d definitely stop that from happening.


    But ke retorted, "At least Noelle has money. You, on the other hand, threw yourself at Justin despite having nothing. You know what that''s called? A gold- digger."


    With that, he walked away.


    Xenia seethed. She turned to Frank for help, but he simply said, "ke''s right. You should have some self-respect. A family like the Parhams is beyond your reach."


    Her eyes turned red with anger, but Frank, ke, and Lucas had all walked away. No one was left to defend her, and no one cared.


    At that moment, Xenia was more convinced than ever that Sean had been right. She had no blood ties to the Liddells, and to them, Noelle was their only sister. In that case, they shouldn''t me her for what wasing.


    ...


    The next morning, Noelle woke up early and saw Frank in the main hall. He turned to her and said, "The others have left for the event site. I stayed behind so we could go together."


    Noelle nodded and went straight to the dining area for breakfast.


    Hesitating, Frank walked over and asked, "Does that man treat you that well?"


    "He was the only one by my side when you all mistreated me, and he''s no country bumpkin."


    Again, Frank hesitated and said, "Let''s set up a meeting so we can talk."


    "No need. Because to me, your


    don''t matter at all." Noelle''s


    consider herself part of the Liddells and didn''t see them as her brothers.


    Seeing the coldness in her expression, Frank dared not say more.


    After breakfast, Noelle headed to the venue of the charity sales event, only to see Xenia draped in luxury brands from head to toe. She unted her freshly manicured nails and was arrogantly bossing staff around.


    Noelle looked over and scanned the extravagantly decorated venue. "Xenia, are you out of your mind? Didn''t I tell you to change the venue?"


    "There wasn''t enough time. Plus, I think it looks great." Xenia smugly continued, "You don''t understand a thing, Noelle. Just leave it to me."


    Noelle reached out to yank the fur coat off Xenia and threw it onto the floor.


    Xenia gasped as her heart ached. "What are you doing? That''s real fur! It''s expensive!"


    "This is a charity sales event, not some wealth-untingpetition. Now that you''ve dressed up like some influencer, what kind of image does that give our foundation?"


    Frank''s expression darkened as shemanded, "Change your clothes, Xenia.


    From now on, follow Noelle''s instructions."


    "But I''m in charge of this event!" Xenia protested.


    Frank shot a cold look at the event manager. "Drive Xenia out. From now on, everyone follows Noelle''s lead. She''s the true owner of the foundation."


    "No one is allowed to throw her out!" Arriving with arge group, Donovan turned to re at Noelle.


    He continued, "I know you can''t stand Xenia and want her out of the Liddell family, but aren''t you being a little too impatient? I''m not dead yet!"

 Chapter 511

    Noelle heard those words and turned to grab an exquisitely decorated ornament from the table. Then, she smashed it onto the floor right next to Xenia''s feet.


    Standing beside Donovan, Xenia chimed in, "Look, Donovan. Noelle''s never been satisfied with my nning. Now she''s even throwing things on the floor."


    Donovan frowned. "The event is just a few hours away, Noelle. Why are you making a scene now?"


    "Making a scene? I''m cleaning up Xenia''s mess!"


    Noelle stepped forward and yanked his tie. "Are you out of your mind? This is a charity sales event, not some extravagant or luxury dinner party. If people see this, they''ll mock us, Liddells!"


    Donovan''s expression darkened as he finally realized something was off. Xenia hurriedly exined, "I didn''t use that much expensive stuff, Donovan. The guests attending today are influential, and I just wanted to make sure the food and decorations are top-tier so they won''t look down on us."


    "Idiot!" Donovan rubbed his temples in frustration and could barely say a word.


    Seeing his reaction, Xenia turned to Noelle. "See? Donovan is on my side."


    Before Noelle could respond, Donovan exploded. "Xenia, is there anything in your brain besides vanity?


    "Noelle''s right! This is a charity sales event, and it''s inappropriate for you to make it look like some luxurious dinner party. Change everything!"


    Xenia''s expression stiffened as she mumbled, "I was only thinking about the Liddell family''s reputation."


    Noelle sneered. "No, you were thinking about your vanity. You nned this whole event and spent millions on it, but the charity sales event might not even make that much money back. Are you dumb?"


    "Millions?" Donovan was shocked. He turned to Xenia and gawked at her. "Is that true?"


    "N-No... Not millions. Just two million. But those are necessities, you know..." Xenia started feeling guilty.


    Donovan clenched his fists and nearly lost control. But with so many guests present at the site, he forced himself to hold back.


    Xenia was startled by his fury. Wasn''t that just a small amount of money? Why was he making such a big deal out of it? She couldn''t teffif there was anything wrong and concluded that Donovan must be biased toward Noelle to say so. C¨®ntent


    That was when Frank finally spoke. "Donovan, this is exactly why I wanted to kick Xenia out, and that has nothing to do with Noelle. Stop ming her for everything and get your facts straight before shouting at her."


    Even Frank, who was usually easygoing, was calling Donovan out.


    Though thetter knew he was at fault, he rebuked, "Noelle''s temper is getting worse by the day. How is that my fault?"


    Noelle didn''t waste her breath on them and coldly instructed, "Change everything. We will not let this event turn into a joke. Also, Xenia is not allowed to interfere in anything."


    "What gives you the right to do that?" Xenia immediately snapped.


    "Enough! Xenia, you really screwed up this time, and it''s a good thing Noelle caught it early, or the Liddell family would''ve ended up getting humiliated. Change your outfit and have Noelle handle the rest."


    Regardless of how unwilling Xenia was, she had no choice but to obey.


    Noelle turned to Donovan and dered, "I wouldn''t have bothered fixing this mess


    if this wasn''t something our parents left behind. I won''t allow Xenia to tarnish their legacy."


    With that, she turned and got to work.


    Donovan was livid. He turned to Frank and snapped, "Did you hear that? Does Noelle even think of me as her brother?"


    Frank signed. "Be honest with yourself, Donovan. Have you ever treated Noelle like a sister? You can''t me her for how she acts."


    He could see how biased Donovan was toward Xenia and was sure that thetter would regret it one day. But by then, it''d be toote.


    Noelle worked tirelessly in reorganizing the venue. She wouldn''t have bothered if it weren''t for the foundation''s reputation and their parents'' legacy.


    By the time everything was ready, the event had begun. Guests started arriving one after another.


    Xenia had changed into a in white dress. She was clearly unhappy as she muttered, "The venue looks so in. People are just going to think the Liddell family is cheap."

 Chapter 512

    Noelle shot Xenia a look. "Do your job properly. If you embarrass yourself again, do you think Donovan will tolerate you a second time?"


    Xenia scoffed. "You''re just jealous that Donovan treats me well, and that''s why you''re targeting me. Why else would youe back to the Liddell family to steal what''s mine?


    "Yours?"


    Noelle''s gaze darkened. "Everything you have belongs to me. I''m the true daughter of the Liddell family while you''re supposed to be here just picking up what I''ve discarded."


    Xenia was instantly enraged. "Just you wait! One day, you''ll regret this!"


    "I''ll be waiting, but for my current return, I won''t be the pushover you used to bully. I''ll take back everything that''s mine and throw you out of the Liddell family."


    Noelle''s voice was cold and unwavering. After speaking, she turned and left.


    Xenia furiously clenched her teeth. Like what she''d known, Noelle''s return to the Liddell family was all about driving her out.


    But suddenly, she caught sight of Justin''s mother, Brittany Adams, arriving at the charity sales event. Excitement shed in her eyes as she hurried over. "Ms. Brittany, I didn''t expect you toe."


    Brittany was dressed in in clothes and carried a low-profile handbag. She indifferently said, "Call me Mrs. Parham. We''re not that close."


    She wouldn''t havee at all if it weren''t for the Cantrell family. Xenia didn''t take offense. Instead, she eagerly followed behind Brittany.


    Meanwhile, Noelle was surprised to see Brittany. She figured it was likely because of the Cantrell family''s influence.


    Instead of walking over to greet Brittany, she focused on the food section and checked the food arrangements.


    That was when she noticed a wealthy-lookingdy standing nearby, looking ufortable. She quickly approached and asked, "Are you alright? Do you need a doctor?"


    "I''m fine," the woman replied.


    It was then that Noelle recognized the woman''s face. She''d met thetter once at the Greene family''s Aristelle Hospital. They''d even taken the elevator together.


    When Emma saw Noelle, she forced a smile. "Oh, it''s you. What are you doing here?"


    She''d been invited to this charity sales event, only to realize it was hosted by the Liddell family, which had been involved in the car


    ident. She remembered


    Donovan''s face, so when shovel.ne


    him earlier, the memories.came flooding back.


    "I''m just helping out," Noelle replied as she supported Emma to a nearby seat and brought thetter a ss of lemon water.


    Emma took a sip and instantly felt better. She looked at Noelle and asked, "Are you working part-time here?"


    Before Noelle could answer, Xenia walked over with her high heels clicking against the floor.


    Her tone was full of arrogance as she snapped, "What kind of arrangement is this, Noelle? You moved away the luxury desserts prepared, and now an important guest wants them but can''t have any. How embarrassing!"


    Noelle looked up at her and asked, "Who wants them?"


    "Obviously Mrs. Parham! She''s the most distinguished guest here today, so can you afford to offend her? Hurry up and bring out the desserts!"


    Noelle frowned. "If you need them, get them yourself. I''m with a guest who isn''t feeling well."


    "Are you stupid? Mrs. Parham is the most important guest. As for the rest, who cares? If she''s sick, she should just go to the hospital. Why waste time with her?" Emma didn''t want Noelle to feel conflicted and said, "You go ahead. I''ll be fine."


    She found it absurd that the daughter of the Liddells was making things difficult for a part-time worker.


    Xenia rolled her eyes at Emma and


    continued, "Noelle Liddell, I''m


    warning you. Since Donovan put you in charge of this event, you''ll have to answer to him if you offend Mrs. Parham!"


    Once Emma heard her words, her expression paled. She grabbed Noelle''s hand


    and instantly lost herposure. "Y-You''re from the Liddell family?"


    She''d just realized Noelle had the Liddellst name. At first, Emma had thought it was just a coincidence, but now she realized it''d been Noelle all along!

 Chapter 513

    Noticing Emma''s reaction, Noelle replied, "That''s right. I''m from the Liddell family."


    Emma anxiously pressed on, "Is Donovan your older brother?"


    Noelle nodded. Though she didn''t want to admit it, she had no choice, with Xenia standing right there.


    Emma let out a helplessugh. The youngdy Cedric liked turned out to be the survivor of that car ident! What kind of twisted fate was this?


    Noelle quickly helped steady her. "Are you alright?"


    Nearby, Xenia huffed. "Noelle, didn''t I tell you to bring the desserts you''ve removed? I have to entertain Mrs. Parham, and I don''t have time to do it myself!"


    Noelle ignored her and continued supporting Emma. "Let me help you to the lounge so you can rest."


    Xenia snapped, "Are you deaf? Mrs. Parham is our most important guest today!"


    Noelle shoved her aside. "Get lost."


    Caught off guard, Xenia fell to the floor. Then, she scrambled up and rushed off toin to Donovan.


    She was certain Noelle was doomed. Donovan valued his rtionship with Brittany, and he''d definitely be furious.


    Meanwhile, Noelle helped Emma into the lounge and poured a cup of warm water for thetter. "Are you sure you don''t need a doctor?"


    "I''m fine. I''m just a little low on blood sugar." Emma came up with a random


    excuse.


    Right now, she was utterly shaken and could barely calm herself down. She''d never expected to meet someone from that car ident again, and what shocked her more was that Cedric was interested in the girl who survived the ident back then.


    Noelle brought over some pastries and set them on the table. "Have some food to regain your energy."


    Emma''s eyes reddened slightly. "Thank you, dear. We''re really fated, aren''t we?"


    She hadn''t nned to attend this event, but since Brittany wasing, she figured she''de, too. Little did she know that the Cantrell family''s son-inw was from the family of that tragic car ident.


    Noelle smiled. "Today''s charity sales event was put together a little hastily. I hope you won''t mind if there are any shorings."


    "Did you organize this event?"


    "Not entirely. I stepped in only at thest minute to make adjustments. This charity foundation was established by my parents, after all, and I couldn''t let others turn it into a joke."


    Emma''s hand trembled. "Your parents founded this? I''ve never heard of it before."


    "They were from Aldoria and were passionate about charity work.


    Unfortunately, they passed away in a car ident years ago, and the


    i.ne


    foundation has been neglected since then. It''s only been revived in the past couple of years."


    The mention of the car ident made Emma''s heart feel unbearably heavy. After a long silence, she asked, "How have you been after


    losing your parents? I heard you brothers treated their only sister well and sent her to Yole University''s business school."


    Noelle let out a bitterugh. "The one sent to business school wasn''t me; it was


    my adopted sister. She''s the daughter of the driver involved in the car ident. You met her just now."


    "How could this be?"


    Emma recalled the time she ran into


    l.ne


    Noelle at the hospital and heard rumors about thetter. Back then she learned Noelle had been hospitalized because her brother had beaten her up, and the incident had gone viral.


    At that time, she''d just thought Noelle had aplicated family situation, and it


    was only now that she learned the truth.


    Her heart ached for Noelle. "Have you had a rough time all these years?"


    "It''s all in the past now," Noelle replied. Then, she heard voices approaching outside.


    She got up. "You should rest. I have something to attend to."


    Just as she stepped out of the lounge, Donovan and Xenia arrived.


    Xenia immediatelyunched into herint. "Look, Donovan. I told you, didn''t


    I? Noelle is just cking off in there.


    "I told her to bring back the desserts Mrs. Parham wanted, and she refused. Now Mrs. Parham is upset about our event being too shabby."

 Chapter 514

    Donovan''s expression sank. "Noelle, we can''t afford to offend Mrs. Parham."


    "I know, but a guest not feeling well is also just as important. I already had Xenia go get the desserts herself," Noelle replied.


    Xenia spoke up. "Noelle, didn''t you say that I shouldn''t interfere with this event? Nobody''s listening to what I have to say anyway."


    She continued, deliberately adding fuel to the fire. "Donovan, I''m just thinking of our family''s priorities, but Noelle is busy dealing with some random woman instead. I just don''t want us to forget about what''s important right now."


    Donovan frowned and said, "Noelle, you''re in the wrong this time. And Xenia''s right, like I said, is that we can''t afford to offend Mrs. Parham. Hurry and bring her the desserts."


    "I understand," Noelle replied. She did not want the situation to escte further, as her parents had established and left behind the Hopeful Hearts Foundation.


    She then turned around and left.


    Xenia''s eyes gleamed with joy and excitement as she waited to see how Noelle would handle the situation.


    Donovan hesitated for a moment and asked, "Who''s in the lounge?"


    "That''s not important, Donovan. It''s probably nothing serious anyway. Let''s go, Mrs. Parham is waiting for us," Xenia replied.


    Xenia dragged Donovan away. She assumed that the woman resting in the lounge would probably just be a nobody who could not possiblypare to Brittany.


    Meanwhile, inside the lounge, Emma was standing behind the door and had overheard their conversation. She could tell that the Liddell family was biased against Noelle.


    She never would have thought that Noelle was actually the girl from all those years back.


    She could not help but call Cedric right away. The call was picked up quickly, and she said, "Cedric, I want to ask you about something. Do you know who Noelle is?"


    Cedric fell silent after hearing the question. After some time, he replied slowly. "She''s the girl that I like."


    Emma almost lost herposure. "Stop lying to me, Cedric. You know the truth, don''t you?"


    His voice sank a little in response. "That''s not important."


    "What do you mean that''s not important? Of all the people you could have fallen in love with, why her? The two of you can never be together unless she''s willing to turn her back on her own parents!"


    Emma could tell that Noelle was not a heartless person. She figured that Cedric must have never told her about the truth.


    Her voice began to tremble as she continued, "Noelle''s a good girl, Cedric. What you''re doing will only hurt her."


    "I will protect her," Cedric replied.


    "You can''t protect her! You don''t understand how girls think at all." With that, Emma ended the call abruptly. She covered her face with her hand in disbelief.


    Her whole life had been smooth sailing. Even her stepson had grown into an outstanding man. But that one mistake led to everything that was happening now.


    When Emma recalled Noelle being


    treated unfairly since she was


    young, as well as when she got beaten so badly by her brother that she got hospitalized, she was so saddened that she had trouble breathing. She could not help butugh at the cruel joke that was fate.


    Back outside, the charity sales event was about to begin. Noelle brought out a tray of desserts and ced them within reach of the guests.


    But as she arrived in front of Brittany, Brittany deliberately made things difficult for her. "What is this? Is this really something you serve to your guests?"


    Xenia whispered to Noelle. "Noelle, didn''t I tell you to serve only Mrs. Parham? Why did you give everyone a piece as well?"


    After all, Brittany was on a whole different level from the other guests. Noelle''s expression remained unchanged. "I wanted everyone to have a taste."


    She would not serve the dessert to only Brittany, as such an act would just be openly admitting that the Liddell family favored the rich and looked down on the poor.


    "You can keep this cheap-looking


    dessert for yourself." Brittany threw the dessert at Noelle and stood up. "What a waste of time! I wouldn''t even havee here if not for the Cantrell family!"


    Donovan hurried forward to stop her and then turned back to issue orders to Noelle. "What are you standing there for, Noelle? Apologize to Mrs. Parham right


    now!"

 Chapter 515

    Noelle had no intention of apologizing whatsoever. But with Brittany making a scene, the charity sales event was at risk of being canceled and bing a joke that would be talked about for times toe.


    Donovan stared at Noelle while Xenia continued fanning the mes from the side. "Noelle, it''s obviously your fault for not nning this event thoroughly. Hurry up and apologize to Mrs. Parham, will you? I believe that Mrs. Parham will forgive you if you just apologized."


    If Noelle were to offend Brittany, Xenia would not be able to curry any more favor with Brittany in the future. Xenia cursed at Noelle for being pretentious within her


    heart.


    In the end, Noelle stepped up to Brittany and apologized. "I''m sorry, Mrs. Parham. I had not thought things through. If you''re dissatisfied with the desserts, I''ll prepare some new ones just for you right away."


    Brittany''s eyes were filled with disdain. She was rather disgusted by the Liddell family''s bootlicking attitude. "Just for me, you say? Are you trying to show everyone that I''m a troublesome guest?"


    Xenia quickly exined, "Mrs. Parham, is there anything we could do to make up for you? Noelle will do as you say!"


    "Is that so?" Brittany nced at the piece of dessert fallen on the ground and then looked back up at Noelle. "Didn''t you say that the desserts are super delicious?


    "Why don''t you pick it up and eat it then? Do that, and I''ll forget about how you''ve humiliated me just now."


    Noelle looked at the dirty piece of dessert on the floor. She could tell that Brittany was deliberately making things difficult for her.


    Donovan frowned and said, "Mrs. Parham, isn''t this a bit too much?"


    Frank came up from behind and stood in front of Noelle. "Mrs. Parham, Noelle


    had only made an honest mistake. If news about your demands were to spread, what do you think people will think of you?"


    Brittany''s expression darkened instantly. "Is this how the Liddell family apologizes? I guess there''s nothing more to be discussed between us."


    Xenia then spoke up. "Donovan, say something!"


    She then picked up the dessert on the ground and ced it back on a te before handing it to Noelle. "The middle part should still be clean. Just take a single bite, Noelle. I''m sure that Mrs. Parham wouldn''t be so particr about it, right?"


    Brittany smirked and replied, "That''s right. I''m not that petty."


    She wanted to see just how far the Liddell family would go to please the Parhams.


    Frank red at Xenia and said, "Are you insane, Xenia? Put that away!"


    He could not believe that Xenia would try to force Noelle to eat something that was picked up from the ground.


    "Frank, this is all for the good of our family. Don''t you agree, Donovan?" Xenia replied.


    She hated Noelle more than anything else at that moment. Had she been in charge of the charity sales event and the items had not been removed, they would not have offended Brittany.


    Donovan hesitated for a moment before looking at the piece of dessert. "Noelle, you made this mess, so you''ll have to clean it up as well."


    It was a good opportunity to teach Noelle a lesson about the existence of people within Yasnia that they could not afford to offend. Noelle


    could not afford to offende


    Merlock family, let alone the Parhams.


    the


    Frank''s expression sank. "Donovan, have you lost your mind as well?"


    He could not believe that they would want Noelle to eat something picked up from


    the ground. He could only wonder if they still cared about the family''s dignity, as well as Noelle''s dignity.


    Xenia scooped out parts of the dessert with a spoon and held it toward Noelle. "This part is clean. Just eat it, Noelle."


    Sheughed out loud in her mind, excitedly waiting to watch Noelle suffer for once. She had always hated Noelle''s aloof and pretentious attitude. And now, she wanted to


    see if Noelle would dare to offend


    the Parham family.


    A voice suddenly rang out from behind. "How ridiculous! Is this what the folks of the Liddell family are like?"


    Emma had arrived just in time to hear them trying to force Noelle to eat the piece of sullied dessert. She had be so furious that her whole body trembled.


    She had thought that Noelle''s older brothers would stand up for her. To her surprise, only one of them did, while the other actually went along with the humiliation. She realized that the rumors were all true.


    Emma stormed over and shoved the dessert onto Xenia''s face. "Why don''t you eat it yourself since you like it so much?"


    Everyone present was bbergasted. Even Noelle herself had not expected Emma to stand up for her.


    Xenia was caught off guard by the act. She shrieked and screamed at Emma. "How dare you touch me? Do you have any idea who I am?"

 Chapter 516

    Xenia was furious. She had put on natural-looking makeup specifically for that day. She immediately started crying and turned to Donovan for help.


    "Donovan, look! I told you that Noelle is definitely friends with this old hag! I can''t believe Noelle even asked for help from an outsider to harm me!"


    Donovan''s expression shifted drastically when he recognized Emma. He had never expected that the guest who had been resting in the lounge earlier was actually Emma.


    He immediately pped Xenia and said, "What the hell are you talking about? Apologize, now!"


    Xenia still believed that she was wronged. "Clearly, this old hag attacked me first, Donovan! Why should I apologize to her?"


    Donovan felt a headache creeping up to his temples. He grabbed onto Xenia''s wrist and ordered, "I''m telling you to apologize! Right now! Immediately!"


    Xenia was startled by Donovan''s furious expression. "Donovan, why are you being so angry?"


    As far as she knew, Emma was just some random woman who assaulted her. She did not think that Emma could possibly be someone important.


    Brittany walked up and linked her arm with Emma affectionately. "Mrs. Greene! I haven''t been able to find you until now. I thought that you had already left because of how shabby-looking this charity sales event was!"


    "I wasn''t feeling well earlier, so I was resting at the lounge," Emma''s tone was filled with sarcasm. "As for the Liddell family''s apology, I believe that I''m not worthy of such a thing."


    Donovan''s expression shifted through various emotions as he hurriedly exined, "I sincerely apologize, Mrs. Greene. I had no idea that you would be present today. Please forgive us for ourck of hospitality."


    Xenia felt as if her mind had exploded, her lips trembling as she spoke up, "Donovan, you''re saying that she''s Mrs. Greene?"


    He turned to Xenia and replied, "That''s right. Do you finally realize the trouble that you''ve caused me?"


    She nearly lost her bnce after hearing Donovan''s reply. Nobody had told her that Emma would be attending the charity sales event that day!


    She began to panic, thinking about what to do next. She wondered if she had just offended someone that she should not have.


    Donovan quickly exined, "My younger sister is still young and immature, Mrs. Greene. So, she often speaks without thinking things through. Please don''t take offense to her remarks."


    "Your younger sister, you say?" Emma sneered. "I thought the Liddells only had a single daughter. Where did this onee from?"


    He hesitated for a moment before answering the question. "Xenia is also my sister. She''s just adopted."


    "An adopted member of the family, huh? With how arrogant she was, had I not known any better, I would have thought that she was the biological sister and Noelle was the


    adopted one," Emma replied.


    Noelle felt a strange sense of deja vu, as if she had heard simr words before.


    Emma had made it clear that she was on Noelle''s side.


    Xenia began to panic as she


    exined "Mrs. Greene, I''m really sorry, but I just didn''t know who you were earlier. But what happened just now was, in fact, Noelle''s fault. We''re not deliberately bullying her!"


    "You''re forcing Noelle to eat food picked up from the ground, and now you''re


    saying that you''re not bullying her? Very well then!" Emma replied.


    She picked up a piece of dessert from the table and tossed it onto the floor before turning to look at Xenia. "Now you go ahead and eat it."


    Xenia''s expression shifted in an instant as she could not stomach having to eat something from the floor. She had no choice but to turn to Donovan for help.


    Donovan boldly asked, "Mrs. Greene, isn''t this a bit too much?"


    Emma was furious. "So you do know that this is too much! Why didn''t you say the same when Noelle was the one being forced to eat it earlier? What kind of older brother are you?"


    She was especially furious because she just witnessed firsthand that the Liddell family''s biased treatment toward Noelle was even worse than any rumors she had heard.


    Donovan replied helplessly. "I just wanted to teach Noelle a lesson, that''s all. I didn''t have any other intentions."


    He never could have expected that the guest Noelle was taking care of earlier was actually Emma!


    Donovan was now full of regret, wishing that he had gone to check on her in the lounge earlier. None of this would have happened if he had done so.


    "Well then, I want to teach your adopted little sister a lesson, too!" Emma replied.


    She then scoffed and nced at the dessert on the floor. "If she refuses to eat it, you''d better think carefully about the consequences."

 Chapter 517

    Emma''s words carried a significant amount of weight, and the message she wanted to convey was clear.


    Donovan''s face turned pale. The Liddell family could hardly afford to offend the Parham family, let alone the Greene family.


    Everyone present silently observed the chaos. Not a single soul dared to utter even a single word, for no one present dared to even think about crossing the Greene family.


    Xenia was on the verge of tears, and she started to choke up. "Donovan, I had no idea that she was Mrs. Greene! Noelle could have told me, but she didn''t say a thing!"


    Had Noelle given her a heads-up, she would not possibly have offended Emma. Donovan turned to look at Noelle. "Why didn''t you tell her?"


    Things would not have escted to such a point had Noelle done so. Noelle sneered. "You''re actually ming me for this?"


    She had also just learned that the guest was Magnus''s mother, Emma Brown. It was clear that the Liddells had not changed a single bit.


    Emma immediately stepped in front of Noelle before coldly addressing Donovan. "What are you yelling at her for? Noelle had no idea who I was either, and she didn''t do anything wrong!"


    Noelle was surprised by Emma''s protective gesture and felt a warm feeling in her heart.


    Emma then turned to Noelle, her tone now much softer. "I wasn''t feeling well just now, and it was Noelle who helped me to the lounge to rest up. Meanwhile, that adopted young sister of yours kept on bothering Noelle! How disrespectful!"


    Donovan''s expression was sunken, but he did not dare to say anything.


    Xenia was even more afraid than he was and could only reply in whispers. "I just wanted to bring the desserts to Mrs. Parham as soon as possible."


    Brittany immediately denied Xenia''s ims. "Don''t drag me into this. I never told you to do any of it."


    She then turned to Emma and continued, "The only reason I yed along with their antics was to see for myself the extent of their biased treatment toward Noelle. It turns out the rumors were true! They really do dote on the adopted Xenia while they mistreat their own biological younger sister."


    Donovan tried to exin the situation. "Mrs. Parham, that''s not the case."


    Brittany''s tone carried a hint of mockery. "I remember there was a case of assault that went viral online. Wasn''t that from your family?


    "And now, with everyone present here as witnesses, we all saw how you were defending your so-called younger sister that you had no blood rtions with. I heard that Xenia is just the daughter of a chauffeur. Anyone that didn''t know better would have thought that she was royalty or something."


    Donovan''s expression sank. "My parents passed away in a car ident back then, and Xenia''s father also died in the explosion while trying to save them. That''s why we took her into the family."


    Emma''s heart ached even more for


    Noelle after listening to the


    exnation: With how biased the Liddell family was to Noelle now, Emma could only wonder how much worse they had treated Noelle when she was younger.


    Xenia put on a pitiful act once more and turned to Emma. "I was orphaned when I was young. Noelle has always disliked me, thinking that I stole everything from her. But I really never even had such thoughts!"


    Emma raised her hand and pped Xenia right then and there, leaving Xenia dumbfounded.


    Emma''s expression was stern as she spoke up. "Drop the act with me. I''m not buying it! There''s plenty of ways for the Liddell family to repay a debt, but I''ve never seen anyone repay a favor by mistreating their own younger sister!"


    She wondered if everyone in the Liddell family had problems with their heads.


    Xenia instinctively turned to Donovan, but he just remained quiet, acting as if he did not even see her get pped.


    Emma turned to Noelle and continued, "You were wronged today. How do you wish to handle this, Noelle?"


    Noelle was surprised by how well Emma was treating her. She thought about it for a moment and then replied, "Let''s just leave it at this for now. The charity sales event has already begun."


    The whole fiasco had dyed the event significantly.


    Emma was also just reminded of the event. "Oh, right! I almost forgot about it. Let''s just enjoy this charity sales event for now. We can deal with the matter afterward."


    Noelle finally breathed a sigh of relief. Everyone took their seats as if nothing had happened earlier.


    Emma nced at Noelle and said, "You should go ahead and take care of your work."


    It was only then that Noelle finally stepped back to the side. Donovan walked up


    to her with Xenia in tow and whispered, "Noelle, thanks for not making things any worse. You''ve done well."

 Chapter 518

    Noelle remained quiet and expressionless.


    Donovan wanted to say more, but Frank stopped him and said, "Donovan, I think you should just stop talking. Didn''t you say that Xenia''s innocent? You should start thinking about how to exin that to Mrs. Greer."


    Xenia exined unwillingly. "I had no idea that she was Mrs. Greene!"


    Frank had seen everything from the side and already knew what exactly had happened. "Even if she''s not Mrs. Greene and was just an ordinary guest, she would still be a guest of ours!


    "How could you call her an ''old hag'' and treat her with disrespect? It''s no wonder that Mrs. Parham says that our Liddell familycks manners!"


    Xenia was at a loss for words after being reprimanded thoroughly. She eventually turned to Donovan and said, "I didn''t do any of it on purpose, Donovan."


    "Xenia, how could you be so prejudiced against our guests? It''s no wonder that Mrs. Greene did not think highly of you despite you having grown up together with all of us. Think about how Noelle handled the situation just now," Donovan replied.


    He was still slightly shaken as he continued, "Luckily, Noelle had helped Mrs. Greene to take a rest at the lounge earlier. Otherwise, our entire family would be done for because of your actions, Xenia. How could you be so foolish?"


    Xenia was on the verge of tears, but she did not dare to argue with Donovan.


    Donovan then turned to Noelle, now with a much softer tone. "I''m leaving the charity sales event to you, Noelle. You must deal with Mrs. Greene appropriately, or the foundation will not survive to see another day."


    Noelle lifted her eyelids slightly, revealing a mocking gaze. "So you''re finally panicking, huh? Weren''t you the one who believed everything Xenia had said? You told her to clean up the mess, didn''t you? None of this was even my fault." Donovan''s expression darkened. "What''s the point of arguing about this now? Do you really want to just stand by and watch as Mom and Dad''s Hopeful Hearts Foundation falls apart?"


    Frank chimed in, attempting to smooth things over. "He''s right, Noelle. We need to put aside our differences for now and focus on solving the problem at hand.


    "As for Xenia, I believe Donovan has already seen the mistakes she made today and will punish her ordingly."


    Donovan nodded and said, "I''ll give you a proper exnation after the event is over."


    Noelle nced at Xenia, realizing that it was a good opportunity to strike. Her lips curled up as she replied, "I only have one single demand, which is to kick her out of the Liddell family."


    Xenia agreed instantly. "I''ll move out if that''s what you want."


    Her life had been getting harder and harder now that Noelle had returned to the Liddell family. Moving out would, at least, give her some freedom.


    Noelle continued, "But Xenia won''t be taking even a single cent from us. She''ll leave with nothing in hand."


    With that, Xenia''s expression sank. "What gives?!"


    She could not possibly survive if she did not bring anything with her.


    Frank sneered and exined, "Xenia, have you forgotten about your origins? You were living in poverty before being adopted into the Liddell family. Have you really forgotten about it?"


    Xenia could not have possibly forgotten about it, for it was exactly why she had been trying so hard to rece Noelle, all so that she would not have to go back to a miserable life.  s?novel


    Donovan looked at Noelle and said, "That''s enough. We''ll discuss the matter after the event is over. Noelle, whether you want to ruin today''s event or whatever, it''s up to you."


    He was certain that Noelle would not do such a thing. He knew that despite her bad temper, she had always been respectful toward everything that belonged to their parents.


    Noelle remained silent, but she had already made up her mind.


    After the charity sales event ended, Emma was revealed to be the biggest donor.


    Noelle looked at the list of donations and saw that the event had raised over 10 million dors, and Emma''s contribution alone was eight million.


    The other attendees were also influenced to donate more after seeing Emma''s generosity.


    After the conclusion of the charity sales event, there was a group photo session.


    Everyone wanted to stand next to Emma, but she waved at Noelle toe to her side. "Come stand beside me, Noelle."


    Xenia saw the scene from the side and decided to shamelessly stand next to Brittany.


    Brittany frowned and said, "Please don''t stand next to me. I don''t want to be seen near someone without manners."


    Xenia was enraged. She then wondered what gave Noelle the right to stand next to Emma.


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


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 519

    Noelle''s gaze was filled with mockery as she watched Xenia being pushed away by Brittany. It was apparent that Xenia''s usual pitiful act could not work on


    Brittany.


    Donovan turned to Xenia and said, "Come here, Xenia. Help us take photos of everyone."


    Since Xenia had already offended both Emma and Brittany, he felt it was best for her not to join the group photo session and make things worse. For Xenia, seeing that Donovan did not even speak up for her only deepened her resentment toward the Liddell family.


    She felt that they were treating her however they pleased simply because she was not their own flesh and blood. She believed that if Noelle had taken her ce, things would definitely be different.


    Xenia''s heart grew resentful and unwilling. She held up the camera and watched as Donovan walked over to stand beside Noelle. It almost made her want to smash the camera to the ground.


    She felt that Donovan standing right next to Noelle meant that he was now standing on her side, both literally and metaphorically.


    Xenia nned the charity sales event. She believed that she should have been the center of attention, but Noelle stole that from her.


    Frank spoke up with a threatening tone. "You''d better do things right, Xenia. If you were to offend the Greene family and drag our entire family down with you, even Donovan would have no choice but to kick you out."


    She had no choice but to swallow her anger and take the photos. Once the group photo session was over, the event had also officiallye to an end. Emma was still surrounded by a group of people eager to curry favor with her.


    Noelle noticed that Emma was not interested in dealing with the crowd, so she approached Emma and said, "Mrs. Greene, let me take you to the lounge for a rest."


    Emma could tell that Noelle was trying to help her out of the situation and happily agreed. "Sure, thank you."


    Noelle then led Emma and Brittany to the lounge. She even had someone buy desserts specifically from Brittany''s favorite brand and arrange them on the table. The rest of the Liddells also followed after them into the lounge.


    Brittany picked up a piece of dessert from the table for a bite before turning to Noelle. "Noelle sure is a well-mannereddy, unlike a certain someone that was adopted."


    Xenia, who was standing beside Donovan, immediately turned pale.


    Donovan spoke up politely. "Mrs. Parham, Mrs. Greene, it''s true that Xenia was not being thoughtful just now. I''ll have her apologize to both of you."


    Xenia immediately stepped forward, hoping to leave a good impression by making amends.


    Emma replied coldly. "You should be apologizing to Noelle, not me. I''m sure you know better than anyone else about how you treated her earlier."


    Xenia instinctively turned to Brittany, as she was not the one who had made things difficult for Noelle earlier.


    Brittany immediately exined


    herself to Emma. "I was just trying to test the Liddell family. I had no intention of making things hard for Noelle specifically. Who would have thought that they would actually force her to eat it? I''ve never seen such a family in my life."


    She could tell that Emma was clearly protective of Noelle, so she immediately distanced herself from the matter.


    Xenia wanted to argue after hearing Brittany shifting the me away from herself, but Donovan stopped her. He said, "Xenia, Mrs. Parham''s right. You really shouldn''t have done that. You should apologize to


    Noelle."


    He could tell that Emma was standing up for Noelle, so he did not want to argue against her. Xenia, however, was unwilling to take the me.


    Emma picked up a piece of dessert from the table and tossed it onto the ground. "It''s the same as before. If you pick it up and eat it, we''ll forget about this matter."


    Xenia''s eyes turned bloodshot from rage. "But it wasn''t entirely my fault!" She could not understand why they were all so fixated on punishing her.


    Brittany sneered and said, "Tsk, tsk. I wonder if the Cantrell family knows what kind of people the Liddells are like. It''s making me feel embarrassed just looking at them."


    Emma chimed in. "I agree. The Cantrells must have misjudged in choosing their son-inw. Why


    hasn''t anyone from the Cantre/


    arrive@yet? Could it be that they heard about what happened earlier and felt too ashamed to show up?"


    Donovan''s expression sank as he realized that none of the Cantrells had appeared for the charity sales event.


    He walked up to Xenia and whispered, "Xenia, I know that you''ve always been an obedient and sensible younger sister, but I need you to listen to me this time. I''ll make it up to you, I promise."


    He could not let the Cantrells form any negative opinions about the Liddells, no matter what.


    Noticing his expression, Xenia finally bent down to pick up the dessert before cing it into her mouth. She took a small bite and then spit it out immediately as if she had just tasted poison.


    She then turned toward Noelle, her voice choking up. "Is this enough?"

 Chapter 520

    Noelle sneered at Xenia''s pitiful act. "I hope you won''t do something like this again, lest you suffer from the consequences of your own actions once more."


    Just now, in front of an entire crowd, Xenia had deliberately picked up a dessert from the ground and given it to Noelle to eat.


    But now, karma hade full circle for Xenia. It was a ssic case of shooting herself in her own foot.


    Emma looked at Noelle and spoke gently. "So long as you deem that this is ample punishment. Noelle, I already knew that you were a good person when west met."


    Donovan was surprised. "Noelle, have you met Mrs. Greene before?"


    It was no wonder that Emma had been so protective of Noelle, he thought.


    Noelle looked at Donovan and replied, "It was back when ke beat me up so bad that I got hospitalized. I had run into Mrs. Greene at the hospital."


    "Yes, and Noelle had helped me out once back then at the hospital," Emma replied.


    She then turned to Donovan and continued, "I hope that you will all treat Noelle fairly. I get along with her quite well, so if I ever find out that the Liddells are mistreating her, I will personallye to settle the matter."


    Noelle was surprised that Emma would defend her so strongly.


    Donovan was even more surprised than she was. He replied politely. "Don''t worry, Mrs. Greene. Noelle''s my only sister; of course, I would treat her well.


    "Everything that happened just now was just a misunderstanding. We''ve already reconciled, isn''t that right, Noelle?"


    Noelle turned to Emma and said, "Thank you for attending today''s charity sales event, Mrs. Greene. I really appreciate it."


    Emma patted Noelle''s hand and replied, "Then we''ll be taking our leave for now. Oh, yes, let''s exchange contacts. We should meet up and chat over a cup of tea sometime.


    Noelle was slightly taken aback before taking out her phone to add Emma on WhatsApp.


    After that, Emma finally left the venue.


    Brittany scanned Noelle curiously. She felt that Emma was being exceptionally kind to her. She felt that something was off, but she could not put a finger on it.


    After both Emma and Brittany had left, a certain silhouette peeked out from outside the room before making a call to Cedric. "Cedric, Mom just left."


    "Yeah, I saw her leave," Cedric had only just arrived himself. He had just learned from Magnus that Emma was attending a charity sales event.


    He immediately realized that it was the very same event that Noelle kad mentioned to him. Cedric rushed over to the venue in a hurry. But now that he had arrived, he did not dare to approach Noelle.


    He was not sure if Emma had already told Noelle the truth or not. He hesitated for


    a moment before asking. "Was Noelle being bullied?"


    Magnus recounted what had happened earlier, spreading his hands. "Yeah, Mrs. Parham was pretty cruel. She wanted Noelle to pick up food from the ground and eat it. I was about to step in, but Mom stormed in faster than I did.


    "Given how powerful our Mom is, I didn''t even get to do a thing once she''s gotten into the fray."


    Cedric frowned in response. He did not expect Emma to defend Noelle.


    Magnus continued, "Cedric, I think Mom has also beenpletely won over by Noelle''s charms. I guess you can finally announce that the two of you are a couple."


    "Shut it!" Cedric could tell that things were not so simple. He hesitated for a moment before finally turning toward the lounge.


    He knew that the truth would have to be made clear sooner orter.


    Meanwhile, the lounge was eerily quiet. After Emma and Brittany had left, Xenia immediately ran to the restroom and threw up before rinsing her mouth.


    She came back to the lounge with bloodshot eyes and said, "Donovan, Mrs. Parham was definitely doing it on purpose! This whole matter has nothing to do with me at all!"


    She was on the verge of losing it.


    Donovan also knew about what had really happened, but he could not afford to offend Brittany by having her take the me. As such, he could only have Xenia take the me.


    "I know that you were wronged, Xenia. What would you like aspensation?"


    Xenia''s eyes flickered as she replied,


    "Donovan, was the one who organized this charity sales eventle Can you allow me to handle the foundation''s funds? I want to make a name for myself and regain Mrs. Parham''s favor."


    She had already been humiliated, and she would not allow herself to lose the money as well. She wanted to donate ten million dors to herself!


    Frank immediately objected to her proposal. "Absolutely not!"


    "Why not? I don''t see a problem with it," Donovan turned to look at Noelle and said, "Xenia suffered because of you, Noelle. You should take a step back for her now."


    Noelle replied coldly. "Get lost!"

 Chapter 521

    Donovan was furious. "What''s your problem, Noelle?"


    Noelle retorted, "What exactly has Xenia suffered because of me?"


    "You were the one who offended Mrs. Parham just now. Don''t think that you can deny what happened just because Mrs. Greene is backing you up."


    "So you''re saying that I should ignore the unwell Mrs. Greene like Xenia did and just focus on currying favor with Mrs. Parham?"


    Noelle''s tone was sharp as she continued, "If that''s the case, then you''ve truly offended the Greene family. Do you still wish to survive in Yasnia or not?"


    Frank chimed in. "Noelle''s right. We have her to thank for what happened today. All Xenia ever does is cause trouble. She''s useless! She brought all of this onto herself!"


    Donovan noticed Xenia''s aggrieved expression and replied coldly. "This matter is settled."


    Noelle stood firm on her decision. "Like I said, I don''t agree!"


    Donovan turned to her and replied, "It isn''t up to you, Noelle. The foundation hasn''t even been handed over to you yet. Let Xenia handle it just for once, and you''ll have full authority over the foundation after this. That''s enough, isn''t it?"


    Xenia smirked after hearing Donovan''s words. There was no way she would give up on such an opportunity.


    Frank stood by Noelle''s side. "Donovan, if what you''re doing now isn''t favoritism, then what is?"


    Donovan simply could not stand Noelle''s arrogance and wanted to kick her down a notch. "You''re all calling me biased, but what I''m doing now is nothing but being fair! What happens to the foundation is still up to me!"


    Just then, the door to the lounge was pushed open. Cedric entered the room with a cold expression, having overheard the argument going on inside. He walked straight to Noelle and took her hand.


    Noelle did not expect him to show up at all.


    Cedric then turned to Donovan and said, "So your idea of maintaining fairness is to force Noelle to makepromises? You must be crazy if you think this is anything but fair! It''s no wonder you became known as the Cantrell family''s live-in son-inw!"


    Noelle was stunned by how brutal Cedric was with his words. The words he had spoken had stabbed Donovan right in the heart with precision.


    Donovan was enraged after being referred to as a live-in son-inw. "Say that again if you dare!"


    He had always been a prideful man, especially in front of his own family, where he had maintained the


    authoritative role as the head of the


    household. He had never once


    mentioned to the rest of the family that he had agreed to a matrilocal arrangement. Content b¨¦tongs to


    He felt extremely humiliated to have some random person exposing it now, of all times.


    Noelle immediately stepped in front of Cedric. "I''ll draft the contract and transfer the foundation under my name tomorrow."


    "In your dreams," Donovan replied.


    "If you don''t want to cooperate, then the footage I have recorded between Xenia and Gordon in bed will be appearing all over the inte."


    Noelle''s reply immediately seized both Donovan and Xenia by the throat. Donovan forcefully suppressed his anger to gain a moment of rity. "Fine, but Xenia will still be handling the distribution of the donations."


    Noelle replied coldly. "I''ll be keeping a close eye on things. We wouldn''t want a certain someone to siphon all the funds into their personal ounts, do we?"


    Xenia defended herself immediately as if reflecting her guilty conscience. "I won''t do that! I''ll make sure to do a great job! You can check my ounts whenever you like!"


    She could just transfer the money into her father''s ount. Noelle would never be able to find out that way.


    Noelle no longer pressed on further about the foundation, seeing that she had achieved her goal. She had already cast the bait, and all she had to do now was wait for her target to bite.


    She looked up at Cedric and said, "Let''s go."


    "Stop right there! Who said that you could leave? Since he''s already here, it''s


    about time we settle things," Donovan shouted.


    His gaze at Cedric carried nothing but disdain. "I''ll get straight to the point. You''re not good enough for Noelle, so don''t you even think about using her to climb the socialdder."


    Noelle was extremely protective of Cedric and could not stomach Donovan insulting Cedric like that. "Donovan Liddell! This is none of your business!"


    Cedric remained as calm as ever. He held onto Noelle''s hand to reassure her that he was fine. Given what Donovan was saying, it was apparent that Donovan had no idea who he really was.


    Cedric looked at Donovan and said, "Do you think that everyone is like you? Someone who uses women to climb the socialdder?"


    Cedric''s words thoroughly enraged Donovan, but Donovan could not even muster a reply for a long time.

 Chapter 522

    Noelle ignored Donovan and left the lounge with Cedric. Frank initially wanted to chase after them, but with Donovan almost fainting from anger, he had no choice but to stay back and take care of Donovan.


    Back outside, Noelle looked at the event venue and asked, "Cedric, why are you here?"


    "I was worried, so I came to check on you," Cedric replied.


    He carefully observed her expression. But even though he saw that she looked the same as usual, he still could not fully rx.


    He could not help but ask. "What do you n to do with the foundation?"


    "I was just putting on a show just now. The more reluctant I acted about the foundation, the more Xenia would believe my words," Noelle replied.


    Noelle was actually eager for Xenia to get her hands on the charity funds they had received that day. Cedric had alsoe to the same conclusion. He was just too preupied earlier to have realized it sooner.


    Noelle continued, "Two wealthy women attended the event today: Mrs. Greene and Mrs. Parham. They''ve probablye to this event because of the Cantrell family."


    She then turned to look at Cedric and said, "I only just realized today that I''d met Mrs. Greene once back at the hospital. Do you remember?"


    Cedric''s expression became slightly unnatural. "I remember."


    "Mrs. Greene went upstairs together with me at the time, seemingly trying to avoid someone. But as soon as she stepped out of the elevator, she turned around and ran away," Noelle exined.


    She never thought much about it back then, but looking back now made her realize that the scene was rather odd.


    Meanwhile, Cedric felt like he was walking on a tightrope, constantly at risk of falling into an endless abyss. Now that Emma had learned that Noelle was the girl from the car ident all those years ago, he realized that he would not be able to keep the secret for much longer.


    After a brief moment of hesitation, he asked, "Noelle, what do you think about what Donovan mentioned just now about our differences in status?"


    He was worried that she might be angry about him hiding his true identity from her. He was worried that she might think that he had done so because he was worried about her being a materialistic person.


    Noelle stood on her tiptoes and covered up his mouth. "I don''t care at all."


    Cedric held her hand and replied, "At least listen to me first."


    "No, you listen to me. I don''t care what your true identity is or anything because I simply like you for who you are."


    She cupped his face and continued, "You don''t need to take Donovan''s words to heart. None of them matter to me as much as you do."


    Cedric felt that his heart had just been filled to the brim with something warm.


    He was thoroughly overwhelmed with various emotions.


    He finally summoned his courage and spoke up. "Noelle, I''m actually¡ª"


    Before he could finish, however, Noelle turned to the side and spotted someone in the distance. "Is that Magnus?"


    Cedric immediately turned around and spotted Magnus hiding behind some flowers. But as the flowers were moved away, Magnus was left standing on the spot, fully exposed.


    Cedric gritted his teeth in frustration as he cursed out at Magnus within his heart for messing with him.


    Noelle walked over and stood behind Magnus, curious to see what he was trying to take a look at.


    Cedric walked up and kicked Magnus, causing Magnus to wince in pain. "What the hell? Who dares kick me? I¡ª"


    The moment Magnus recognized


    Cedric, he immediately lost his


    courage and shrank back to his


    usual self. Noelle was shocked when she saw Cedric delivering a kick to Magnus, but Magnus did not seem to be angered by it at all. She wondered if their rtionship was actually pretty good.


    Noelle looked at Magnus and asked, "What are you doing here?"


    Magnus immediately deployed his only excuse. "I came to look for my Mom, but she had already left by the time I got here."


    Noelle already knew that Emma had


    attended the charity sales event. really appreciate Mrs. Greene stepping in to help me earlier. I''m thinking of inviting her to a meal to express my gratitude."


    "That''s great! Well, we''ll all be family in the future anyway."


    She chuckled and replied, "What do you mean by family? Stop joking, Magnus."


    Magnus immediately turned to Cedric. He had thought that Cedric had alreadye clean with the truth to Noelle. "Huh? Cedric hasn''t told you about it yet?"


    From the looks of it, he quickly realized that Cedric had not said anything yet. At that moment, Cedric''s palms broke out into cold sweat as he stared at Noelle nervously. "I need to tell you something, Noelle."

 Chapter 523

    Noelle smiled when she saw how nervous Cedric was bing. "Go ahead, Cedric."


    Just then, an employee of the Hopeful Hearts Foundation walked over and said, "Ms. Liddell, there are still some matters that require your attention."


    "I''ll be right there," she replied.


    She then turned to Cedric and continued, "Do you want to say it now, or do you want to wait until I''m finished with work?"


    She could tell from his look of hesitation that what he wanted to say was something difficult to put into words. Perhaps he wanted to say something about what Donovan had said to him earlier.


    Cedric let out a sigh and replied, "You should go ahead, Noelle."


    Noelle nodded and left with the employee.


    Cedric then turned around and nced at Magnus. "Be careful with your words next time."


    "Cedric, I thought that you would''ve already told her about the truth! I really had no idea that you hadn''t done so.


    "What''s there to hide, anyway? It''s not like Noelle''s a gold digger or anything. She likes you for who you are!" Magnus replied.


    "I know."


    Magnus was confused. "Then what are you hesitating for?"


    Cedric''s expression darkened with a tinge of sorrow as he whispered, "Because I feel like I''ve wronged her."


    If only the car ident had never happened, then he could have just told her who he really was.


    ...


    Noelle walked away from Cedric with the Hopeful Hearts Foundation''s employee. She texted Cedric in the car, telling him and Magnus not to wait for her as she still had work to handle. Now that she had finally regained control of the foundation, she wanted to manage it well.


    For Xenia, Noelle decided to wait for the unsuspecting prey to take the bait. She was rather curious about what exactly Cedric wanted to tell her.


    It was already veryte by the time Noelle finished work and returned home. As she headed upstairs, she saw Xenia standing by the staircase, ring at her with a dark expression.


    Noelle just ignored Xenia and


    continued upward, but Xenia suddenly snapped out at her. "You already knew from the very start that the woman was Mrs. Greene, didn''t you? You set me up by deliberately putting up an innocent act in front of her, didn''t you?!"


    Xenia had been thinking about what happened during the charity sales event ever since she returned home. The more she thought about it, the more she realized that something was off. She figured that it had to be Noelle''s trap.


    Noelle smirked, her eyes filled with mockery. "With how much you''ve


    embarrassed yourself in front of Mrs. Parham and Mrs. Greene today, I''d say your


    chances of marrying Justin are as good as none."


    "You fucking bitch! I knew it! You nned all of this!"


    Noelle grabbed Xenia by the throat, her tone turning cold. "You better not be


    nning any stupid tricks behind my back, Xenia. I still have the high-definition video footage of you sleeping with Gordon.


    "Should I send it to Mrs. Parham and let her enjoy the show? Or perhaps even send it straight to Justin himself?"


    "No! Don''t do it!" Xenia shouted.


    She was now utterly consumed by despair. She knew that her life would be ruined if the Parhams found out about the matter. Justin still had feelings for her, but if he were to see that video, it would definitely be over between them.


    Noelle patted Xenia''s face and continued, "I''m d that you understand. From now on, you''ll be my obedient little pet. You''ll do whatever I tell you to do."


    Naturally, Xenia was unwilling to do so.


    She was reprimanded harshly by her father for the incident with Gordon. She did not even tell him that Noelle had recorded a video of her and Gordon, as she was afraid that he would no longer help her get rid of Gordon.


    Xenia now deeply regretted her decision. She realized that she should never have made the n with Gordon, which had ended up having the roles reversed by Noelle to have Xenia herself y the victim in her own n.


    She gritted her teeth and asked, "What will it take for you to delete the video?"


    Noelle''s gaze was filled with contempt. "I am the real heiress of the Liddell family. And you? You''re just the daughter of a chauffeur. Have you forgotten your ce after enjoying a few years of luxury within my family?


    "I''ve left home for a little while, yes, but now that I''m back, I''m still the one and only heiress of the Liddells."


    With that, she turned around and left, leaving Xenia behind by her lonesome.


    Noelle had said all those words deliberately, the purpose being to push Xenia to make a move.


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


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 524

    Xenia sat on the ground for a long time before returning to her own room, her body trembling all the while. She took out a different phone and called a specific number. "Dad, help me kill Noelle, now! Kill that bitch!"


    A voice replied from the other end. "Xenia, didn''t I tell you to stay calm? I''ve warned you not to try and fight against Noelle for now."


    Xenia burst into tears. "You have no idea what she has done to me today! She forced me to pick up food from the ground and then eat it! Donovan was there, and he just watched me do it!


    "The Liddells are all horrible people! They always talk about how important our family ties are, but in the end, I''m still nothing more than an outsider!"


    Noelle only needed to lower her head a little, and she was weed back into the Liddell family. With her return, she easily took her room back and even took the Hopeful Hearts Foundation and Moonbright Entertainment from Xenia.


    Xenia was filled with hatred for Noelle, but even so, she did not mention anything about the video recording.


    The voice replied, "It''s not toote yet, Xenia. Do as I say, secure the funds in the foundation and transfer them to the ount I told you about.


    "After that, once the Al project''s contract is signed and Donovan transfers the money, you won''t have to even look at the Liddells anymore."


    "Alright, fine, I get it already," Xenia replied and hung up the phone, her expression icy.


    She had decided that she would make the entire Liddell family regret taking up Noelle''s side. Once the Liddell family was bankrupt, she could not wait to see if Noelle could still put up that haughty and noble act.


    The next day, Noelle woke up early just to finalize the contract with Donovan. But Donovan never showed up.


    Frank looked at her and said, "Donovan left early in the morning for some urgent matter."


    "He''s not backing out now, is he?" Noelle asked.


    "Noelle, with that video in your hands, Donovan won''t be going back on his word."


    Frank was certain that Donovan would not want the incident with Gordon to reach public ears. But Noelle still had her doubts.


    Just then, ke appeared and said, "I know. It must be the Cantrell family. I guess whatever happened during the charity sales event yesterday must have displeased them, so Donovan is busy cleaning up the mess.


    Both Emma and Brittany were very influential women. With Xenia causing such a huge scene at the event, it was only natural for it to be taken seriously.


    Frank tried to smooth things over as usual. "ke, you better not say that in front of Donovan, or you''re only going to make him angry. He''s doing all of this for the sake of the Riddell family''s future."


    He then turned to Noelle and said, "ke and I are going to look for Carl tomorrow. If you need anything, just let me know, okay?"


    Noelle figured that they were looking for Carl for each of their problems. One probably required surgery, while the other required facial reconstruction.


    It was no wonder ke did not attend yesterday''s charity sales event. Noelle stared at Frank''s noticeably thinner body. She figured that his stomach problems would get much better if he went to see Carl.


    She withdrew her gaze and replied, "Alright, I got it."


    Frank continued, "Noelle, Lucas will be staying here with you. If Donovan and Xenia try to cause any trouble for you or even harm you, he''ll help you out."


    Just then, Lucas finally walked into the room while avoiding eye contact with Noelle.


    Noelle coldly replied. "I can handle my own problems just fine."


    ke replied, "Noelle, I''m letting Lucas handle the entertainmentpany for now. We were blind to Xenia''s true nature in the past and trusted her unconditionally, which allowed her topletely screw us over. We won''t repeat the same mistake again."


    Now that Noelle had helped him reim the entertainmentpany, he felt immensely guilty whenever he thought about how they had mistreated her back then.


    However, Noelle remained indifferent. She stood up and said, "Is that all?"


    Seeing her cold demeanor, Frank could not help but ask. "Noelle, can you give us another chance and try to trust us again?"


    Noelle smirked and replied, "What if I demand Xenia to be kicked out of the Liddell family?"


    Frank exined awkwardly. "Noelle, Xenia only became an orphan because of us. Even if she made mistakes, we still can''t just kick her out of the house without giving her anything.


    "Xenia''s father, Sean, saved your life once. That fact will never change no matter what."


    Just then, a notification popped up on Noelle''s phone. She looked at her phone and saw a message from her PR team: "We''ve found some clues about the person who killed Gordon."


    Sheughed out loud and then looked up at Frank. "Are you sure about that?"

 Chapter 525

    Noelle stared at her family members in front of her. They had always used the same excuse about how Xenia''s father, Sean, had once saved her life.


    In her previous life, she had fully believed in the weight of those words, and as a result, never gained the care and concern of her older brothers even until her death.


    She had always madepromises for Xenia, thinking that she owed Xenia favors for Sean saving her life. In the end, Noelle even gave up her own life. But in this new life, she discovered that Sean was never dead to begin with.


    It also meant that he was rted to the car ident. Otherwise, he had no reason to keep on hiding in the shadows.


    Frank was surprised. "Noelle, what do you mean by that?"


    ke asked with confusion. "Donovan had been investigating the person who fled the scene of the car ident for all these years, but we''ve only managed to trace it back to the Merlock family. There hasn''t been any progress recently. Noelle, do you happen to have any leads?"


    Noelle clenched her phone tightly. She wanted nothing more than to throw all the evidence she had gathered in their faces.


    But she decided to hold herself back. She knew that it was not the right ce to talk about the matter.


    More importantly, she could not alert the enemy just yet.


    Noelle replied, "No, I don''t. Anyway, I have something to attend to, so I''m leaving now."


    With that, she turned around and walked out of the Liddell residence.


    Xenia watched Noelle leave from the second floor''s window. She felt uneasy as she thought about what ke had just said.


    She did not know that the Merlock family was involved in the car ident.


    She had asked Donovan about the matter back then, but he never revealed anything to her. She began to wonder if Donovan had also suspected Sean.


    A chill ran down Xenia''s spine. She quickly returned to her room to inform Sean about what she had heard.


    They needed to make preparations in advance, as they could not afford to be exposed no matter what.


    After leaving the Liddell family residence, Noelle headed straight to the cafe where she had arranged for a meetup.


    On the way there, she excitedly checked the messages sent to her by her PR team again and again.


    She wondered if they had finally located Sean.


    Tilly was already seated in the cafe when Noelle arrived. She turned herptop toward Noelle and said, "Our investigation led us to this highly suspicious vehicle spotted outside the Liddell family residence that night. It waster driven into this car dealership."


    "Does the car belong to the dealership?" Noelle asked.


    "Yes. It''s a vehiclemonly used by auto repair employees. We''ve already sent some of our men to investigate the shop''s employees, but we never found anyone that resembled the man in the photo."


    Noelle stared at theptop screen and said, "We may not have found the man in the photo, but he''s definitely connected to this dealership somehow. Otherwise, how could he be driving their car?"


    "Exactly, Ms. Liddell. That''s what I thought as well. We''ve already sent some of our men to investigate further."


    Noelle felt a bit disappointed. She had thought that they had managed to locate Sean.


    Tilly continued, "Ms. Liddell, I apologize for not exining it clearly in the messages, but we had to bez cautious so as to prevent any leaks of our conversation. You need to be more careful as well, especially so considering that you''re now staying at the Liddell family residence."


    Noelle nodded and replied, "You did the right thing, Tilly. Well, at least we''ve made some progress."


    Sean was definitely hiding within the car dealership, or at least connected to it. It was only a matter of time before they tracked him down.


    Noelle looked at Tilly and continued, "The charity sales event''s donations have already made it into the foundation''s funds, and Xenia is definitely going to manipte the ounts. We just have to wait for her to make a move."


    "Yes. As soon as Xenia transfers the money, we''ll be able to track down the recipient''s name. We''ll definitely be able to find our target by following the trails," Tilly replied.


    Noelle''s expression grew tense. She had to catch Sean and uncover the truth behind the car ident.


    After finishing the discussion, she ordered a cup of coffee to help clear her thoughts. As she turned to look outside the cafe, she saw Donovan stepping out of a car along with a woman who seemed to have difficulty walking.


    Noelle was shocked when she recognized the woman''s face. "It''s her!"


    She wondered why her roommate was hanging out with Donovan, of all people. She then recalled Donovan having a fiance, and she slowly pieced the puzzles together. Noelle realized that Donovan''s fianc¨¦e was Micah herself!


    Tilly followed Noelle''s gaze out of the cafe and exined, "That''s the Cantrell family''s heiress. She has some mobility issues and rarely appears in public, so most people don''t really recognize her."

 Chapter 526

    Tilly had worked in public rtions for quite some time, so she naturally recognized most public figures.


    Noelle recalled how Donovan had abruptly stopped her during herst press conference and that she had once mentioned the press conference back in her dorm. She began to wonder if Micah had tipped him off.


    Noelle asked, "How much do you know about her?"


    Tilly replied, "Nothing much, really, considering how rarely she ever shows up in public, let alone attend any events. From what I''ve heard, Ms. Cantrell''s life was tragic.


    "After her mother passed away, she got a stepmother and, with it, a stepfather. Her stepmother treated her well, but it just couldn''tpare to her real mother."


    "Why do you say so?" Noelle asked.


    Tilly exined, "I''ve heard that Mia Cantrell became withdrawn because of her mobility issues and rarely spoke to others. Some folks even say that there''s something off about her.


    "Her stepmother kept her well hidden and,ter on, even prepared an arranged marriage for her. I thought it was a good thing at first, but it turned out that her fiance was your eldest brother, Donovan. He''s not the best person there is, and he''s so much older than her, too."


    Tilly had already investigated the Liddell family thoroughly ever since she started working for Noelle. She knew that she could speak about Donovan bluntly after she learned about his character.


    Noelle nodded and said, "So she''s Mia Cantrell? What a coincidence. I knew her as Micah, my roommate. It was probably her who overheard me talking about the press conference and thus served as a whistleblower to Donovan."


    "She''s your roommate?! It would seem that the Cantrells probably nned all of this with the hopes that the two of you would interact with one another, all the while having her take on a different name for safety reasons. They probably had no idea that you were falling out badly with your family," Tilly replied.


    Noelle had thought of the same possibility as well.


    But she had barely interacted with Mia back in the dorm. They rarely spoke to one another, and Mia''s presence was practically non-existent.


    Mia hardly ever left the room except to attend sses, and all her meals were delivered right to their doorstep.


    Noelle had once wondered about why someone from such a well-off family would have to stay in a dorm.


    Everything finally made sense now.


    Tilly continued, "Ms. Liddell, you should be more careful about what you say in the dorm from now on."


    "I know," Noelle replied.


    She watched as Donovan and Mia entered a restaurant together, most likely to have a meal.


    It was apparent that Donovan had reached out to the Cantrell family to clean up Xenia''s mess.


    After leaving the cafe, Noelle headed straight to the esports team base to oversee the team''s training.


    She watched the team practice for a short while and noticed that everyone had been improving rapidly.


    Firestorm had informed Noelle that she could start streaming again, but she simply did not have the time to do so.


    Meanwhile, the Cantrell family had likely learned of her reconciliation with the Liddell family from Donovan and won''t be making any mo


    moves.  en


    Just then, Noelle received a text message from Cedric. "What are you doing?"


    "I''m training at the esports team base. I''m feeling a little hungry, though," she replied.


    She had skipped lunch and had only eaten some dessert at the cafe, so she was feeling a little starved.


    "Wait for me," he replied.


    Noelle stared at his text message, wondering what Cedric had meant by that.


    But she soon stopped dwelling on it as her game had started.


    Not long after, Grace walked into the team base with arge bag in hand. "Hey, everyone! Let''s take a break and enjoy some snacks! It''s @treat from Noelle''s boyfriend!"


    Noelle could not help butugh out loud. She could not believe that he even bought extra for everyone at the team base.


    She snapped a photo of the food and sent it to Cedric. "Got it. Thanks, boss!"


    "Shouldn''t it be ''thanks, love''?" he replied.


    Sitting in his office, Cedric smirked as he read her messages.


    He then sent another text. "Dinner tonight?"


    Noelle really wanted to meet Cedric,


    1.n


    but she was too busy to do so. "I have a meeting tonight to n our team''s training schedule. We''re representing our university in thepetition next month, so we can''t afford to lose! How about tomorrow instead?"


    More importantly, she wanted to know what Cedric was trying to tell her back then.


    Suddenly, a voice rang out. "Noelle, someone''s looking for you."


    Noelle then looked up to find Laura Merlock walking into the team base. Laura looked at Noelle and said, "Can we talk in private?"

 Chapter 527

    Noelle furrowed her brows. What could Laura possibly want to discuss with her?


    After some pondering, Noelle stood up and went to the office.


    She poured a ss of water for Laura. "My house is quiteckluster. I don''t have much to offer you, Ms. Merlock."


    Laura shook her head. "You''re too formal. Just call me Laura. And you don''t have to be so on edge. I''m here to offer you a coboration."


    "A coboration?" Noelle remained wary. She found it hard to believe Laura wasn''t aware of the situation between her and the Merlock family.


    Moreover, rumors were circting that the engagement between the Greene and Merlock families had fallen through. Samantha had also been keeping a low profile recently.


    "Yes. The Merlock family has been sponsoring the Yole University gaming team for years and has maintained a partnership with them. You''ve probably seen the investment returns, so I''d like to invite you to join in." Laura hummed.


    Investment? The previous team captain had partnered with the Merlock family for some investment. But in reality, it was just moneyundering for them.


    Noelle shook her head. "I''m not interested and will have to decline."


    Laura smiled. "Don''t be so quick to refuse. I heard you have a charity foundation under your name. The coboration I''m proposing is rted to that. Yourst event didn''t go well, and rumors are circting that your foundation is just a money-grabbing scheme."


    Noelle was angered. "My parents established the foundation. It is not a scam."


    Laura nodded. "I know, but public perception is hard to control. I''m organizing a charity event focused on sponsorships for underprivileged girls. If you participate, it could benefit your foundation''s reputation."


    Noelle thought for a moment. "Why me?"


    Laura shrugged. "Because the Yole University gaming team has always participated in charity donation events, and I''ve always been in charge."


    Noelle understood now. "Alright, I''ll do it."


    Laura beamed. "Great. I''ll host a meeting to finalize the details, and I hope you''ll attend."


    With that, Laura left. After exiting the base, she nced back and smirked. "Is everything set?"


    The man nodded. "Everything is ready, Ms. Merlock. We''ll expose her true colors when the timees."


    Laura felt pleased. There was no way she was giving up on Cedric. After all, how long could a man''s affection reallyst? A beneficial marriage between families was what truly mattered.


    Once Laura left, Noelle called the people at her charity foundation and instructed them to start preparing for the event.


    They needed to purchase many supplies; the most important was sanitary pads.


    Many girls who grew up in poverty couldn''t afford proper hygiene products, resorting to using scraps of paper or low-quality sanitary pads from @nregted manufacturers, which led to severe gynecological health issues.


    After hearing this, the person in charge asked, "Should we get Ms. Quigley''s approval first? She needs to sign off on the funds before they can be disbursed."


    "Sure." Noelle figured that Xenia would be preupied in theing days. After all, it took effort to embezzle funds from the foundation''s ounts.


    That night, Noelle returned to her dorm. She saw a bouquet of roses on the table.


    Grace eximed, "Wow, Micah! Did your boyfriend send these?"


    Mia nced at the roses with pursed lips before nodding. "I guess so."


    Noelle nced at the bouquet, already guessing that it was from Donovan.


    Grace turned to Noelle. "Are you really letting that fake bitch interfere with the charity event? She cozied up to Mrs. Parham and made things difficult for you at the charity sale the other day. And then your brother even defended her! I swear,


    even


    wouldn''t be surprised if they had


    something going on!"


    "Stop it." Noelle shot a look at Mia. It was best not to say too much now that she


    knew about Donovan''s rtionship with her new roommate.


    Grace continued, "I''m not wrong, though! That bitch causes trouble, and your brother still mes you for it. I''ve never seen anyone so biased. They aren''t even blood-rted, so I wouldn''t be surprised if something was going on between them."

 Chapter 528

    Mia frowned at Grace''s words. "Maybe they are just really close siblings."


    "That''s way beyond normal." Grace wanted to argue, but Noelle stopped her. Mia nced at the bouquet of roses again with aplicated expression.


    The next day during ss, Noelle noticed that Xenia was once again dressed in high-end designer clothes, carrying a Hermes bag with a smug look.


    However, Xenia''s gaze flickered when she spotted Noelle, and she quickly kept her distance as if afraid Noelle would stop her and question her.


    Noelle found this amusing. It seemed Xenia wasn''t even trying to hide anymore.


    After ss, Noelle received a message from Cedric telling her he had to leave for a sudden business trip.


    She realized that Cedric had been unusually busytely. Was it because he overheard Donovan''sints and got so affected that he started overworking himself?


    Once he returned, she needed to talk properly with Cedric and tell him to rx.


    Noelle had been staying in her dorm. With Frank and ke gone, she had no intention of returning to the Liddell residence.


    That afternoon, she received a message from Laura inviting her to the charity g nning dinner.


    After considering it, Noelle decided to attend. She couldn''t let people continue assuming that the foundation her parents had created was just a money-making scheme.


    After ss, she took a cab straight to the venue.


    When she arrived, she realized the ce was incredibly high-end, with luxury cars lined up outside.


    What a surprise.


    As she approached the entrance, a staff member stopped her. "Workers should use the back entrance."


    Noelle looked at him. "I''m not a staff. Besides, aren''t you staff too? Are you looking down on yourself?"


    The man was enraged. "I''ve seen plenty of gold-diggers like you trying to hook up with rich men. This is a members-only club. Do you even have a membership?"


    Noelle didn''t.


    "Oh my, isn''t that Noelle Liddell? Why are you stuck at the entrance?" Samantha and Xenia approached her with linked arms.


    Xenia was in an excellent mood seeing Noelle being humiliated. "Noelle, are you here to meet your broke boyfriend? Did he not tell you this is a members-only club?"


    "A bumpkin like her wouldn''t


    understand. She thinks she''s rich because she has a couple of zeros in her bank ount. This club requires connections to get a membership." Samantha was eager to embarrass Noelle. "But if you apologize, I''ll take you inside. My sister is a VIP here."


    Noelle snorted. "It was your sister who invited me here."


    "Impossible! My sister wouldn''t waste her time on someone like you!" Still, Samantha hesitated. She knew Laura was hosting a private dinner here tonight. Did Laura really invite Noelle?


    "Noelle? It really is you." Just then, Emma approached. She hadn''t expected to run into Noelle here.


    Noelle was equally surprised. "What a coincidence, Mrs. Greene."


    Emma frowned. "Why are you standing at the entrance?"


    Samantha quickly interjected, "Mrs. Greene! She doesn''t have a membership but still wanted to get in, so she got stopped at the door. She''s so clueless, thinking she can just walk into any ce she wants!"


    Emma''s expression darkened. "Samantha, where are your manners? This is just


    a club, and you only got in because of your sister."


    Then, Emma pulled a membership card from her bag and handed it to Noelle.


    "Here, take this. Use it as you like."


    Noelle was stunned.


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


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 529

    Noelle held the membership card, realizing it was for VIP members. She hadn''t expected Emma to help her. It felt overwhelming! Not only was Noelle surprised, but Samantha and Xenia were equally taken aback.


    Samantha immediately lost herposure. "What are you doing, Mrs. Greene?"


    "Do I need to report myself to you? "Why haven''t you learned even a fraction of your sister''s manners?" She overheard how Samantha had mocked Noelle. What a rude girl.


    Samantha teared up but didn''t dare to talk back. She couldn''t afford to leave a bad impression on Emma and risk bringing her sister down.


    Xenia quickly stepped in. "Mrs. Greene, you misunderstood Samantha. She was just reminding Noelle about the rules so she wouldn''t embarrass herself by getting stopped at the entrance."


    Samantha looked at Xenia gratefully. Thankfully, this country bumpkin spoke on her behalf.


    "You''d better hope that''s the case." Emma gave Xenia a look. She remembered Xenia''s father died in that car ident years ago. So she relented and didn''t press the matter further.


    Seeing that Emma wasn''t pursuing it, Xenia sighed in relief. "Noelle, let''s go in together. Don''t take Samantha''s words to heart. She''s just blunt."


    Noelle smirked. "Being blunt and intentionally hurting others are two very different things."


    Xenia would say anything just to suck up to Samantha.


    Emma turned to Noelle. "Pleasee with me, Ms. Liddell."


    Noelle didn''t refuse and followed her into the club.


    Samantha seethed with frustration. "Since when did that bitch get so close to Mrs. Greene?"


    "I''m not sure. Ms. Brown and Mrs. Parham attended the recent charity auction hosted by the Liddell family. Noelle stuck to Mrs. Greene the whole time. She''s very good at ttering people." Xenia was fuming with jealousy.


    Why was it that no matter how hard she tried to please Emma, she was still met with disdain? Yet Noelle had already won Emma''s favor?


    Samantha sneered. "That country bumpkin always ims she doesn''t care about business, but she''s still desperate to climb the socialdder."


    Xenia added fuel to the fire. "Samantha, we should hurry inside and keep an eye on things. Otherwise, Noelle might badmouth you to Mrs. Greene, and she dislike you even more."


    "She wouldn''t dare!" Samantha was enraged and stormed inside.


    Xenia smirked. Having Samantha as a brainless pawn was quite convenient. She didn''t even need to lift a finger.


    Noelle followed Emma into the club and handed the card back. "Thank you for your help, Mrs. Greene."


    Emma waved her off. "No need to thank me. Just keep the card."


    "But I can''t ept something I didn''t earn." Noelle was surprised by how kind Emma was to her, but she still couldn''t just take her card.


    Emma sighed. "Then let me help you apply for your membership card so you cane anytime."


    Noelle shook her head. "There''s no need for that. I was invited here for a charity nning meeting. I don''te here often."


    "You mean the Merlock family''s charity event?" Emma had heard about it. She frowned. Laura knew Noelle wasing here for the first time, yet she didn''t even arrange a way for her to get in.


    Noelle nodded.


    "Still, getting a membership card would make things easier in the future. Emma could see that Noelle was independent, so she didn''t insist on giving Noelle her card.


    Before Noelle could refuse again, Emma had already led her to the registration desk.


    Just then, Laura appeared. Her facade almost dropped when she saw Noelle with Emma.


    Why was Noelle with Emma? Had Cedric already introduced Noelle to his family? Judging by Emma''s attitude, she seemed to have epted Noelle.


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


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 530

    At that moment, Laura felt her heart shatter. She had spent years by Emma''s side, hoping to marry into the Greene family one day. Was her n falling apart?


    Laura forced herself to maintain herposure before walking over with a smile. "Mrs. Greene, Ms. Liddell, what are you both doing here?"


    Noelle turned to Laura. She was dressed in a designer gown, and her smile was graceful and poised-the perfect image of a richdy.


    Before Noelle could speak, Emma answered, "I''m here to help Noelle get a membership card."


    "Oh, I''m sorry! I''ve been so busy that I forgot Ms. Liddell wasing here for the first time. She wouldn''t be able to enter without a membership." Laura sounded apologetic as she turned to the manager. "Please issue a guest pass for Ms. Liddell under my name."


    Noelle frowned and refused. "There''s no need for that."


    She had no desire to be tied to the Merlock family in any way, let alone use Laura''s name for entry.


    Laura smiled. "Ms. Liddell, no need to be shy. We''ll see each other at future events, most of which are hosted here. Having ess will make things more convenient for you."


    "Laura, there''s no need for that. Just get Noelle a membership. It''ll be much easier," Emma interjected.


    Laura''s expression darkened. She had suggested a guest pass to prevent Noelle from obtaining a membership, but she hadn''t expected Emma to insist on one.


    Emma turned to the manager. "Get her a card."


    The manager nodded and asked Noelle, "Do you have an ID with you?"


    Noelle shook her head. "I didn''t bring it."


    Laura breathed a sigh of relief and quickly added, "Membership also requires asset verification. What''s the minimum amount needed?"


    "At least ten million dors," the manager replied.


    Noelle remained calm. Ten million dors was a lot, confirming that this club was indeed exclusive to the wealthy.


    Laura looked at her. "Noelle, I can lend you the money for the verification if you bring your ID next time."


    Noelle couldn''t shake the feeling that Laura was harboring some hostility toward her, though she wondered if she was overthinking it. She declined. "No need. I have the money."


    Laura feigned surprise. "It looks like your family gives you quite a generous allowance."


    Given the Liddell family''s wealth, ten million dors was no small sum. Even Samantha''s monthly allowance wasn''t that high.


    "Laura, where would she get that kind of money? She must''ve sold off her parents'' estate to get the cash." Samantha scoffed as she stormed over.


    Noelle''s expression turned unpleasant at the mention of her parents'' inheritance.


    She turned to Samantha. "Samantha, do you live in the clouds?"


    "No, we live in a vi!" Samantha unted.


    But Laura immediately caught on and quickly tried to stop her sister. "Samantha, what nonsense are you spouting? Is this how I''ve raised you?"


    Samantha pouted but didn''t dare argue back. She simply red at Noelle, silently cursing her.


    Emma was displeased. "Laura, you need to teach your sister some manners. Other people''s assets are none of her business."


    "You''re right, Mrs. Greene. I''ll make sure to educate her properly." Laura swallowed her frustration. Having an insufferable sister like Samantha was exhausting.


    Noelle watched as Samantha got scolded. She had to admit that Laura was leagues ahead in social finesse.


    Emma then turned back to Noelle. "If that''s the case, I can cover the cost for you first."


    "No need, I have it," Noelle replied as she took out her bank card.


    Xenia couldn''t help but speak up. "Noelle, as far as I know, your inheritance


    consists mainly of real estate. How did you get the money?"


    Noelle shot her a look. "Shut up."


    "Don''t be mad, Noelle. I''m just worried you would take the wrong path. After all, the recent charity auction only raised a little over ten million dors in donations...Xenia trailed off.

 Chapter 531

    Xenia was hinting at something.


    Noelle smirked. "Are you saying I secretly embezzled the foundation''s donations?"


    "I didn''t mean that. I just wanted to remind you that you can''t use charity funds. It wouldn''t look good for the Liddell family if word gets out, right?" She waved her hand dismissively. "Just pretend I never said anything."


    Noelle clicked her tongue. "Pretend you never said anything? You already said it, and now you''re pretending to be innocent?"


    "Noelle, I only said it for your own good." Xenia''s eyes welled up with tears as she turned to Emma. "You were at the charity auction that day and should know exactly how much was raised."


    Emma nodded. "Of course I know, but what does that have to do with Noelle''s ount verification today?"


    Xenia hadn''t expected Emma to defend Noelle. How could she not have even the slightest doubt about Noelle?


    Laura looked at Noelle. "I think verifying the funds means the money will be temporarily held back for a few days."


    This was to prevent people from borrowing money just to pass verification and then withdrawing it immediately after receiving their membership card.


    Before Noelle could respond, Xenia started crying. "Noelle, the foundation still needs to cover expenses for uing events. We need that money!"


    She seemed to suggest that the money in Noelle''s ount was the charity funds.


    Laura had a n forming in her mind, but she kept her expression rxed. "Ms. Liddell, will that be a problem?"


    Noelle answered calmly, "Not at all."


    After all, the money wasn''t from the charity fund. It was her earnings from


    streaming and dividends from the Al project in which she had invested. That


    project was about to go public soon, and she would be making even more when it did.


    Xenia suddenly grabbed Noelle''s hand. "Noelle, don''t make things worse. Everyone here is a friend. No one willugh if you just admit it."


    Noelle shoved Xenia away. "Are you crazy? The money in my ount isn''t from the charity. I''m not that greedy."


    "Noelle, you don''t have to pretend anymore. Xenia''s gaze was filled with fake concern. "Mrs. Greene and Laura both said they could lend you the money. Why don''t you just borrow some?"


    She looked so pitiful yet self-righteous. Noelle grabbed a ss of water and sshed it right onto Xenia''s face.


    Xenia shrieked. "What are you doing? Do you even know how expensive this dress is?"


    Noelle pped her hands together. "I''m saving you."


    Xenia looked furious. "Saving me?"


    "You were talkingplete nonsense like you were possessed. Are you feeling better now?" Noelle smirked.


    She continued, "Let me say it one


    ount


    isn''t from the charity. If your ears


    aren''t working, go see a doctor. And


    while you''re at it, get your brain


    checked, too."


    Xenia was livid. "But how could you possibly have ten million dors? If it''s not embezzled charity funds, then what is it?"


    "Do I owe you an exnation?" Noelle couldn''t be bothered.


    Laura hadn''t expected Noelle to be this bold in front of Emma. She maintained herposure and said, "Alright, if Ms. Liddell says it''s not the charity funds, then it''s probably not. Let''s not throw usations around."  s?novel


    Xenia had no evidence. She couldn''t ess the foundation''s ounts now but would be able to once she went to the office tomorrow. She would not let Noelle get away with this.


    Laura secretly sneered at Xenia''s silence. How useless. Soon, the manager returned with a card and handed it to Noelle. "Ms. Liddell, wee to the club."


    "Thanks." Noelle took the card.

 Chapter 532

    Noelle took the card and turned to Emma. "Thank you for vouching for me."


    To be a member here, one needed more than just status. Someone had to guarantee them. It was thanks to Emma''s backing that Noelle had been able to join.


    Emma smiled. "It''s nothing. Come on, let me show you around."


    Laura spoke up. "Mrs. Greene, I''m afraid you''ll have to return Noelle to me. We still have a meeting today."


    "Oh, right. I almost forgot. I''lle along and listen in, then." Emma nodded.


    "I''d love that." Laura took Emma''s arm as they walked, discussing matters concerning both families. Their conversation was seamless, and their rapport was evident.


    Noelle couldn''t shake the ufortable feeling of being an extra with Emma around. After all, Laura almost became Emma''s daughter-inw.


    Before long, they arrived at a banquet hall.


    As soon as Laura entered, someone approached. "Didn''t you go pick someone up? What took so long? Who was important enough to make you fetch them personally ?"


    "Noelle is here for the first time and wasn''t a member, so I had to bring her in," Laura introduced Noelle.


    The woman who had spoken earlier observed Noelle. "I heard your charity auction event was pretty underwhelming.


    "Yes, the venue setup was so in. Those invited would know it was a charity event. But others might have thought it was a beggars'' gathering."


    Xenia interjected. "I was in charge of that event. Samantha even gave me the materials from a previous event Laura had organized as a reference. But in the end, Noelle said the decorations were too extravagant and had everything reced."


    With that, she ced all the me on Noelle.


    Noelle looked indifferent. "I don''t think a charity auction needs luxury decorations. That''s just a waste of money."


    Samantha huffed. "So you''re saying my sister usually wastes money?"


    "Samantha, what are you talking about? Noelle didn''t mean that. She''s not in the wrong either." Laura tried to smooth things over.


    Laura was getting a headache. Couldn''t Samantha think before speaking? Didn''t she see Emma was here? Saying things like this would only drag her down, too!


    Emma also backed Noelle. "I actually agree that charity events should be more frugal. It''s a waste to spend more on decor rather than helping those in need."


    Noelle felt a wave of gratitude at Emma''s support.


    Laura quickly adjusted her stance. "Noelle,


    talk to was actually nning to


    talk to you about this. Our previous setups did cost a lot. We''ll learn from you and make some changes."


    Emma nodded approvingly. "I''m d you think that way, Laura."


    "I need to keep improving so I don''t let everyone down."


    After hearing Laura''s thought-out response, Noelle understood Emma once considered Laura as a


    potential daughter-inw. Lauramet


    ability to navigate conversations so smoothly was something few could match.


    The briefmotion passed. No one dared to argue against Emma. Emma kept Noelle by her side, introducing her to variousdies.


    Laura''s heart dropped as she watched this unfold. Although she had initially


    nned to make her move on the day of the event, she couldn''t wait any longer.


    She gave one of her people a look. Soon, several boxes were brought in.


    Laura spoke up. "Everyone,e take a look. These are items


    donated through our foundati


    mostly sanitary pads. Let''s decide which brand is most suitable."


    It''s


    Noelle stepped closer and saw that the brands varied widely. Suddenly, someone picked up a pack and eximed, "Who bought this? They''re all expired!"


    Noelle''s heart skipped a beat. She remembered their foundation had purchased that exact brand. Did Xenia tamper with it?

 Chapter 533

    As soon as the expired sanitary pads were brought up, all eyes turned toward the box. Noelle immediately grabbed a pack to check, and sure enough, it was


    expired.


    Laura was the first to question, "Which organization was so careless to purchase expired or near-expired sanitary pads? Do you realize how serious this could be if the media finds out?"


    Silence filled the room. Laura continued, "Who purchased this brand of sanitary pads?"


    Noelle held onto the package and spoke up. "Our foundation bought this brand, but there is no way they expired."


    She had given clear instructions. The donated supplies didn''t have to be the most expensive, but they had to be of the best value.


    Samantha immediately sneered, "Then it was you who bought the expired pads. What''s the point in denying it? You must have embezzled the funds, ran out of money, and had to buy cheap goods."


    Noelle turned to Laura. "We can''t be the only ones who purchased this brand. How can you prove these came from us if everything is mixed together?"


    She wasn''t about to take the me for no reason. Laura nodded in agreement. "You''re right. We need to investigate properly. Don''t worry, Noelle. I won''t falsely use anyone."


    Samantha wanted to continue mocking her, but Laura stopped her.


    Noelle turned around but noticed that Xenia was gone. She asked Samantha, "Where''s Xenia?"


    "She got water spilled on her and went to the restroom to fix her dress. What, are you looking for a scapegoat now?" Samantha sneered.


    Ignoring Samantha''s taunts, Noelle immediately messaged the head of her foundation: "Who was responsible for purchasing the sanitary pads? Where were they bought from?"


    She had a bad feeling about this. She had suspected Xenia would manipte the records and take a cut from the funds. But what if Xenia was actually this stupid and greedy?


    Before long, a staff member brought over another box. "Ms. Laura, we checked the supplies and found that this entire box contains expired sanitary pads."


    The room gasped in shock.


    Noelle walked over and saw thebel on the box. It was from her charity foundation. For a moment, she was filled with anger. She had been right all along.


    Laura approached with a serious expression. "Noelle, donating relief supplies, is no trivial matter. What if someone used these and suffered health issues if we hadn''t checked the expiration dates?"


    Noelle took a deep breath. "I''m sorry. I just learned about this as well. I will get to the bottom of it."


    Laura sighed. "This isn''t something that can just be investigated and resolved."


    Others chimed in.


    "Exactly. This was supposed to be a


    joint charity effort where only


    trustworthy organizations


    participated. You originally weren''t even eligible. Ms. Laura


    rmended you, which is the only reason you got in."


    "But you clearly didn''t appreciate the opportunity. Buying expired goods? How humiliating would that be if word gets out?"


    Laura quickly stepped in. "Alright, that''s enough. Let''s not say too much."


    Noelle remained silent. She had no way to refute the evidence in front of her.


    Emma finally spoke up. "Noelle, go back and investigate who was in charge of this. Sometimes, subordinates act against orders. It happens more often than you think."


    Emma''s words eased some of the tension. Noelle nodded. "I will find out the truth."


    Samantha scoffed. "I bet someone stole from the charity funds. Where would she even get the money to buy these supplies now that her foundation''s assets are frozen?"


    Noelle shot her a look. "Samantha, be careful with your words. There are legal consequences for making baseless usations."


    "What''s wrong? It doesn''t feel nice being on the receiving end, right?" Samantha wasn''t about to waste this chance to mock Noelle.


    Laura pulled her sister aside before


    turning to Noelle. "ording to the rules, since the supplies you


    provided have issues, you are no


    longer eligible to participate in this joint charity event."

 Chapter 534

    Noelle nodded. "I understand. I''ll leave now."


    "Take this box of sanitary pads with you. It''ll serve as evidence for your investigation." Laura even had someone repack the expired sanitary pads before handing them to Noelle.


    Emma quickly interjected, "Noelle, let me have someone drive you back. It''s not convenient for a young woman to carry that."


    "There''s no need. I can handle it myself." Noelle lifted the box with one hand, showing no sign of struggle.


    Laura was surprised. "You''re quite strong, Ms. Liddell."


    Unfortunately, starting that day, Noelle''s charity foundation would be nothing more than aughingstock.


    Emma couldn''t help but speak up. "Laura, this clearly has nothing to do with Noelle. She''s not that kind of person. Isn''t it a bit harsh to just kick her out?"


    "Mrs. Greene, it''s not that I don''t want to help, but rules are rules. I can''t bend them for just one person, or it''ll be hard for me to manage things in the future." Laura lowered her voice and asked, "How did you meet Noelle, Mrs. Greene? You two seem close."


    "Oh, Noelle and I just hit it off. Last time, I wasn''t feeling well during the charity auction, and she helped me. That''s why I believe her." Of course, Emma couldn''t tell Laura the whole truth.


    But Laura still felt suspicious. "Ms. Noelle seems to have a good rtionship with Alfred. I ran into Noelle visiting him when Cedric was hospitalized from the car ident."


    "Really? Then, I suppose they must know each other." Emma''s expression stiffened. "You all proceed without me. I have something to take care of."


    Laura watched Emma''s departing figure, frustrated.


    It was obvious Emma knew that Noelle was the girl Cedric was protecting. Yet she had chosen not to tell her. Did Emma change her mind? She used to favor Laura as a daughter-inw.


    But judging by Noelle''s behavior, she likely didn''t even know Cedric''s real identity yet. There was still a chance.


    Laura turned to Samantha. "Where''s that follower of yours?"


    "I have no idea. It''s her first time here, and she''s probably off taking pictures," Samantha shrugged.


    "Tell her about the expired sanitary pads." Samantha''s eyes immediately lit up. "Oh, right! I almost forgot Let''s see how arrogant Noelle can be once Xenia spreads this around."


    Laura didn''t bother exining further to her sister. Today''s events had gone smoothly, thanks to Xenia handing them the perfect opportunity.


    After leaving the venue, Noelle headed straight for Donovan''spany. She wasn''t about to let this matter slide.


    With therge box in hand, she


    stormed into Liddell Corporation. It wasn''t her first time here. The receptionist recognized her and didn''t stop her, immediately calling the secretary''s office to report her arrival.


    Noelle stepped out of the lift and marched straight into Donovan''s office.


    He had been in the middle of a discussion when she barged in, and he snapped


    at her. "What are you doing here making a scene again?"


    "Didn''t you support Xenia in handling the charity funds? Well, this is what she bought!" Noelle strode forward and dumped the expired sanitary pads all over his desk.

 Chapter 535

    Noelle''s aggressive behavior stunned everyone in the office.


    Donovan''s expression turned unpleasant as he saw the sanitary pads scattered on his desk. "What are you doing with these? Don''t you feel embarrassed?"


    Noelle retorted, "What''s so embarrassing about sanitary pads? You men don''t seem embarrassed when you buy condoms."


    Donovan''s face fell. "Stop making a scene! If you have something to say, do it at home. Can''t you see I''m in a meeting?"


    Several executives were present in the room. One of them muttered, "Mr. Liddell, I''m not superstitious. But this seems like a bad omen."


    "Exactly. Back in my hometown, women are considered bad luck when they are on their period. They''re not allowed in religious ces due to this, too. And there are many taboos surrounding them. Otherwise, they bring misfortune to the men''s household."


    "Mr. Liddell, your sister is too reckless. How can she just throw sanitary pads out in the open?"


    The murmurs only fueled Donovan''s anger. He pointed at Noelle. "Get out! And take this stuff with you. Throw it away!"


    Noelle picked up a pack of sanitary pads and scoffed, "Haven''t your mothers, wives, or any women in your family used these before? Have you never seen them?"


    "Of course they have, but no one waves them around in public!"


    "Yes, they should be kept hidden. It''s bad luck if people see them."


    Noelle ripped open a pad, strode over, and pped it straight onto one executive''s mouth. "Well, you''re doomed then. Your whole life is over."


    The executive yelled. "You bitch! You..."


    Two other executives quickly pulled him back. "Calm down! She''s the Liddell family''s youngest daughter."


    Noelle nced at the two who had intervened. "Oh, I almost forgot about you guys."


    She pped a pad onto each of their mouths as well. They paled as if she had just cursed them.


    Noelle sneered. "Don''t forget, the ce where menstrual bloodes from is the same ce you were born from. If you think periods are disgusting, then you are, too, since you came from the same ce."


    The three executives were fuming, but they didn''t dare retaliate.


    Donovan rubbed his temples. "Everyone, leave."


    After all, this was a family matter. Noelle felt satisfied as the three executives left.


    Donovan nced at the sanitary pads scattered across the floor and sighed. "What do you want?"


    Noelle crossed her arms. "This whole mess with the sanitary pads was Xenia''s fault. You need to fix it."


    Donovan observed the pads. "What''s wrong with them?"


    Noelle huffed. "These are expired sanitary pads. Xenia was in charge of purchasing them. What do you think is wrong?"


    Noelle had been resisting the urge to crack Xenia''s head open to see if it was filled with mush. How could anyone be so stupid and greedy?


    Donovan examined the packaging and saw that the expiration date had indeed passed.


    After a moment of thought, he said, "I''ll talk to her about it. I''ll cover the cost for this batch. That should be enough, right?"


    Noelle crackled. "Do you think this is just about money?"


    She had expected Donovan to clean up Xenia''s mess, so she continued, "I was invited to Laura''s charity event today. However, the supplies


    donated by the Liddell famil


    out to be expired. How do you think that looks for us?"


    "What?" Donovan''s expression turned ugly. It was easy to rece expired supplies. But Noelle was implying that their reputation was damaged because of this. That was a different matter entirely.


    Noelle knew Donovan wouldn''t care unless it affected the family''s reputation.


    "This situation with the expired sanitary pads needs to be handled properly, or word will spread quickly. The Campbell family will hear about it, too. Xenia caused this mess. You deal with it." Noelle huffed


    Donovan''s face turned grim.


    Just then, a knock came at the door. "Mr. Liddell, Ms. Quigley is here."


    Donovan nodded. "Perfect timing. Let her in."

 Chapter 536

    Donovan''s expression turned solemn. If news got out, it would humiliate the family. Noelle''s gaze sharpened as Xenia walked in.


    So Xenia had heard about the incident and rushed over to plead her case. That was exactly why Noelle hade early. She wanted to strike first.


    Xenia stiffened when she saw the sanitary pads scattered on the floor. "Donovan, let me exin."


    Donovan sneered. "What is there to exin? How could you buy expired products and embarrass us at Laura''s charity event?"


    Xenia teared up. "Donovan, I was just investigating this myself! I was deceived, too. I never expected them to sell me expired sanitary pads."


    Noelle pressed. "Liar. I checked the payment. You paid significantly more than the regr market price for this brand. There''s no way they would''ve sent you expired products unless you did something, and they cut costs by delivering old stock."


    "I didn''t do anything!" Xenia denied. "Donovan, this was my first time handling something like this. Icked experience, and the suppliers took advantage of that.


    "I mean, I''m a woman myself. Why would I knowingly buy expired sanitary pads?"


    She looked pitiful. But Donovan remained stern. "Regardless, you were responsible. You should have been more careful. What do you n to do now that we''ve be the butt of the joke?"


    Xenia pouted. "I''ll exin everything to Laura."


    Noelle scoffed. "Do you really think your excuses will work? The Liddell family has already been disqualified from participating in the charity event. We''ll be theughingstock."


    Xenia lowered her head and mumbled, "I didn''t do it on purpose-"


    Damn it! She had explicitly told the suppliers to send pads that were a few months from expiring. Who knew they would send expired ones instead? She was a victim, too!


    Noelle turned to Donovan. "I heard the Cantrell family is heavily involved in charity work because of Ms. Cantrell. This will definitely leave a bad impression on them."


    That was what worried Donovan. He groaned. "I''ll handle it."


    Noelle struck while the rod was hot. "If Xenia is this ipetent, then she


    shouldn''t be managing the foundation''s funds anymore."


    Donovan agreed without hesitation. "You will take over it."


    Xenia paled. "Donovan, there''s something else I wanted to tell you."


    She nced at Noelle. "Today''s charity event was held at the club, and Noelle applied for a membership there. She also froze ten million dors in her ount. I


    suspect she used then''s


    funds."


    There was no way Noelle had that much cash on hand. Now that she was so eager to take control of the charity funds, Xenia was sure she was just trying to cover up her misdeed.


    Donovan''s gaze darkened at Noelle. "Is that true? You''d need a guarantor for that."


    Noelle shrugged. "Mrs. Greene vouched for me, which is why my membership was approved."


    Donovan was surprised. He hadn''t expected Emma to have such a good impression of Noelle and act as her guarantor.


    Xenia clenched her fists. "Donovan, what matters is that Noelle''s ount has ten million dors. She shouldn''t have used it if it belonged to the charity foundation."


    Noelle remained calm. "It was my money."


    Xenia insisted, "Where would you get that much money?"


    Noelle turned to Donovan. "You transferred me some money before. Plus, I''ve made my own earnings. It all adds up."


    Donovan recalled agreeing to let Noelle be responsible for thepany''s firewall


    system. But he hadn''t shared that detail with the rest of the family.


    He nodded. "Alright. Just make sure to exin this to Mrs. Greene."


    "I will." Just then, Noelle''s phone rang. It was the investigator. She put it on


    speaker. "Go ahead. What did you find?"


    The investigator reported, "Ms. Liddell, we discovered that Xenia made a deal with the supplier. The supplier was greedy and sent expired sanitary pads. We have all the evidence. Should we call the police?"


    Noelle looked straight at Donovan and Xenia. "Absolutely. Call the police."


    "No! You can''t!" Xenia''s heart dropped. She lunged forward and snatched the phone.

 Chapter 537

    Noelle observed Xenia''s guilty expression. "Give me the phone."


    "No, you can''t call the police." Xenia turned to Donovan and pleaded, "Donovan, I don''t understand how these things work. The supplier said it was normal to make deals, but I had no idea they''d send expired products!"


    Donovan struck Xenia across the face. "You''ve disappointed me. Making deals? Did the Liddell family ever treat you unfairly?"


    He was furious. How was he supposed to hold his ground in front of Noelle now?


    Tears streamed down Xenia''s face as she sobbed, "Donovan, I was blinded by greed and deceived by the supplier. I''m sorry!"


    "Oh? Did you suddenly realize it was a mistake now that you''ve been caught? Did you ever stop to think about the consequences when you took the bribe?" Donovan felt a headacheing on. "Xenia, you''ve been nothing but troubletely."


    Xenia begged, "Donovan, please, just help me this one time."


    She never expected the supplier to send fully expired pads and screw her overpletely. And she certainly hadn''t anticipated Noelle to act quickly. Xenia didn''t even have time to destroy the evidence.


    Donovan pushed her away. "Noelle is in charge of the foundation now. She''s the one you should be begging, not me."


    This was out of his hands. After all, Noelle had the evidence. Noelle looked at Xenia coldly. "Give me the phone."


    Xenia gritted her teeth. "Noelle, we grew up together. Just let this go, please. My reputation will be ruined if this gets out!


    "I''ll hand over the foundation''s funds, and I won''t touch them again. Isn''t that enough?"


    "No." Noelle snatched her phone back. She had to reim the foundation''s money, but she wasn''t done with Xenia yet.


    Xenia turned to Donovan again. "Donovan, I guess I was never part of your family, right? One mistake, and I''m unforgivable?"


    Donovan stiffened. "Xenia, what are you trying to say?"


    Xenia ran out of the office, sobbing. Donovan yanked at his tie in frustration. Did she really just say that to him?


    Noelle smirked. "Well, since that''s the case, I''ll proceed with the police report."


    Donovan sighed. "Noelle, do you really have to go this far?"


    "Everyone will think the Liddell family embezzled charity funds and buys expired sanitary products if I don''t."


    ¨¤ that, Noelle turned and left.


    She figured Xenia would go looking for reinforcements, especially since Donovan had refused to help her.


    Noelle immediately called Tilly.


    "Keep a close watch on Xenia and the supplier. Whoever is backing her will likely make a move. This won''t


    Something they can just cover


    up."  s?novel


    Tilly hummed. "You need to be careful, Ms. Liddell. What if they try to pin this on you?"


    "You''re right." Noelle thought about it and decided to stay at the Liddell residence for the next few days.


    She returned to school to pack her things and informed Grace, "I won''t be staying in the dorm for the next couple of days. I''m heading back home."


    Grace was shocked. "Why would you do that to yourself?"


    Noelle noticed Mia was there, too. After a brief hesitation, she recounted what had happened at the club earlier that day.

 Chapter 538

    Grace was furious. "What the hell? Xenia has gone way too far! She made a deal and bought expired sanitary pads, and now your brother won''t even let you call the cops? Instead, he wants you to clean up the mess! That''s insane!"


    Noelle shook her head. "I already called the police."


    Grace huffed. "Good! You need to. Otherwise, Donovan might try to protect Xenia again and pin this on you. That bitch needs to go to jail."


    Noelle left after packing her things. She was curious if the Cantrell family would still allow Donovan to protect Xenia if they learned the truth. And, more importantly, how would they handle the situation?


    That evening, Noelle returned to the Liddell residence. The new butler was practically tripping over himself to serve her.


    Xenia came downstairs and angrily snapped at him. "Where''s the fruit tter I asked for? What''s taking so long?"


    "Apologies, Ms. Quigley. I was busy attending to Ms. Liddell. I''ll have it sent up right away." The new butler had asked around about his predecessor''s fate. Given what he had learned, he was determined to stay in Noelle''s good graces.


    After all, she was the biological daughter of the Liddell family. No amount of favoritism toward Xenia could change that.


    Xenia pped the butler. "Are you looking down on me now?"


    The butler took the hit silently and simply left for the kitchen.


    Noelle knew Xenia was just taking out her frustration on the new butler. "Instead of making trouble for others, maybe you should focus on how you''re going to exin yourself to the police."


    Xenia was livid. But her father had promised to handle it. She just needed to wait it out, y the victim card to Donovan, and everything would be fine.


    During dinner, Donovan came home, reeking of alcohol. Xenia immediately rushed to take care of him. "Donovan..."


    But before she could say anything else, Donovan pointed a finger at her and snapped, "Look at the mess you''ve made!


    "The Cantrell family knows


    everything now, and they''ve been grilling me for failing to keep my


    sister in check. Do you have any idea how much humiliation I suffered today?"


    Xenia teared up. "Donovan, I was deceived by the supplier..."


    "No one could have deceived you if you hadn''t made any deals in the first ce!


    This happened because of your own greed and stupidity.


    "Why can''t you be more like Noelle? She''s already won Mrs. Greene''s favor and even spoke on behalf of the charity foundation!" Donovan had found out that Emma had pubficly supported the foundation, which meant she must have done so for Noelle''s sake.


    Xenia lost allposure. "That''s because she''s a Liddell by birth! I''m just a driver''s daughter. Those richdies will never acknowledge me!"


    She was resentful. Hadn''t she worked hard enough?


    Donovan''s face was red with anger. In the end, he turned to Noelle. "The Cantrell family and Mrs. Greene are keeping things under control, so the situation isn''t too dire. We''ll release a statement saying that an internal procurement issue led to the expired sanitary pads."


    "So you want the procurement team to take the fall for Xenia?" Noelle''s gaze sharpened. "Not a chance. I''ll make it clear to the police that Xenia handled the purchasing."


    Donovan frowned. "What will it take for you to let her go this time?"


    "There''s no deal to be made. She needs to face the consequences of her actions." Noelle refused to believe Xenia could keep escaping punishment forever.


    Donovan finally looked at Xenia helplessly. "You see how it is. There''s nothing I can do. I''ll hire you a goodwyer."


    "Donovan, you can''t just abandon me!" Xenia fell to his feet with tears streaming down her face. "I swear, I''ve learned my lesson. I''ll never do this again."


    Just then, a voice came from the entrance. A man in a wheelchair rolled in. "Xenia, stand up. You don''t need to beg them."


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 Chapter 539

    Noelle''s eyes flew wide open when she turned toward the door. It was Wyatt, her fifth brother. In her previous life, Wyatt had spent all his time in Carl''sboratory, handling thepany''s medicinal affairs.


    Xenia''s face lit up with joy at the sight of Wyatt. She ran straight into his arms. "Wyatt, you''re finally back!"


    "Yes, I''m back. No one will bully you anymore." Wyatt held Xenia gently.


    She clung to him. "Wyatt, you''re all I have now."


    Wyattforted her before maneuvering his wheelchair into the living room. His expression darkened at Noelle. "What did you promise me before?"


    Noelle hesitated before recalling exactly what he meant. She once promised


    Wyatt that she would get along with Xenia and take care of her.


    Noelleughed. "I must have been out of my mind back then."


    Wyatt scolded, "Noelle, you owe Xenia your life. You owe me a leg."


    Noelle''s heart tightened. But she quickly steadied herself. "You''re mistaken. Your leg was lost because of a fire in theb. It was an emergency. What does that have to do with me?"


    Wyatt''s gaze darkened. "My leg could have been saved. But you told the doctors to amputate it.


    "That''s why I became disabled. Carl has developed a treatment. I could have been cured if my leg had been preserved."


    Noelle found this absolutely ridiculous. Wyatt had been rushed to the hospital, and only she and Xenia were present that day. Their other brothers hadn''t been able to arrive in time.


    The doctors had asked her whether to proceed with the amputation because keeping the leg would put his life in danger. She had chosen to life-in


    save his life. And now, all the me had been ced on her.


    Noelle finally understood why Wyatt had always resented her. He believed she


    was responsible for his amputation.


    She remained indifferent. "You''d be


    der if I hadn''t agreed to


    six feet I


    the surgery. You wouldn''t even be here to use me. You''d have to


    deliver yourints in a dream."


    "Noelle, are you still refusing to admit your mistake?" Wyatt turned red with anger. He couldn''t believe she was denying it.


    Xenia quickly stepped in. "Wyatt, don''t be so upset! You''ll hurt yourself."


    Wyatt''s expression softened. He turned to Xenia. "You were there, too. Tell me, didn''t Noelle make the decision on her own and sign the consent form for my amputation?"


    Xenia lowered her gaze. "Yes... The doctors kept asking for a family member to make the decision, but since Noelle and I were just kids, they hesitated. I never expected Noelle to sign it herself without waiting for the adults."


    Wyatt huffed. "Was I wrong, Noelle?"


    Noelle sneered. "There was no time to wait. The doctors said that you''d die from blood loss. Even Donovan knew about this."


    She had chosen to save Wyatt''s life. She turned to Donovan. "The doctors called you about it at the time, right?"


    Donovan froze. "They did. But I told them to wait until I arrived. How could you sign the consent form?"


    "Someone''s life was on the line! You weren''t answering your phone when it mattered most!" Noelle''s anger red.


    She had been a child and was scared and desperate. On one hand, her brother''s life was at risk. On the other hand, his leg was at stake.


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 Chapter 540

    How was Noelle supposed to choose? In the end, she still ended up taking the fall.


    Donovan frowned and said, "I was already on my way at the time. I didn''t answer the phone because I was dealing with something else."


    Noelle retorted, "But what if you guys hadn''t made it in time? What if he died because no one amputated his leg?"


    "That''s impossible. The doctors wouldn''t have just let him die. But Noelle, you''re responsible for this you owe Wyatt," Donovan replied, shoving all the me onto Noelle.


    Noelle stared at him coldly. "That''s not what you said back then. You told me that if you couldn''t make it in time, I should listen to the doctors."


    Donovan argued, "Noelle, you must have misheard me. I said to have the doctors do their best to save Wyatt''s leg, not just agree to amputation the moment they suggested it."


    His face darkened as he grew irritated. "You were young and scared back then. You must have misunderstood what I said."


    Noelle took a deep breath. She knew that no matter what she said now, Donovan would never admit it. She had seen through the Liddells'' selfishness a long time ago.


    Her gaze turned icy as she looked at Wyatt. "I signed the papers because the doctors advised it, and I don''t see how that makes it my fault. If you have a problem with it, sue the doctors from back then."


    "Noelle, are you seriously saying I''m ming you unfairly?" Wyatt''s voice was heavy with resentment. "Even Carl said amputation wasn''t the best option. But you didn''t insist on making the doctors try harder-you just went along with it." For years, he had been consumed by this regret. If Noelle had not agreed to the amputation, he would not have ended up like this.


    Xenia''s eyes gleamed with satisfaction as she spoke in a sickeningly sweet tone. "Noelle, I never said anything all these years, but now I have to speak the truth. Back then, you were the one who suggested the amputation to the doctors."


    Noelle stepped forward and grabbed Xenia by the jaw. "So you''re making up nonsense, too, huh?"


    "Noelle, what are you doing? Let her go!" Wyatt snatched the cane from his wheelchair and swung it at Noelle''s leg.


    Pain shot through her as she released Xenia, and she looked down to see an angry red mark forming on her skin.


    Xenia immediately cowered behind Wyatt. "Wyatt, all I did was tell the truth, and Noelle got this mad."


    "I know. Don''t worry, I''ll protect you," Wyattforted her.


    Then, he red at Noelle and spat, "Ruining my leg wasn''t enough? Now you want to go after Xenia, too? Do you want me to break your legs so you can see what it''s like to be disabled?"


    "Enough!" Lucas rushed in, his face tense as he blocked Wyatt''s cane. "Wyatt,


    you can''t just go around hitting people without knowing the full story."


    He yanked the cane out of Wyatt''s grip and tossed it across the room.


    Noelle clenched her jaw, pushing, through the pain as she turned to Donovan. "Say whatever you want, but I''m calling the police. Xenia cutting shady deals with the supplier is illegal, and I''m not letting it slide."


    She was not about to let them change the subject.


    Seeing that Donovan stayed silent, Xenia clutched Wyatt''s arm, her voice dripping


    with helplessness. "Wyatt, I was tricked by the supplier, too."


    Wyatt turned to Donovan and asked, "Donovan, are you really just going to stand there and do nothing?"


    Donovan spoke indifferently. "There''s nothing I can do. She made a stupid mistake, and she has to deal with it."


    He was done cleaning up Xenia''s


    messes. Lucas let out a cold


    chuckle. "Wyatt, Xenia is an o


    Even if the cops take her away, it doesn''t affect the Liddells at all."


    "Who says she''s an outsider?" Wyatt suddenly took Xenia''s hand. "She''s my woman. We''re getting married."

 Chapter 541

    That sentence hit like a bombshell, and Noelle''s mind buzzed as if an explosion had just gone off. Nothing about the sudden news made sense.


    She nced at Xenia, who did not even look like she wanted to argue. In her past life, Xenia had schemed her way into marrying Justin to be a wealthy socialite. So, why was everything different now?


    Donovan looked irritated. "Wyatt, what the hell are you doing? Everyone knows Xenia was adopted into our family-if you get involved with her, people will start talking."


    He had always known Wyatt had feelings for Xenia. However, after all these years apart, he assumed Wyatt had moved on.


    Meanwhile, Xenia kept her head down, staying silent. Right now, Wyatt was the only person she could rely on. She had not heard anything from Sean, and she could not afford to pin all her hopes on him.


    She needed a backup n, and luckily, Wyatt still had feelings for her.


    Wyatt answered in a heartbeat, "Xenia was only adopted-she''s not actually rted to the Liddells. I''ve liked her for years, and if it weren''t for my injury, I wouldn''t have waited until now to say it."


    Noelle found it odd. Based on what she knew about Xenia, that bitch never cared for the Liddells-her goal had always been to marry rich and climb the socialdder.


    So, why would she settle for Wyatt now? Eventually, Noelle figured she might be doing this to cover up the bribery scandal. It seemed that Xenia really would do anything to save herself.


    Donovan hesitated, looking conflicted. "This isn''t appropriate."


    Wyatt replied, "There''s nothing inappropriate about it. Xenia and I love each other."


    Donovan cast a skeptical nce at Xenia. "But wasn''t she dating that Parham boy?"


    Xenia quickly cut in. "Justin and I broke up. Everything he said before was just a lie to fool me."


    Of course, she was not about to admit that she and Justin were still secretly seeing each other. However, Donovan still did not believe a word that came out of her mouth. Even Noelle found her excuse flimsy at best.


    Yet, Wyatt turned to Noelle and said, "Noelle, Xenia is going to be your sister-in-w. She''s part of the Liddells now-you wouldn''t go after your own family so ruthlessly, would you?"


    Noelle pped her hands slowly, her tone mocking. "Wow. That was quite the performance."


    She had not expected Xenia to pull a stunt like this. Honestly, she wanted to tell Wyatt that she had already cut ties with the Liddells. Whatever with


    Xenia did had nothing to do with her, but that was before.


    Now that she was back, her goal was to force out the people backing Xenia. If she


    had given up now, all her efforts would have been wasted.


    Noelle''s expression remained cold. "And what does any of this have to do with me? It''s not like she''s marrying me."


    "Noelle, if you agree to drop this


    whole thing, I''ll let go of what you did


    back then-approving my


    amputation behind my back," Wyatt said withplete confidence as if he were doing her a favor


    Xenia''s eyes turned red as she choked up. "Wyatt, how could I let you suffer for my mistake? If I did something wrong, I should take responsibility for it."


    "No, Xenia, I won''t let you take the fall. I''ll protect you-you just have to trust me." Wyatt held onto her hand tightly, looking at her with nothing but devotion.


    Then, he turned back to Noelle. "So? Have you made up your mind?"


    Noelle stayed silent. She had never imagined Wyatt actually liked Xenia. But before she could respond, Lucas spoke up.


    He said, "Wyatt, I''m confused. What does your amputation have to do with Noelle? The truth is, Donovan ignored her calls because he didn''t want to take responsibility, forcing her to sign the papers for your surgery."


    His reply was shocking, and Noelle stared at him in surprise. She blurted out, "Is that true?"


    She had always felt something was off back then. It made no sense that Donovan had not answered his phone at such a critical moment.


    After all, Donovan knew Wyatt was in surgery. What could have possibly been more important than his own brother''s life?


    "Of course, it''s true. Frank told me himself¡ªhe wouldn''t lie about something like this," Lucas said firmly.


    Noelle turned to Donovan, her eyes filled with icy mockery. That look alone was enough to set Donovan off.


    He grabbed a ss and hurled it at Lucas. "What the hell are you talking about? When have I ever done that?"


    Noelle let out a mockingugh. "How about we call Frank and find out?"

 Chapter 542

    Noelle dialed Frank''s number, but the call went unanswered. Still, she was almost certain Lucas was right.


    Lucas turned to Donovan, his voice full of righteous anger. "Donovan, did I say anything wrong?"


    Donovan''s expression stiffened. "You misheard. What Frank and I talked about was how I regretted missing Noelle''s call, which led to Wyatt''s amputation."


    Noelle pressed him. "And what if you had answered back then?"


    Donovan hesitated for a moment. "Then, we would''ve thought it through more carefully."


    "And if not amputating meant he would die?" Noelle questioned.


    Donovan fell silent because there was only one answer-amputation was the only way to save Wyatt''s life. Of course, he could not admit that. Instead, he deflected. "No one knows what could''ve happened back then."


    Xenia shouted, "Exactly! No one knew! And yet, all of you me me¡ªis that fair? I''ll say this now-I won''t stop until the foundation holds Xenia ountable. Let''s see if she''s got some magic trick to escape this!"


    With that, she turned and went upstairs. The room fell into an awkward silence.


    Lucas let out a coldugh. "Donovan, you''re a disappointment. Once I get ahold of Frank, I''ll make sure he clears up the truth. Noelle won''t take the fall for this."


    "Watch your mouth! Who do you think you''re talking to?" Donovan''s face darkened with guilt. Now, they were all siding with Noelle one by one, going against him.


    He could not help but wonder if the truth even mattered after all these years.


    After Lucas left, only three people remained in the room. Wyatt stepped in front of Donovan and said, "Donovan, I finally got to be with the person I love. Are you just going to stand by and watch Xenia get dragged into awsuit?"


    However, Donovan barely looked at him and instead turned to Xenia. "Did she really agree to be with you and to marry you?"


    He had always felt guilty about Wyatt''s disability, which was why he had indulged


    him over the years. However, he never expected Wyatt to fall for Xenia.


    Wyatt''s face lit up. "Xenia agreed, which is why I came back right away."


    "But what if she''s lying?" Donovan asked.


    He was not an idiot and had started noticing how much Xenia had changed she had be more cunning and ambitious. It was unnecessarily a bad thing, but the fact that she was using family to dodge consequences? That rubbed him the wrong way.


    Wyatt immediately tightened his grip on Xenia''s hand. "Xenia isn''t that kind of person."


    Xenia lowered her gaze and spoke softly. "Donovan, after everything I''ve been through, I finally realized how good Wyatt is to me. I truly regret my mistakes- please, help me."


    She knew Donovan had the power to fix this, but it would require bowing his head to the Cantrell family. And with his pride, there was no way he would do that for her. So, she had no choice but to pull Wyatt into this.


    Donovan rubbed his temples in frustration and grumbled, "Let me think about it." Then, he stood up and walked away.


    The moment he was gone, Xenia pulled her hand away and forced a smile. "Wyatt, you just got back. You should take a rest-I''ll go to the kitchen and make you something to eat."


    Once she slipped away, she went straight to the sink and scrubbed her hands over and over. Like hell, she would marry a cripple. She was only using Wyatt.


    Afterward, she quickly grabbed her phone and called Sean, but his phone was off. She silently cursed, "Damn it. Can Dad even handle this?"


    ...


    The next morning, Noelle was woken up by the ringing of her phone.


    Tilly''s voice came through, apologetic as she said, "Sorry to call so early, but


    there''s been a development with the foundation''s supplier."


    "Did someone else die?" Noelle asked instinctively.


    Tilly exined, "Not this time, but the supplier got exposed for running a massive kickback scheme with multiple foundations. They''ve already been arrested. We''ve also found that car from the dealership again at the supplier''s location. This time, we managed to snap a picture of the driver."


    "Send me the photos." Noelle''s heartbeat pounded in her chest.

 Chapter 543

    Noelle had not expected her patience to pay off-another clue had surfaced. It seemed like her decision to return to the Liddells and force Xenia into a corner was the right one.


    "Ms. Liddell, but the man in the photo isn''t the same one we saw before," Tilly informed her.


    Noelle opened the pictures Tilly had sent. The driver, a middle-aged man, definitely was not Sean. Nheless, since it was the same dealership car, Sean had some kind of connection to this guy.


    With more leads than before, she was getting closer to the truth. She simply ordered Tilly, "Keep digging."


    Noelle said nothing else. After all, she was still at the Liddell residence, and it was best to be careful.


    "Ms. Liddell, the kickback scandal has dragged in multiple foundations, including members of Ms. Merlock''s organization and Hopeful Hearts Foundation. The Cantrell family is already trying to suppress the media coverage, but the damage has been done."


    "Got it," Noelle replied. After hanging up, she could not shake the feeling that this was not just some coincidence-someone had done this on purpose.


    With this big scandal, no one would pay attention to the sanitary pad issue anymore. Everyone had their own fires to put out now, scrambling for damage control. If that were the case, no one would remember the Liddells'' involvement in the scandal.


    Noelle wondered if Donovan was behind this. However, the Cantrells got caught in the crossfire, too. Would he really risk angering them?


    Later, she freshened up and changed before heading downstairs, just in time to hear Donovan snapping, "Wyatt, have you lost your damn mind? Do you have any idea how many people you just dragged into this? Do you think the Liddells can afford to offend them all?"


    Wyatt sounded unfazed. "Donovan, this was the perfect way to shut everyone up. No one will dareugh at the Liddells over that sanitary pad mess-because none of their hands are clean either."


    "You pulled a stunt this big without even discussing it with me first?" Donovan looked like he was about to explode.


    Xenia quickly stepped in. "Donovan, don''t be mad. Wyatt only did this for me. He just returned to Yasnia, and he doesn''t understand how things work here yet. It was an honest mistake."


    Deep down, she felt relieved. She had not been able to contact Sean, but luckily, Wyatt had taken care of the problem for her.


    Donovan was the Cantrell family''s live-in son-inw-this kind of issue probably would not bother them too much, However, he was already seething, and hearing Xenia''s fake-sweet excuse made him snap.


    He raised his hand and pped Xenia across the face. "This is all because of


    you, and you still have the nerve to speak?"


    Now, he regretted ever trusting her with foundation affairs. At least Noelle would never have done something as stupid as taking bribes.


    Just then, Noelle finally made her way down the stairs, watching with mild amusement. She had suspected Donovan was not the one behind the scandal-after all the Cantrells had gotten caught up in it, too.  s?novel


    Wyatt immediately stepped in front of Xenia, looking pained as he shielded her. Xenia could only bury herself in his arms and cry. She could not argue back-not when the evidence was so damning.


    She silently cursed at Noelle. If she had not insisted on participating in the charity initiative, no one would have ever found out about the expired sanitary pads.


    "Donovan, if you have something to say, say it¡ªwhy are you getting physical?" Wyatt demanded. "Have you forgotten that Mr. Quigley died saving our parents? The Liddells owe Noelle a life!"


    Donovan''s jaw elenched, and that shut him right up. He had said those very words to other people


    before especially to Noelle. It never felt like a big deal back then, but now that Wyatt was throwing it back at him, it left a bitter taste in his mouth. C¨®ntent


    And worst of all, he could not argue against it. His frustration boiled over. He tugged at his tie, his eyes flicking to Noelle, who stood calmly on the stairs.


    That sight of her only pissed him off more. He snapped, "Noelle, are you just going to stand there and watch the show? This is all your fault!"


    Noelle arched a brow. "My fault? Am I the one who took kickbacks? Am I the one who bought expired sanitary pads? Or am I the one who exposed the supplier''s bribery scandal?"


    Her words were sharp, leaving Donovan at aplete loss because she was right. None of this was Noelle''s doing, and Xenia was responsible.

 Chapter 544

    Donovan''s mind suddenly buzzed as things were suddenly bing a lot clearer. But before he could react, Wyatt spoke up first.


    "Noelle, drop the act. Everyone in the foundation knows this kind of thing happens ¡ªit''s an unspoken rule. You''re just using this as an excuse to go after Xenia."


    Noelle almostughed. "Xenia broke thew. That''s a fact.


    Wyatt argued, "Are you seriously making a big deal out of something this minor? You''re just targeting Xenia, and now that she''s your future sister-inw, I won''t allow you to treat her this way!"


    Noelle chuckled in disbelief. There was no point in arguing with an idiot, and she had no interest in wasting any more words. "Save it for the police."


    Wyatt sneered. "Noelle, do you really think you can threaten Xenia? The supplier already admitted that he was the one who swapped the products for expired sanitary pads. Xenia only took a small kickback, which wasn''t even that much. This isn''t a big deal."


    Noelle clenched her jaw. Technically, what he said was true. Nheless, that did not mean she was going to let Xenia off the hook.


    She replied, "No point exining it to me-let''s see what the police find."


    With that, Noelle turned and walked out of the Liddell residence. Xenia red at her retreating figure, seething with hatred as she silently vowed that one day, she would make sure that bitch was dead.


    But for now, she had to focus on survival. She wiped her tears and sniffled as she turned to Wyatt. "Wyatt, this is all my fault. I caused trouble, and now you and Donovan are fighting because of me."


    "Xenia, you''re my fianc¨¦e. Of course, I''ll stand by you. Donovan will understand."


    Wyatt nced at Donovan, his resentment lingering. His leg and his entire life had been ruined because Donovan ignored those calls, forcing Noelle to sign off on the amputation. He believed both Noelle and Donovan owed him.


    Donovan scoffed and stormed off. How had he never realized before that Xenia was both dumb and dangerous? He had originally wanted to use Xenia to pressure Noelle, to force that stubborn girl into submission. However, Xenia was turning out to be just as much of a problem.


    As he drove off, he spotted Noelle walking along the road. Rolling down the window, he called out, "Where are you going?"


    Noelle had been deep in thought, but when she saw Donovan, her expression turned cold. "Obviously, to school."


    "Get in. I''ll drive you."


    "No need. I''ll grab a cab," Noelle rejected him outright. She did not want to see anyone from the Liddells-let alone be stuck in a car with him.


    Donovan had been about to snap, but thinking about the mess Xenia had caused, he softened his tone. "I know Xenia screwed up. I won''t let her handle foundation matters again."


    Noelle remained stone-faced, not responding. Seeing that, Donovan exhaled sharply, trying to be patient.


    He said, "Wyatt changed a lot after his injury. He finally found someone he loves can''t you just let this go for his sake?"


    Noelle lowered her gaze, realizing that was what this was about. She smirked as she replied, "Instead of wasting time convincing me, why don''t you get Xenia a goodwyer?"


    She waved down a cab. Just as she was about to get in, Donovan blurted out, "If you drop this, I''ll make sure the Merlocks agree to let the Liddells'' foundation join the charity alliance. It would benefit the foundation our parents built."


    C¨®ntent


    Noelle''s hand froze on the door handle. Donovan saw an opening and pushed


    further. "It''s a good deal, isn''t it? You couldn''t pull this off on your own."


    Noelle turned back, stepping closer to him. Her gaze was ice-cold as she growled, "Fine. But I have one condition."


    Donovan''s brows furrowed. "What condition?"


    "You''re doing all this for Wyatt because you feel guilty about his amputation,


    right?" A slow, chilling smile spread across Noelle''s lips.


    She continued, "Then admit it in front of Wyatt. Tell him that back then, you deliberately ignored my


    calls because you didn''t want to take the me for his amputation. Do that, and I''ll agree to your deal."


    Donovan''s face twisted with rage.


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 Chapter 545

    Seeing Donovan''s expression, Noelle felt a slight sense of satisfaction. It seemed her guess that he had deliberately ignored the calls back then because he did not want to take the me for Wyatt''s amputation was right.


    Even though Lucas had exposed the truth, someone like Donovan would never admit it. And now, he expected her to back down for Wyatt''s sake and let Xenia off the hook. Well, Donovan should pay a price if he wanted that.


    Donovan swallowed his anger. "Noelle, that was years ago. Do you really have to hold onto it? If you wantpensation, I can offer you something else."


    Noelle was taken aback by his audacity of wanting to avoid it. She said coldly, "I don''t need anything else."


    Her voice was calm, almost teasing, as she continued, "Mr. Donovan, you always say that as Liddells, we should be willing to sacrifice for family. Well, it looks like it''s your turn now."


    Back then, he had acted so righteous when demanding sacrifices from her. Now that it was his turn, she wanted to see if he could actually live up to his own words.


    Donovan''s grip tightened on the steering wheel. "Haven''t I sacrificed enough for the Liddells?"


    "That''s your duty. Besides, Mr. Quigley saved the Liddells'' lives-what''s a little sacrifice from you? You always say people should repay their debts, don''t you?"


    Donovan was exasperated by Noelle''s reply. Yes, he had said those things before, but he never imagined they would be used against him.


    Noelle smirked. "That''s my condition. You''d better give me an answer before the police officially open the investigation."


    She threw those words at him, then turned and got into the cab.


    Donovan cursed under his breath, furious but helpless. All he could do was watch as Noelle''s cab pulled away.


    His frustration boiled over, grumbling, "I just don''t get it-Noelle is my real sister! Why does she keep making things so hard for me?"


    James, sitting in the passenger seat, nced back. "Mr. Donovan, but Ms. Liddell isn''t the one who caused this mess. And yet, she''s always the one expected to back down. Wouldn''t that be frustrating for anyone?"


    James had been assigned to Donovan by Frank, specifically to keep an eye on the Liddells and make sure they did not hurt Noelle.


    When Donovan fell silent, James continued, "Mr. Donovan, if Ms. Liddell is your real sister, then why have you always treated Xenia better? It does seem a little strange."


    "You won''t understand." Donovan''s headache worsened at the thought of Xenia.


    So many years had passed in the blink of an eye, and now that Wyatt was in love with her, things had only gotten messier.


    ...


    Noelle went straight to the gym. After changing into her workout gear, she headed into the boxing room and started throwing punches at the bag.


    If she had not needed to lure out the people backing Xenia, she would havepletely cut ties with the Liddells by now. But she still had not found Sean, so she had no choice but to endure for now.


    Frustration burned inside her, and


    her mood worsened as her minde drifted back to her past life. She never expected Wyatt to actually like Xenia, and she could not help but wonder if Donovan liked her too.


    A cold, deep voice suddenly broke through her thoughts. "Are you trying to ruin your hands?"


    The person pressed their hand against the bag, stopping its movement. Noelle, panting slightly, looked up. The moment she saw Cedric, surprise shed in her eyes. "You''re back?"


    For the past couple of days, she had known he was out on a business trip, so she had not told him about the chaos at the Liddells. But now that he was here, she could not help but feel relieved.


    She stepped forward and hugged him, deliberately rubbing her sweaty forehead against his crisp white shirt. Cedric noticed her little trick but did not say anything. Instead, he wrapped his arms around her, neither of them speaking, just letting the silence settle around them.


    Noelle leaned against his chest, breathing in his familiar scent. It calmed her in a


    way nothing else could. She closed her eyes, and the irritation she had been feeling slowly faded away.


    She thought, "Yeah, I really like this man..."


    Cedric, too, felt his mood lift. During his trip, he had not been able to stop thinking about her. After hearing from Filly about everything that had happened with the Liddells, he rushed back as fast as he could.


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 Chapter 546

    However, Noelle still did not tell him anything. Cedric understood her personality¡ª her stubbornness and relentless determination-but that did not mean he liked seeing her struggle alone.


    He sighed and asked, "What''s bothering you?"


    "What else? The Liddells, of course." Noelle held onto him tightly, listening to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat.


    Cedric could see she was upset, so he did not push for details and simply let her hold him. He had no idea how long they stayed like that, but once Noelle had fully calmed down, she finally let go.


    She nced up at him, looking a little embarrassed. She reached out and yfully pinched his cheek. After two days apart, he was still just as handsome, and just looking at him made her feel better.


    Cedric took her hand and gently removed her boxing gloves, rubbing her wrist. "You shouldn''t hit so hard-you''ll hurt your wrists."


    Noelle was surprised. "How did you know?"


    "I was watching you," Cedric called her as soon as hended. When she did not answer, he checked with the gym and found out she was there.


    The moment he saw her relentlessly attacking the punching bag, he knew something was wrong. Instead of interrupting right away, he let her vent until she had worn herself out, and only then did he step in.


    Noelley on the floor, catching her breath, as Cedric grabbed a massage gun to loosen her tense muscles. She epted the treatment without hesitation and waspletely at ease.


    An hourter, Cedric put the massage gun down and looked at her. "Hungry?" She mumbled, "A little."


    "What do you want to eat? If nothinges to mind, we can go to L Bistro." Cedric liked going to L Bistro for meals.


    Noelle nodded, but then she suddenly remembered something. "Oh, I never told you-remember how I mentioned we got a new roommate?"


    "Yeah. You said she had trouble walking." Cedric paused, then gave her a sharp look. "She''s from the Cantrell family, isn''t she?"


    "You''re so smart. It turns out my new roommate is the Cantrell family''s eldest daughter and Donovan''s fianc¨¦e."


    Noelle had not thought much about it at first. There were plenty of people with t


    But what were the odds?


    Cedric''s expression darkened. "What is the Cantrell family trying to do?"


    "I''m not sure. Tilly thinks they ced her there so I could start building a rtionship with them, but things between me and the Liddells fell apart too fast."


    Cedric nodded-Tilly''s reasoning made sense.


    Noelle met his gaze. "I''m being careful, though. I''ll keep my distance from my new roommate as much as possible."


    Noelle had not thought much about it at first. After all, there were plenty of people with disabilities, and Mia had enrolled in college under a different name. Nheless, what were the odds?


    Cedric''s expression darkened. "What is the Cantrell family trying to do?"


    Noelle replied, "I''m not sure. Tilly thinks they ced her there so I could start


    building a rtionship with them, but things between me and the Liddells fell apart too fast."


    Cedric nodded-Tilly''s reasoning made sense.


    Noelle met his gaze. "I''m being careful, though. I''ll keep my distance from my new roommate as much as possible."


    She was not about to let herself get stabbed in the back again, like during thest press conference.


    Cedric handed her a bot


    water, twisting cap open first. "But that''s not


    what''s really bothering you, is it?"


    "It''s the foundation," Noelle admitted. She filled him in on everything that had happened over the past two days.


    Cedric had already heard the basics


    from Tilly, but he had not known aboutst night''s drama with the Liddelts. He raised an eyebrow. "Wyatt actually likes Xenia? thought he lost a leg, not his brain."


    How desperate did he have to be to fall for someone like Xenia?


    Noelle took a sip of water. "I don''t know for sure, but I can guess. Ever since his injury, Wyatt has been


    reclusive and bitter. Xenia is good at


    ying the sweet, caring type-she


    probably made him feel special."


    Cedric scoffed, his tone dripping with disdain. "Didn''t she want to marry Justin?


    Why is she suddenly with Wyatt?"


    "Xenia has always had a long list of admirers, but she only ever chased after Justin. Dealing with a guy like Wyatt who worships the ground she walks on-must have been a piece of cake for her."


    Xenia had always been clear about her goal: marrying into wealth.


    Noelle nced at Cedric. "If it weren''t for the fact that I need to uncover the people backing Xenia, I wouldn''t have tolerated her this long."


    "Did you find something?"


    Noelle nodded. She turned and spotted Tilly standing hesitantly in the hallway with a few people behind her. Her cheeks heated slightly as she stood up. "I asked Ms. Lozano toe over."


    Tilly finally approachedptop in hand. "Ms. Liddell, we found information on that man. He''s from the same hometown as Mr. Quigley, and they''re actually rted." Noelle immediately straightened, her expression sharpening. "Go on."

 Chapter 547

    Noelle knew that the more clues they gathered, the closer they were to


    uncovering the truth. Tilly continued, "ording to family ties, this man is Xenia''s distant uncle by blood, but he''s also Sean''s cousin."


    Noelle was caught off guard by the revtion. She asked, "Did you find any leads on Sean?"


    "That''s the strange part. Our people have been watching this guy-he works as a mechanic at a dealership, lives in the employee dorms, and rarely goes out. He''s a lifelong bachelor with almost no social circle."


    Noelle felt a twinge of disappointment-so there was still no trace of Sean.


    Cedric squeezed Noelle''s hand. "Don''t stress yourself out. Now that we''ve found this guy, it''s only a matter of time before we find Sean."


    "I know... I just feel anxious and a little nervous." Noelle had only been specting at first, but as she pieced everything together, she realized she was actually onto something-Sean was real, and she was getting closer to him.


    She took a deep breath to calm herself. "If that''s the case, then Sean should have been just an ordinary man. But hemitted murder and even installed anti- hacking software on Xenia''s phone-an average person wouldn''t have those skills."


    That was highly suspicious.


    Cedric thought for a moment and said, "If someone is willing to kill, and not just once, then they''re far more cautious than the average criminal."


    "Exactly. But why would a dangerous fugitive end up being my parents'' driver?" Noelle could not shake the feeling that the car ident was not as simple as it seemed. The driver was definitely suspicious.


    Cedric''s expression grew more intense. "We''ll get to the bottom of this-just stay calm."


    He was determined to uncover the truth, no matter the cost.


    Noelle nodded. "It''s just frustrating that Wyatt interfered with the foundation case. If he hadn''t, Xenia''s backer would''ve had to show up, and we could''ve uncovered more leads."


    However, she was not about to give up. Cedric looked at Noelle. "But about the driver-it''s been years. Your only option is to ask the Liddells."


    Noelle knew that, and the only person she could ask now was Frank. After all, Donovan was incredibly protective of Xenia, and there was no telling what he would do.


    Since Frank handled everything for the family, he had to know the truth. But he had just gone in for surgery, and she needed to ask him in person to avoid anyplications.


    If they made even the slightest misstep, Sean would sense something was off and disappear in an instant. Noelle could not take that risk-every move had to be calcted.


    Cedric noticed the tension in her face and whispered, "Let''s eat first. You have to trust the PR firm''s abilities."


    Tilly quickly chimed in, "Ms. Liddell, leave this to us."


    Of course, the PR firm was not actually that capable¡ªit was Cedric''s team working behind the scenes. After changing into


    something more appropriate, Noelle


    headed to L Bistro with Cedric.


    The moment they stepped out of the car, they ran into someone familiar. Seated


    in a wheelchair, Wyatt was chatting with Xenia as they made their way toward the entrance of L Bistro.


    However, Wyatt''s sharp eyes caught sight of Noelle immediately, and his face twisted into a frown. "What are you doing here?"


    Noelle responded coolly, "Having a meal, obviously."


    Wyatt narrowed his eyes. "Did you find out Donovan is meeting with the Cantrells tonight and came here just to cause trouble?"


    He could not stand Noelle, especially after what she did to the girl he liked.


    Noelleughed. She definitely had not expected that Donovan was trying to make amends with the Cantrell family for Wyatt. It seemed he truly felt guilty about the O amputation all those years ago.


    Xenia quickly chimed in, "Noelle, I know you''re still mad at me, but you can''t be so petty that you''d ruin Donovan and Wyatt''s reputation. If you cause a scene and offend the Cantrells, you''ll drag the entire


    Liddell family down with you."


    you."


    She did not want Noelle stirring up trouble. Wyatt had worked hard to smooth


    things over, and Sean-other than knowing how to kill and cover things up-was useless in these matters.


    Noelle smirked. "I couldn''t care less about your Liddell family drama."


    She turned to Cedric and took his hand, leading him toward the restaurant.


    Xenia, unwilling to let it go, called out, "Noelle, without Donovan''s permission, you won''t get in."


    Wyatt rolled his wheelchair closer and sneered, "So this is the broke loser you''re dating now? If you dump him, I''ll personally bring you inside."

 Chapter 548

    Xenia smirked and said, "That''s right, Noelle. L Bistro is a private club-only people with status and connections can dine here."


    Cedric replied coldly, "It''s just L Bistro. Is it really something to brag about?" Wyatt scoffed. "You talk big, but do you even have a membership?"


    Cedric replied calmly, "No."


    Did he need a membership? He was one of the restaurant''s shareholders.


    Xenia covered her mouth and giggled. "No membership means no entry. Noelle, why didn''t you warn your boyfriend? This is so embarrassing!"


    Before she could gloat any further, the restaurant manager rushed out with several staff members trailing behind him.


    Xenia straightened her posture and strutted forward. "That must be Donovan''s people, here to greet Wyatt and me."


    After all, Donovan still felt guilty about Wyatt''s ident-he would definitely do everything he could for him. However, the manager and his team walked straight past her. Without hesitation, he pushed Xenia aside while the rest of the staff lined up at the entrance as if preparing to wee someone important.


    Xenia stumbled and pouted at Wyatt. "Wyatt, that hurt!"


    Wyatt immediately lost his temper and snapped at the manager. "Are you blind? Didn''t you see someone standing here? Is this how Donovan told you to treat us?"


    He had assumed, just like Xenia, that these people were here on Donovan''s orders. Yet, the manager barely spared him a nce. With a flick of his wrist, two waiters promptly wheeled Wyatt-chair and all-off to the side.


    Wyatt could not believe the staff was treating them that way, and his face turned red with rage. "What the hell are you doing? If Donovan hears about this, you won''t get away with it!"


    Xenia was just as stunned, wondering who they were here for if not for Wyatt.


    The manager, who had just been so arrogant, stood respectfully before Cedric and Noelle and politely said, "Right this way."


    Cedric did not even bat an eye. He acted as if this kind of treatment was nothing new.


    Noelle remainedposed as well.


    She knew the manager was only being this courteous to Cedric


    because of Alfred, but watching the


    Liddells get humiliated in the


    process still felt incredibly satisfying.


    Hooking her arm through Cedric''s, she strolled past Wyatt and Xenia. Then, she


    nced sideways at them. "Do you two have a membership?"


    Xenia gritted her teeth. "Donovan does."


    "Oh, but if you don''t, then Donovan''s probably too busy wining and dining the Cantrells toe get you."


    As soon as Noelle said that, she saw Wyatt and Xenia''s faces turn a deep shade of green. With that, she happily walked inside with Cedric.


    Just then, Cedric gave the manager a long, meaningful look. Thetter, not being


    an idiot, immediately understood the unspokenmand.


    Turning back to Wyatt and Xenia, he stated, "No membership, no entry."


    Even though Donovan had made arrangements, Cedric''s word carried more weight-these two were not getting in.


    Xenia clenched her fists, humiliated. "Wyatt, call Donovan right now!"


    Wyatt did as she said, but Donovan''s phone kept ringing with no answer.


    Eventually, the two of them were left standing outside in the cold.


    Upstairs, in a private dining room, Noelleughed so hard her stomach hurt. Then, Cedric opened the window, pulled her closer, and said, "Let''s keep watching."


    From their vantage point, they could see the entrance perfectly-Xenia and Wyatt were still stuck outside, shivering in the wind. Noelle could not stopughing at the sight.


    Cedric reached over and wiped a tear from the corner of her eye, asking, "Satisfied now?"


    "Of course! That felt amazing." Noelle lifted her gaze and met Cedric''s eyes.


    Her heart skipped a beat, and the space between them suddenly felt smaller. As he leaned in closer, she


    quickly turned away, feeling like standing by the window was not the best idea.


    But just as Noelle turned, she caught sight of another group of people entering the


    restaurant and blurted out, "Mrs. Greene?"


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 Chapter 549

    Noelle did not just see Emma-Laura was right beside her. The moment Cedric heard her say that name, a chill ran down his spine. He turned his head, and sure enough, Emma and Laura were standing at the entrance of L Bistro.


    His gaze lingered for a second before he looked down at Noelle and said, "Let''s just focus on our meal."


    He had already made things crystal clear to both Emma and Laura. He had never agreed to an engagement with Laura before, and now that Noelle was in his life, he certainly was not going to entertain the idea.


    Noelle followed Cedric back inside the private dining room. After some thought, she said, "Now that the supplier bribery scandal is out, Ms. Merlock''s charity foundation is getting dragged into the mess. That''s probably why the Liddells are trying to smooth things over with the Cantrells tonight."


    Cedric was well aware of the situation. "Don''t worry. If everyone is caught up in the same scandal, they have no right to look down on your parents'' foundation." Noelle looked up at him, unexpectedly touched that he mentioned her parents. She made up her mind-when the holidays came around, she had to bring Cedric home to meet them.


    To her, the Liddell brothers were not family-Cedric was the only exception.


    Meanwhile, Cedric had already nned how to handle the situation, ensuring that the foundation would not suffer because of it. If it were not for the fact that Xenia''s backer was still a mystery, he would have dealt with the entire mess in one go.


    Just then, Cedric''s phone rang. Seeing Alfred''s name on the screen, he handed the menu to Noelle. "Pick what you want to eat. I''ll take this call."


    Cedric stepped out onto the small balcony and leaned against the railing with one hand. "What is it?"


    "You used my name to go on a date at L Bistro again? My aunt just called me, saying one of my ''friends'' was at L Bistro, deliberately making things difficult for the Liddells and refusing to let them in."


    Cedric''s voice was cold. "They deserved a little lesson."


    "Fine, but that''s not the main issue. Donovan invited my aunt to L Bistro tonight- he''s obviously trying to fix the foundation''s financial scandal. The Liddells have some nerve to expose this mess, though. They''ve pissed off quite a few people."


    Cedric was not happy about that either. "Ms. Cantrell isn''t even your aunt''s daughter, so why is she so invested in this?"


    "My aunt adores Mia. Do you know how the Cantrell family''s business is currently run by the second wife''s side?


    "After the eldest son passed away a


    few years


    ago, all that''s left from the


    first marriage is Mia and her younger half-brother. He''s just a kid; a widow and her son can''t fight for much, so my aunt has no choice but to step in."


    Alfred''s meaning was obvious¡ªhis aunt was only involved for Mia''s sake.


    Cedric''s tone remained indifferent. "I don''t


    about any of that. If the s interfere with Noelle


    foundation, I won''t be hof the "


    Alfred was silent for a moment before asking, "What exactly happened?"


    Cedric briefly exined the situation.


    Alfred cursed in frustration. "The Liddells are disgusting. Xenia,


    people? Seriously? Are they fact


    desperate? Fine, I''ll handle my aunt."


    After hanging up, Cedric returned to the private dining room, his sharp gaze softening as he walked in.


    The food had already arrived, and Noelle nced up at him, exining, "I saw you were still on the phone, so I just went ahead and ordered."


    "Good. Let''s eat."


    Cedric sat down and casually picked up some food for Noelle. "Was Alfred calling about those two stuck outside?"


    "Yeah. Don''t worry-they''re not getting in."


    Noelle finally rxed a little. "I just don''t know how the Cantrells will react. They''ll probably take Donovan''s side."


    If the Cantrells decided to go against the foundation, things could getplicated.


    "They won''t. Alfred will exin the situation to his aunt."


    Noelle frowned slightly. "What does his aunt have to do with this?"


    "Alfred''s aunt married into the Cantrell family. She''s the one calling the shots there now."

 Chapter 550

    Cedric gave Noelle a quick breakdown of the Cantrell family''s internal dynamics. Noelle had assumed Mia was the rightful heir to the Cantrell family, but she had not expected the second wife''s side to have taken control instead.


    "I thought Donovan invited Mia''s stepmother tonight, but it turns out it was his aunt instead. Mia''s stepmotheres from an ordinary background. She rarely socializes and spends most of her time at home raising her kid-she doesn''t get involved in business matters, let alone Mia''s affairs."


    Noelle nodded in understanding. As a widow from a modest background, Mia''s stepmother would not have the influence to step in.


    Halfway through dinner, Noelle''s phone started ringing nonstop. She nced at the screen and found that Donovan was calling. She mumbled, "He probably just found out I''m here at L Bistro, too."


    Cedric looked at her. "Answer it. Let''s see what he wants."


    Noelle had the same thought, so she answered and put him on speaker. Donovan''s voice came through. "Noelle, I heard you''re at L Bistro. I happened to invite Mrs. Cantrell for dinner to discuss the foundation''s situation-you shoulde over and say a few words to her."


    Noelle was shocked that Donovan wanted her to say a few words to Salena. She wondered what exactly he was trying to pull.


    Noelle exchanged a nce with Cedric but did not respond right away.


    Donovan patiently continued, "Noelle, I know you have issues with the Liddells, but if you want to establish yourself in Yasnia, expanding yourwork is never a bad thing. Besides, I''ve already spoken to Mrs. Cantrell there''s nothing you need to do, juste over."


    Noelle could tell from his tone that he was trying to be polite-he clearly needed something from her. Could it be that Salena specifically asked to see her?


    After a brief pause, Noelle said, "Alright, I''ll head over in a bit."


    "Good. We''re in the private room named Oasis." Donovan sounded relieved before hanging up.


    Noelle turned to Cedric. "I''m guessing Mrs. Cantrell wants to meet me."


    Cedric had already considered that possibility¡ªit was most likely rted to Alfred. After a moment of thought, he said, "I''ll go with you."


    Even if it meant getting recognized by Salena, he was not about to let Noelle walk into a trap alone.


    "No need. Mrs. Cantrell asked for me, not you. If anything happens, I''ll call you," Noelle replied, not wanting to drag Cedric into this.


    The man stared at her intently before finally saying, "Alright."


    With


    andat, Noelle grabbed her phone


    private room. As


    she stepped out, Cedric Calfred to get more details on the


    Noelle took the elevator down, but just as the doors opened, she unexpectedly ran into Laura.


    Laura looked just as surprised to see her. "Ms. Liddell? What a coincidence. Are you here for dinner with friends?"


    From the way Laura was looking at


    her, she had probably already


    guessed who Noelle was dining


    with. After all, L Bistro was not just n.


    any restaurant-not just anyone could get a table here.


    Noelle did not hesitate. "Yeah, I came with my boyfriend."


    The moment she said "boyfriend," Laura''s fingers dug into her palms so hard she almost broke the skin A sharp pain spread through her entire body. She and Cedric had grown up together, and she had never once imagined that his girlfriend would be someone other than her.


    Noticing the change in Laura''s expression, Noelle raised a brow. "Ms. Merlock, are you alright?"


    Laura quickly forced a smile. "I''m fine. Are you and your boyfriend dating for love, then? I''m jealous. You two must be very happy together."


    Noelle nodded. "We are."


    The happiness on Noelle''s face stung Laura''s eyes. Before she could stop herself, Laura blurted out, "Do you even know who your boyfriend really is?"

 Chapter 551

    Noelle was baffled by the sudden question and smiled. "Ms. Merlock, I know exactly what kind of person my boyfriend is."


    She didn''t need anyone else judging Cedric''s character. Laura''s words lingered at the tip of her tongue. She wanted to tell Noelle the truth, but in the end, she held back.


    If she was going to reveal Cedric''s real identity, it couldn''t be done so casually. Otherwise, that''d be too easy for Noelle.


    Anydy would be overjoyed to learn that her boyfriend was the heir to the Greene family. Once Noelle knew, she''d never let go. That wasn''t what Laura wanted.


    Noelle noticed the flicker of emotion on Laura''s face and asked, "What exactly are you trying to say?"


    "Nothing. I was just being nosy."


    A hint of malice shed in Laura''s eyes. Since the foundation incident didn''t cause Noelle any trouble, she needed to find another way.


    The two of them exited the elevator together, only to realize they were heading in the same direction. In the end, they both stopped in front of the same private room.


    Laura looked at Noelle in surprise. "You''reing here, too?"


    "Yes. What a coincidence. Are you here to meet Mrs. Cantrell as well?"


    "That''s right." Laura pushed the door and walked in.


    Noelle followed behind her and immediately spotted Donovan and a well-dressed woman seated at the head of the table. It was, without a doubt, Salena.


    As for Wyatt and Xenia, they were probably still stopped at the entrance.


    Laura strode up to Salena''s side and began chatting as if they were old acquaintances while Noelle remained where she was. It was best to keep her distance before figuring out what Salena''s intentions were.


    Donovan walked over to Noelle and lowered his voice. "Go over and say hello."


    Noelle replied, "What exactly does Mrs. Cantrell want?"


    "Nothing much. She just wants to meet you. Go offer a toast. Look at how Ms. Merlock is handling things."


    Donovan appeared fairly disappointed in Noelle as he continued, "You act all tough at home and shrink back when you''re outside?"


    Noelle was growing impatient. Donovan''s eager-to-please attitude made her ufortable.


    She shot him a cold, mocking gaze, and he immediately realized the implication behind that look. His expression darkened, and he said nothing more.


    Salena finally turned to Noelle. "Is this Ms. Liddell? I''ve heard a lot about you."


    Noelle raised her ss with a slight smile. "Hello, Mrs. Cantrell."


    "I didn''t realize you and Alfred were so close. He''s never mentioned you before." Just earlier, Alfred had ? called her about the foundation and asked her to lend Noelle a hand and stay out of the Liddell family''s affairs.


    Alfred wasn''t the type to ask for favors, and Salena wondered if he''d taken a liking to Noelle.


    Noelle calmly replied, "Mr. Parham and I are just friends."


    That was all she said and nothing else. She didn''t want to drag Cedric into this.


    Salena wasn''t pleased. She''d asked, yet Noelle barely answered.


    Sensing the shift in the atmosphere, Laura tried to ease the tension and spoke up, "Mrs. Cantrell, Ms. Liddell has a straightforward personality. Even Mrs. Greene said so."


    "Mrs. Greene knows Ms. Liddell?"


    "She does. Mrs Greene even vouched for Ms. Liddell to get a club membership. She''s quite fond of Ms. Liddell.


    "But Ms. Liddell was deceived by a supplier at the club and removed from Hopeful Hearts Foundation. Now that the supplier scandal has blown up, we realized she was actually innocent."


    After hearing Laura''s words, Salena was surprised that Noelle had Emma speaking on her behalf. She decided to drop the matter out of respect for thetter.


    Then, she turned to Donovan. "Your sister is quite capable, and she has so many people willing to stand up for her. Why did you have to go through all this trouble just to invite me to dinner?"


    Donovan''s expression stiffened awkwardly. "My sister is young and inexperienced, Mrs. Cantrell. I just..."

 Chapter 552

    "Since Mrs. Greene is here, I should greet her. You all enjoy your meal."


    Salena didn''t let Donovan finish, so she stood up and left with Laura. Only Noelle and Donovan were in the room.


    Dononva fixed his gaze on Noelle, and there was a hint of disbelief in his tone. "I never expected you to have such a close rtionship with Alfred. Mrs. Greene even had Laura speak up for you, too."


    It was only now he realized he might''ve underestimated Noelle all this time. Noelle remained calm.


    "If there''s nothing else, I''m leaving." She had no interest in exining anything further.


    "Noelle, I''m not done talking! Stop right there!" Donovan anxiously called out.


    But considering her connections, he softened his tone and said, "We''re family, aren''t we? Now that no one will hold the Liddell family responsible, do you have to keep making things difficult for Xenia?"


    Noelle''s expression turned cold. "I''ve made my conditions clear if you want me to stop pursuing charges on Xenia."


    She''d onlypromise if Donovan admitted in front of Wyatt that he''d ignored the calls and avoided responsibility after the fire that led to Wyatt''s amputation.


    "Must you drag my dignity through the mud? I''m your eldest brother! How could you expect me to apologize and admit my mistake to a younger brother!"


    Donovan had always been proud, especially in front of his younger siblings. If he admitted to that, there was no way he could hold authority as the eldest.


    The door was pushed open with a bang, and Cedric entered. His expression was cold as he shoved Donovan aside.


    "You abandoned responsibility and had Noelle take the fall all these years. She''s been carrying this burden for you. Now, you''re concerned about your dignity even after doing all that shameless stuff?"


    Cedric''s tone was sharp and pointed.


    Donovan snapped, "You''re an outsider. You have no right to interfere in the Liddell family''s affairs."


    "He''s not an outsider. To me, you''re the outsider," Noelle retorted. She''d never let anyone talk down to Cedric.


    Donovan was furious. "Just because you know a few people, Noelle, you think you''re different now. If you weren''t the daughter of the Liddells, do you think Alfred or Mrs. Greene would even bother with you?"


    Noelle was getting too arrogant.


    Cedric coldly pped back. "But they won''t bother with you even if you suck up to them."


    Donovan''s expression turned purple with rage while Noelle took Cedric''s hand and said, "Wyatt''s issue is resolved, but I''ll get to the bottom of the foundation incident."


    There was no way she''d let Xenia off the hook that easily. They''d better not think they could change the oue just by bringing Wyatt back.


    Donovan finally snapped. "Must youpletely humiliate me, Noelle?"


    Cedric grabbed a ss from the table and hurled it at him. "When you forced a child to decide on an amputation back then, did you care about dignity? You''ve lost all sense of shame, so what dignity doyou have left to protect?"


    Noelle looked over. "I''m been your scapegoat for years. It''s about time you deal with it."


    She had to make her stand.


    Donovan had always shielded Xenia. Now, by forcing him to do the one thing he dreaded the most for thetter''s sake, Noelle wondered if he''d still stand by Xenia. After all, he''d feel pain only if he was personally inflicted.


    With that, Noelle took Cedric''s hand and walked out of the private room. When they entered the elevator and headed upstairs, Noelle turned to him. "Why are you here? Were you still worried?"


    "Yes. I was afraid they''d pick on you."


    After getting off the phone with Alfred, Cedric didn''t think twice abouting to Noelle''s side. But Salena had left.


    "No one picked on me. Mrs. Cantrell just said a few words. It was nothing."


    As the elevator doors slid open, three women stood outside: Emma, Salena, and Laura.

 Chapter 553

    Noelle hadn''t expected to run into Emma, Salena, and Laura right at the entrance of the elevator. Sure enough, dining at the same ce made unexpected encounters like this all too easy.


    For a moment, everyone froze, and they all hadplicated looks in their eyes. Laura looked slightly surprised as she hadn''t expected them to run into each other so quickly.


    If it had just been her and Emma, it wouldn''t have been a big deal since they both knew who Noelle was. But Salena was different. This was bad.


    Salena was visibly shocked. Her gazended on Noelle and Cedric holding hands, and she immediately realized the two had an unusual rtionship.


    She recalled the previous failed engagement between the Greene and Merlock families. Rumors had it that Cedric had feelings for anotherdy but was extremely protective of her, so no one knew who she was.


    She''d been curious but never dared investigate for fear of offending Cedric, and she''d never expected it to be Noelle, the daughter of the Liddells!


    Salena looked toward Cedric. It was no wonder Alfred had called her about the foundation; it had to be Cedric''s doing.


    She couldn''t help but speak, "Ced-"


    Before she could finish, Emma abruptly cut her off. "Didn''t we say we were going for a spa treatment? Aren''t we gonna bete? We should leave now."


    She panickedly walked toward the elevator. Seeing as she was approaching, Noelle instinctively pulled Cedric out of the way to make space for them.


    Cedric''s expression was unreadable as he silently observed Emma and couldn''t figure out what she was thinking. At first, he''d assumed she''d make things difficult for Noelle, yet she surprisingly treated thetter with kindness.


    In truth, Cedric had decided to tell Noelle the truth about his identity, but Emma said nothing. Emma was so overwhelmed with emotions that she didn''t spare a nce at Cedric or Noelle. On the other hand, Salena was confused but held her tongue.


    Laura felt equally uneasy. She didn''t want Noelle to learn about Cedric''s identity just yet.


    Despite theirplicated emotions, none of the three women spoke.


    As the elevator doors closed behind them and shut off their voices, Emma


    breathed a sigh of relief. Once they stepped out, she turned to Salena and said, "I


    hope you can keep what just happened a secret."


    Salena eyed Laura and said, "Thatdy is nowhere near as good as Laura."


    "I know, but it''s not that simple."


    Emma turned to Laura and


    apologetically said, "I always hoped you''d be my daughter-inw, but you know that no one can change his mind. You''re not getting any younger; it''s time to meet other excellent men."


    ve


    She knew Cedric didn''t like Laura, so there was no point in holding on any longer.


    "Mrs. Greene, am I not good enough?" Laura panicked. Without Emma''s support, her chances with Cedric were slimmer.


    "No. You''ve always been wonderful, but Cedric and Noelle won''t work out either. Besides me... Mrs. Greene Senior won''t approve."


    With that, Emma left with a heavy heart.


    Salena reassured Laura. "The families aren''t a good match. If the Greene family disapproves, you still have a chance. Men are realistic when ites to marriage, after all."


    Laura could barely force a smile. She knew that, but she also sensed something


    off about Emma''s attitude.


    If Emma truly disapproved of Noelle, why did she treat thetter so wett? The fact that Emma was being so kind to Noelle while opposing her rtionship with Cedric didn''t add up.  s?novel


    Laura knew there was more to the story. She had to investigate.


    After leaving the elevator, Noelle suddenly turned to Cedric. "Do you know Laura?"


    Cedric tensed slightly. "Yeah, I do."


    "Do you remember when we got into the car ident? She brought you food and said your mom asked her to bring it."


    Noelle hadn''t thought much about it, but now that she was dating Cedric, she wanted answers.


    Cedric nodded. "Yes. My mom sent her over, but we''re just friends and nothing


    more."

 Chapter 554

    So that was how it was. Noelle thought about how Laura also knew Alfred and figured they were probably all acquaintances.


    Once they were back in her private room, Noelle continued eating. She hadn''t eaten her fill earlier.


    Cedric, however, was still caught up in what had just happened and felt uneasy. He''d indeed felt relieved when Emma didn''t reveal his identity in front of Noelle. As he watched Noelle eat, he hesitated.


    Noelle noticed his hesitant expression after finishing her meal and asked, "What are you thinking about?"


    "A friend of mine... ran into some trouble."


    "What happened?" Noelle wondered if Alfred was the friend he was referring to.


    "This friend of minees from a wealthy family. He got into a rtionship but hid his true identity from his girlfriend. Now, he''s unsure whether to tell her about it."


    "In that case, I suggest they break up at once."


    Cedric''s face paled at the mention of the words "break up," and he swallowed nervously. "Break up at once? What if he doesn''t want to?"


    "If he doesn''t want to break up, why wasn''t he honest from the start?"


    Noelle seriously continued, "I think couples should be honest with each other. If he''s hiding his identity, doesn''t that mean he''s afraid she''s only after his money?"


    "That''s not it." Cedric was so flustered that he was practically stumbling over his words. He''d never been this nervous, even during business negotiations.


    "What is the reason then?" Noelle asked. Under her gaze, Cedric found himself at a loss of words. The real reason was even harder to exin.


    Noelle suddenly leaned in closer. "Cedric, you''re looking a little shady."


    Cold sweat formed on Cedric''s forehead as Noelle narrowed her eyes and asked, "The way you''re defending this friend... could it be that you''re that friend you''re talking about?"


    Cedric was so startled that he dared not speak.


    Noelle burst outughing. "Just kidding. It''s probably Alfred, right?"


    Cedric''s back was drenched in cold sweat as he wondered if he should confess, but Noelle had just said she''d immediately break up in such a situation. He refused to break up at all.


    In the end, he chickened out. He decided he needed a solid n, and perhaps he should talk to Alfred about it.


    Noelle nced at the time. "Let''s go. It''s gettingte."


    The two of them left L Bistro together.


    As they stepped out, Noelle was surprised to spot Wyatt and Xenia still outside. "Haven''t you guys gone in yet?"


    Xenia''s face twisted in anger. Noelle was a bitch. They''d been left out here for so long, and she figured it had to be Noelle''s doing.


    Wyatt furiously snapped, "Noelle, did you say something to Donovan? He''s been inside this whole time and isn''t answering our calls!"


    Otherwise, why would he and Xenia be stuck outside for so long?


    "You should ask him that. Why are you asking me?"


    Noelle figured Donovan must be ignoring the two on purpose. Perhaps he was displeased with the two as well.


    Xenia pitifully chimed in, "I know you have issues with me, Noelle, but this dinner is really important-it


    concerns the foundation. If you ruin it, you''re going to regret it if anything goes wrong."


    Damn it. She''d heard that Salena was attending the dinner as well.


    If she could leave a good impression on Salena, she could potentially climb higher up the socialdder. Yet now, she was stuck and blocked from entering L Bistro, let alone meeting Salena.


    This was all because of Noelle. This bitch must''ve kept her from meeting Salena.


    Wyatt wheeled himself up to Noelle and grabbed her hand. "You have to take me and Xenia inside right now. Otherwise, you''re not leaving."


    He''d promised to bring Xenia to L Bistro, and there was no way he was going back on his word.

 Chapter 555

    Noelle nced at Wyatt and effortlessly pried his fingers away.


    Wyatt''s hand trembled from the pain. He stared at his fingers in shock and hadn''t expected Noelle to be so strong. Realizing Xenia was beside him, he immediately felt humiliated.


    He pointed a finger at Noelle and cursed, "I''m warning you, Noelle! My leg wouldn''t have ended this way if it hadn''t been for you! And now, how dare you disrespect me!"


    Noelle scoffed. "I''ve actually been meaning to ask; did they cut off your brain too when you had your leg amputated?"


    She remembered Wyatt had been fairly normal before the ident.


    Wyatt''s face flushed with rage. "You''re the reason my leg was amputated, so how dare you mock me! I''ll have Donovan teach you a lesson!"


    Standing beside Noelle, Cedric scoffed. "It was your dear Donovan who escaped responsibilities and refused to answer calls that led to you ending up this way. Noelle was the one who made the call to save your life. Too bad she saved an ungrateful mutt."


    Wyatt refused to listen. He believed his life had spiraled into tragedy after losing his leg. Otherwise, he would''ve won Xenia over.


    Noelle took Cedric''s arm. "Let go. Let''s not waste time on someone like him."


    "Stop right there, Noelle! Who said you could leave!"


    Wyatt waspletely losing it. He''d never expected Noelle to ignore himpletely. Before, she''d always felt guilty and did whatever he asked. How had she changed so much in just a short time?


    Noelle got into the car. As she was about to leave, she saw Wyatt fall out of his wheelchair and look absolutely pathetic.


    Her gaze flickered, but she didn''t get out. If this had been in her past life, she would''ve rushed over worried sick. But when Frank took her kidney for Xenia in her past life, it was Wyatt who''d wheeled her into the operating room.


    Cedric noticed her silence and mmed on the gas pedal to drive away. Watching from the side, Xenia found Wyatt''s helpless state utterly humiliating. She wanted nothing more than to turn and walk away.


    But now that Donovan was displeased with her, the disabled Wyatt was the only one she could rely on. She forced herself to endure her disgust and hurried over to help Wyatt up. Wyatt clung to her hand tightly. "Xenia, I promise you, you''ll be fine. I''ll protect my girlfriend."


    A flicker of disgust shed in Xenia''s eyes. A crippled waste like Wyatt could never help her.


    ...


    Noelle and Cedric drove away from L Bistro. Her phone buzzed nonstop, and the screen showed an iing call from Wyatt.


    She nced at it and blocked the number without hesitation. Wyatt was rarely home, and they barely contacted each other anyway. Soon,


    es flooded the group chat.


    Wyatt tagged Noelle out in the group chat and texted, saying, "How dare you


    block my number? Feeling guilty, huh?


    "You''re the reason my leg is gone, and I''m being kind by not breaking your legs. How dare you disobey me!


    "I know you''re reading this. Come out and answer me!"


    Noelle nced at her phone and let out a shortugh. Cedric turned to nce at her and asked, "What''s up?"


    "The people who got blocked


    outside L Bistro are now throwing a


    tantrum in the group chat," Noelle


    replied as she looked at the texts,pletely unfazed.


    Cedric frowned slightly. "Are you going back to school or heading to your apartment?


    "The apartment." She didn''t feel like going back to the Liddell residence tonight. If she did, the lunatics would just keep barking at her.


    Now that the supplier issue was settled and Xenia''s embezzlement evidence was solid, Donovan would have to meet Noelle''s condition to protect Xenia.


    Tonight, Noelle figured she''d stay away to give Donovan some time to think. Wyatt and Xenia would be pestering him the whole time. Soon, they arrived at the apartment''s parking garage.


    Noelle turned to look at Cedric and coughed lightly. "Do you want toe up for a bit?"


    The moments the words were blurted out, she realized they sounded a little off. The car fell into silence with just the two of them.

 Chapter 556

    Noelle felt Cedric''s gaze and blushed. Cedric turned to her as his gaze darkened. "It''ste. Do you know what it means to invite me to your ce?"


    Noelle could feel the atmosphere in the car shift. She rubbed her ear and replied, "It was just a casual invitation."


    A deep chuckle came from beside her. When she turned, Cedric leaned in closer.


    Her heartbeat quickened, and her back stiffened as he approached. As their eyes met, their breaths intermingled in the dimly lit car.


    The faint glow from outside entuated his sharp features, and for a moment, Noelle waspletely mesmerized. Her heart pounded so loudly that she wondered if he could hear it.


    Click! The sound of the seatbelt unlocking snapped her out of her daze. Her face burned hotter as she realized what he''d done.


    She''d thought he would kiss her; that was how it usually yed out in dramas and novels, after all. Had she misunderstood?


    Cedric lowered his head and locked his gaze on Noelle''s while she tried to suppress her racing heart and stammered, "Y-You..."


    Before she could finish, he captured her lips in a kiss, and his uneven breath brushed against her skin.


    Noelle''s eyes widened in shock as she hadn''t expected a surprise attack. But in the next moment, she instinctively wrapped her arms around his shoulders. Sensing her response, Cedric deepened the kiss by pressing his hands firmly against her waist.


    When they finally pulled apart, Noelle was breathing heavily. Cedric paused to catch his breath. His lips brushed against hers as he murmured hoarsely, "I''ve been holding back for too long."


    Noelle''s eyshes fluttered as her face was flushed embarrassingly red. Cedric''s dark eyes studied her, and he asked, "So... do you still want me toe up and sit for a bit?"


    "You''re my boyfriend. What''s wrong with youing up for a bit? I trust you."


    Cedric''s Adam''s apple bobbed as if her words had scratched at his heart. He reached out and lightly traced the corner of her lips with his thumb.


    His voice was hoarse as he uttered, "But I don''t trust myself."


    Noelle was flustered. He hadn''t been like this before.


    Cedric withdrew his hand and exined, "We were just friends, but now, you''re my girlfriend. No man can stay that calm in front of his girlfriend."


    Noelle finally understood what he meant. He chuckled. "It''ste. Get some rest, and text me when you''re home."


    "Okay." Still flushed, Noelle nodded, opened the door, and walked into the elevator. As the elevator doors closed, she pressed her hands to her burning cheeks. The kiss in the car reyed vividly in her mind.


    She nced at her reflection in the mirror and couldn''t resist touching her lips. Her mood had never been better.


    After returning to the apartment, she stood by the window and sent Cedric a picture. "I''m home."


    "Alright. Good night."


    Cedric''s car remained parked by the side of the road. Seeing the lights in her apartment turn on, he picked up the phone and called his secretary. "Schedule a meeting with Mrs. Cantrell tomorrow. There''s something I need to discuss."


    Since he''d run into Salena at L Bistro today, he had to make some preparations. Then, he drove away after taking onest nce at Noelle''s apartment window.


    Noelle stood by the window and let the cool breeze brush against her face. She was evidently in high spirits.


    Her phone buzzed with several notifications from the family group chat. She nced at the texts. It was Wyatt making a scene and demanding that Donovan split the family''s assets and shares.


    That was interesting.


    After thinking, Noelle typed and


    tagged Xenia, saying, "The police will investigate tomorrow. Remember to return all the money you embezzled from the foundation unless you want to spend the rest of your life in prison!"


    She knew Xenia had no money.


    Sure enough, Wyatt immediately typed a furious response: "What''s ten million? I


    have 99 million dors ready for Xenia''s wedding gift!"

 Chapter 557

    When Noelle saw the 99-million-dor wedding gift, she sneered. Xenia was truly skilled at manipting her devoted admirers.


    Wyatt was the only one speaking in the group chat, while Xenia''s eyes lit up at the mention of the 99-million-dor hefty gift. She hadn''t expected a cripple like Wyatt to be so generous.


    Xenia quickly typed and said, "I really don''t want our family to be divided. This is all my fault."


    As a devoted admirer, Wyatt continued soothing her.


    Lucas, who had enough of their act, bluntly retorted, "If we''re splitting the assets, everyone needs to be included in tomorrow''s discussion. We can''t leave out Noelle''s share."


    Noelle nced at the texts and closed the chat. She was curious to see how Donovan would decide tomorrow.


    ...


    That night, she once again dreamed of the car ident from her childhood. Chaos surrounded her, and her parents'' voices lingered in her ear. They seemed to be saying, "Save her first."


    Then, she saw a pair of hands reaching for her and pulling her out of the wreckage.


    When Noelle woke up, she stared at the ceiling and tried to recall the details of her dream, but she couldn''t remember anything.


    She had doubts about whether the driver was the one who''d saved her. But if it hadn''t been him, did that mean there''d been someone else at the scene?


    Donovan had mentioned that someone had indeed been in the backseat of the car that caused the ident. To uncover the truth, she either had to find Sean or approach the Merlocks.


    If the matter was linked to the Merlocks, the person who fled the scene must know what''d truly happened. Noelle got out of bed and sshed her face with cold water. At least she now had a clue.


    In her past life, she''d known nothing before she died. This was a much better


    start.


    Noelle washed up and went straight to ss. In front of the ssroom building, she ran into students from the business school, including Samantha and Justin.


    Samatha sneered. "Noelle, I heard your foundation takes kickbacks.f you can''t afford a charity sales event, don''t bother putting oma


    show to make it look like you can."


    Noelle snapped back, "The supplier scandal affected multiple foundations, not just


    ours. Isn''t the Merlock family the most involved?"


    Samantha''s face twisted in anger as her hands itched to p Noelle. But she knew thetter wasn''t easy to deal with, so she had to swallow her rage. She''d deal with Noelle the bitch-sooner orter.


    Justin came up to Noelle and asked in a lowered voice, "Xenia hasn''t beening to school. I heard she''s sick?"


    Xenia was on sick leave? Noelle eyed him and asked, "Why do you care? Didn''t you two break up?"


    "We only pretended to break up, but we''re still together in secret. You know my mom doesn''t approve of her. She hasn''t been responding to metely."


    Justin was worried that Brittany''s actions might upset Xenia.


    Upon hearing that, Noelle shot him a meaningful look, and her lips curled slightly


    in amusement. So they were still together, huh?


    "Xenia isn''t sick. She''s busy getting engaged," she replied.


    "Engaged? Impossible. Who is she getting engaged to?" Justin was shocked.


    "Wyatt. They''ve been close since childhood, and they''re practically childhood sweethearts."


    "That''s not possible! Xenia said she only loves me, and there''s no way she''d get engaged to someone else!"


    Despite Justin''s denial, his expression betrayed his thoughts,


    "You should ask Xenia yourself." With that, Noelle walked away and left Justin standing there in disbelief.


    She hadn''t expected Xenia to be


    two-timing. Initially, she''d nned to exposezXenia''s embezzlement to track down Sean, but the expired


    sanitary pad scandal disrupted her ns.


    Now, there was no way she''d allow Xenia to stay at the foundation. It would be too obvious and would likely arouse Sean''s suspicion, so she needed another approach.


    But if Justin learned that Xenia was two-timing, there was a high chance he''d turn against her. When that happened, Xenia would have fewer people to rely on.

 Chapter 558

    Noelle focused on her sses and ignored the Liddell family''s messy affairs.


    That afternoon, she received a call from Donovan. "Xenia has been taken to the police station for investigation. Were you really that impatient to send her in?"


    "Yes, I was." Noelle had waited a long time for this day. Then, she calmly continued, "Have you thought about what I told you that day?"


    Donovan didn''t answer and hung up the phone instead. Noelle nced at her phone and chuckled in amusement.


    After ss, she went to the training base to practice with her teammates and live- streamed their training session.


    Ever since the Cantrell family had her streaming ount suspended, she no longer stuck to a fixed weekend schedule. Most of her streams were about the team''s training to build their reputation early on.


    By evening, she returned to the Liddell residence.


    Wyatt had spammed the group chat about dividing the family''s assets, and she wasn''t going to miss such a show.


    As soon as she stepped out of the car, she saw Lucas waiting at the entrance as if he''d been expecting her.


    He hesitated before saying, "Wyatt and Donovan are having an intense fight."


    "I figured. Donovan doesn''t agree to splitting the assets, does he?" Noelle replied.


    "Right. Hispany is at a critical stage of listing, so he doesn''t want to be distracted by that. He doesn''t approve of Wyatt and Xenia''s engagement either."


    Noelle was surprised to hear that Donovan didn''t agree to the engagement. Hadn''t he pleaded with her to let Xenia off with the excuse that the pitiful Wyatt finally got with thedy he liked?


    "Noelle, if Donovan does split the assets, Frank and I discussed and vowed to get you your fair share."


    "I don''t want a single dor aside from what Mom and Dad left me." She didn''t need any of Donovan''s earnings. If she took his money, she''d be morally indebted for life.


    With that, she walked straight into the house, only to hear the ongoing heated argument between Wyatt and Donovan.


    Wyatt was furious. "If you don''t give me my shares of the family assets, Donovan, that means you''re trying to steal my money!"


    "If I hadn''t been managing thepany all these years, do you think you''d even have this much money?" Donovan snapped.


    "But I need it now for the engagement, yet you refuse to give me any."


    Wyatt was still bitter about being shut out of L Bistro yesterday. It bad been humiliating, especially in front of Xenia, and he had to regain his dignity. To do that, he needed money.


    Donovan''s temples throbbed with anger. Xenia quickly intervened. "Donovan,


    Wyatt, please stop fighting. It makes me feel guilty."


    Wyatt held Xenia''s hand and affectionately dered, "Xenia, I promised you, and I always keep my promises."


    Xenia gave him a grateful look and turned to Donovan. "Donovan, he''s only acting like this because I was


    He''s anxious about helping me, and that''s why he needs money


    taken to the police station to


    urgently."


    In other words, if she weren''t facing legal trouble, Wyatt wouldn''t be making a


    fuss.


    Donovan shot her a look. "You made this mess. Aren''t you gonna clean it up?" His tone was sharp.


    Xenia was startled and visibly


    flustered just happened to lose


    my head in the moment, and I


    promise not to make the same


    mistake again. Both Wyatt and I will


    always listen to you."


    She knew Donovan liked being in control and having absolute authority, so she''d


    always acted submissively in front of him.


    Sure enough, Donovan''s expression softened.


    Just then, Noelle walked into the hall. She looked up at Wyatt and Xenia and


    asked, "When''s the engagement? I''ll make sure to give a gift."


    "Since you knew we were getting engaged, you shouldn''t have reported Xenia to the police!" Wyatt tightened his grip on Xenia''s hand protectively.


    Noelle leaned on the table and rested her chin on her palm. Then, she turned to Xenia. "I ran into Justin today. Guess what he told me."


    Xenia''s face paled instantly. Noelle smirked and continued, "He said you two never broke up."


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


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 559

    After Noelle spoke, she watched Xenia''s face turn pale with shock, guilt, and fear.


    Then, she sighed dramatically. "Just the fact you were two-timing makes you destined to fail."


    "Nonsense! Xenia isn''t someone like that!"


    Wyatt immediately defended Xenia and turned to Noelle. "You''re just jealous that Xenia has so many suitors, all of whom are better than your broke boyfriend. That''s why you''re sowing discord. You think I''ll fall for it?"


    Noelle asked almost incredulously, "Me? Stirring trouble?"


    "I know about Justin. He''s just one of Xenia''s admirers." Wyatt snorted.


    A hint of sarcasm shed in Noelle''s eyes as she pointed out, "Oh,e on. Everyone knows Justin and Xenia were dating. He wasn''t just her admirer."


    Lucas nodded along. "Yeah. They got together right after high school."


    Wyatt''s expression finally wavered. He turned to Xenia in disbelief. "Xenia, what''s going on?" Noelle and Lucas imed Xenia had dated Justin, and this was different from what Xenia had told him.


    Xenia''s mind was in chaos. She hadn''t expected Justin, the mama boy, to seek updates about her from Noelle. Now, Justin knew she was getting engaged.


    She''d barely managed to appease Justin, yet now Noelle had exposed her and spilled everything.


    Xenia''s expression stiffened, and her face was deathly pale as she turned to Wyatt. "I was never officially with Justin. He just kept telling people we were dating."


    Right now, she had to deny everything, or Wyatt would be furious.


    After speaking, she pitifully turned to Donovan. "Donovan, I have to apologize to you. I lied."


    Donovan''s eyes darkened. "Are you telling me that you''ve never dated Justin?" Xenia had boldly lied to him, too?


    Xenia pitifully lowered her head and stayed silent.


    Wyatt immediately stood by her side. "I know you''re ambitious, Donovan, but you can''t use Xenia to climb the socialdder by pushing her into a marriage with some rich heir. That would ruin her!"


    "I never forced Xenia into that!" Donovan was furious. Xenia had always been the


    one scheming for a better future, yet she was now twisting the truth!


    Sensing his anger, Xenia quickly tried to salvage the situation. "Wyatt, this isn''t Donovan''s fault. We can''t afford to offend the Parhams, so had to y along with Justin. O` swear I never had anything going on with him."


    "I trust you, Xenia."


    Noelle instantly burst intoughter. "Xenia and Justin had sex countless times,


    and now she says nothing happened. Who is she trying to fool?"


    "Shut up, Noelle! Not everyone is as cheap as you and will settle for some broke loser!" Wyatt snapped.


    Upon hearing that, Noelle''s expression turned cold. She continued, "Oh, Justin isn''t the only one she had sex with..."


    Before she could


    finish, Xenia


    lunged forward and stopped her. "I


    won''t fight you anymore, Noelle.


    You''re the only true daughter of the


    Liddells. Once I marry Wyatt, I''


    move out and never appear before you again."


    She was practically begging Noelle not to expose Gordon''s incident. If Wyatt found out, he''d surely dump her.


    Noelle instantly saw through Xenia''s plea and shoved her aside. "You''re just trying to stop me from exposing the other people you had sex with. Too bad. I''ll still say


    it."


    Xenia''s face turned ghastly white. No! She couldn''t let Noelle expose her!


    Without hesitation, she grabbed a fruit knife from the table and pressed it against her wrist. "I swear I know I''ve made a mistake, Noelle. I can even die in front of you."


    Noelle propped her chin on her hand. "Go ahead. I''d like to see you try."


    Wyatt panicked. "Don''t do this, Xenia! What if you hurt yourself?"


    "Wyatt, my presence in the Liddell family has always been awkward. You all are the reason I''ve survived this long.


    "If my death can make things right and bring peace back to the Liddell family, I''ll willingly die."

 Chapter 560

    "I won''t let you die! If you do, what''s the point of me living!" Wyatt panicked.


    As he spoke, he reached for another fruit knife on the table, but Donovan snatched it over. "Are you crazy?"


    "Donovan, you know I''ve always liked Xenia, but I felt unworthy of her because of my leg. That''s why I never dared confess and could only protect her from a distance.


    "Now that she''s willing to date me, I''m willing to protect her with my life."


    Donovan held the knife and looked utterly defeated. On the side, Noelle was enjoying the show. She casually picked up the fruit tter and urged, "Go on, keep acting. Why stop now?"


    "Noelle, do you even have a conscience? Can you bear to see Xenia die!" Wyatt''s temper snapped. In his anger, he pped the fruit tter out of her hands.


    Noelle casuallymented, "Actually, I don''t have to press Xenia''s charges. I gave Donovan a condition, but I don''t think he told you about it."


    Both Wyatt and Xenia turned to Donovan. The former asked, "Donovan, what''s Noelle''s condition?"


    Donovan''s expression stiffened as he remained silent. Noelle chuckled. "You''ve med me for years for your leg amputation, Wyatt. It''s about time Donovan clear my name."


    She turned to Donovan. "As long as you rify what happened back then, I won''t press charges against Xenia. Fair trade, right?"


    Wyatt stepped forward and stared at Donovan. "Donovan, what''s going on?"


    Cornered, Donovan boiled with anger, yet he couldn''t do anything about Noelle. He gritted his teeth and said, "When you got injured and needed an amputation, I struggled and didn''t know what to do. You have to understand how hard it was for me."


    Noelle cut off his long-winded rant. "So you didn''t answer the phone on purpose and forced me to decide, right?"


    Donovan''s expression was grim. He turned back to Wyatt and said, "I had no choice."


    "Donovan, just answer: yes or no?" Noelle continued, forcing Donovan to face the question.


    Donovan''s face contorted, and after a long silence, he finally admitted. "Yes."


    His voicecked confidence. Noelle turned to Wyatt and asked, "Did you hear that? Your leg wasn''t my fault."


    Colors drained from Wyatt''s face. He turned to Donovan in utter disbelief. "Why? There was hope for my leg!"


    If


    make


    decision, it might have had


    a different oue. Perhaps he


    wouldn''t have lost his leg.


    Donovan looked incredibly ufortable. Admitting this was harder than death for him. He red at Noelle.


    "I''ve done what you asked, and now, it''s your turn to keep your word. You mustn''t go after Xenia anymore."


    "Sure, but she''s not allowed to


    with the foundation


    noel


    = "Noelle replied. Herd


    t wasn''t Xenia anyway.


    When Xenia realized she was safe,


    she immediately smiled sweetl


    "Thank you, Donovan. I promise I''ll never make the same mistake and embarrass you again."


    Donovan, however, looked at Wyatt with guilt. "I''ll make it up to you."


    Wyatt suddenly grabbed his hand. "I want to marry Xenia. You can''t object." This


    was what he''d like the most.


    Donovan''s expression turned cold. "That''s the one thing I won''t allow."


    "Why? Donovan, do you perhaps like Xenia, too?"

 Chapter 561

    When Noelle heard Wyatt''s question, she was equally curious. Donovan protected Xenia so much. Even after knowing about her kickbacks from the foundation, he was still willing to clean up her mess.


    Could it be that Donovan liked Xenia, too? The question lingered in the air, and the entire hall fell into silence.


    Xenia gawked at Donovan in disbelief. She''d never thought about it that way. Donovan was rarely home, after all, and he was much older than she was. That idea had never crossed her mind.


    But if Donovan did like her, that''d certainly be better than Wyatt.


    Donovan immediately reprimanded Wyatt. "What nonsense are you sprouting? I''ve always seen Xenia as my younger sister.


    "Do you think I''m like you? Someone who gets his hands on his younger sister?"


    Donovan was furious at Wyatt''s words. To say he liked Xenia was a ridiculous im. There was a reason he protected her, but it definitely wasn''t because he liked her. He wasn''t that desperate.


    Wyatt grew mad. "But Xenia isn''t our biological sister."


    "I handled her adoption paperwork, and she''s legally our sister now. That means you two can''t get married or register as a couple."


    Noelle had never considered that, but it made sense. Though Xenia and Wyatt weren''t blood-rted, thew still prohibited their marriage.


    Wyatt froze and confusedly asked, "Is that true?"


    Xenia quickly chimed in, "I think that''s how thew works."


    She let out a quiet sigh of relief. Truthfully, she''d never wanted to marry Wyatt, but she had to agree for now to resolve the current situation. She''d always know that she and Wyatt couldn''t legally register their marriage, but she''d kept quiet and pretended not to know.


    Now, Donovan finally spoke about it. Wyatt held her hand tightly. "Don''t worry. I promised to marry you, and I''ll take full responsibility.


    "Tomorrow, we''ll start the process to dissolve the adoption and remove your identity as a Liddell. That way, we can get married."


    Xenia''s lips twitched slightly. She''d worked so hard to get registered as a daughter


    of the Liddell family, so how could she possibly give up that easily?


    She lowered her voice and replied, "That''s not for me to decide."


    Wyatt turned to Donovan. "Donovan, are you really gonna break apart two people who are in love? If you see Xenia as your sister and me as your brother, you should agree."


    Donovan was now the head of the family, after all.


    Donovan nced at Wyatt''s empty pants and felt incredibly frustrated. "It''s not that I don''t agree, Wyatt. But I Xenia''s adoption was finalized less than a year ago. If she suddenly annuls it now, people will mock her if words get out."


    "We''ll just make sure no one finds out!" Wyatt grew anxious.


    Then, he continued, "I know you can make it happen, Donovan. You just


    don''t want to agree to it. I''m disabled, and having someone who likes me is rare enough. If you stop me from getting married, how are you going to exin to Mom and Dad?"  t¨¦


    "Enough!" Donovan was on the verge of losing his temper.


    Was Wyatt an idiot? Couldn''t he tell that Xenia harbored malicious intentions and married him not just because she liked him?


    There was definitely something else going on, but Donovan couldn''t outright expose it either.


    Meanwhile, Noelle enjoyed the drama from the side. "Just agree already, Donovan. Xenia will be more closely tied to the Liddells; isn''t that great?"


    "I know you hate and want to kick me out, Noelle. But if I annul my adoption less than a year after being taken in, how will I face the world if words get out?"


    Xenia felt incredibly uneasy. She really didn''t want Donovan to agree.


    Wyatt reassured her. "Don''t worry, Xenia. We can move to another city where no one knows us. That way, people won''t gossip."


    Xenia was resistant to the idea. She wanted to stay in Yasnia, and there was no way she''d like to hide in a small town.


    Noelle smirked. "That actually


    sounds like a great idea. After


    splitting up the family assets, Wyatt can take his share and start a new life somewhere else. He''ll live quitefortably."

 Chapter 562

    Donovan red at Noelle. "What kind of trouble are you trying to stir up now?"


    Noelle retorted, "I''m not. Xenia is the daughter of the Liddells by name, and she has no share in the family''s wealth. If she marries Wyatt, she''ll be entitled to her shared marital assets. That fulfills Wyatt''s wish, too."


    The smile on her face deepened as she continued, "It''s a win-win situation."


    Wyatt was overjoyed. "That''s right! I think so, too."


    "We can divide the assets now. We have to wait until thepany gets listed." Donovan waved off the idea. He was particrly sensitive about anything that had to do with wealth distribution right now.


    Xenia quickly chimed in, "Donovan''spany is at a critical stage before listing, Wyatt. Any such disturbance could have an impact. We''re in no rush, and we have plenty of time."


    For now, she just needed to stall Wyatt.


    Donovan gave Xenia an approving nce. "That''s exactly what I mean. Once thepany seeds in listing and the adoption has been in ce for over a year, we can quietly dissolve it. No one will say anything."


    Yet, he still hadn''t agreed to Xenia and Wyatt''s marriage. For now, he was just buying time and would figure something outter. Everyone except Wyatt seemed satisfied with this oue.


    Noelle got up and stretched. "I''m starving. Let''s eat." The show was over, and it was time to fill her tummy.


    Aside from Noelle, no one else had much of an appetite. Wyatt sat beside Xenia and cut her steak. They looked all lovey-dovey and affectionate. As Donovan watched this, his mood turned sour.


    When Noelle had almost finished her meal, she looked up at Xenia and said, "Though I won''t press legal charges, you have to return all the money you embezzled down to thest dime."


    Xenia lowered her gaze and muttered, "But I don''t have that much money right now. Can I pay in installments?"


    Though it was just ten million, she''d spent all her money on clothes and luxury bags. There was no money left for her to pay her debt.


    Wyatt looked up. "I''ll pay for Xenia. It''s just ten million, right?"


    "About it. Transfer it now so we can settle this clean." Noelle refused to y tactics with the two and dy time.


    Wyatt''s expression stiffened slightly. He turned to Donovan. "Donova there should be quite a lot of dividends, right? I think getting twenty million is no problem."


    "Your dividend payouts will only be avable at the end of the year. Didn''t you save anything fromst year''s payout?"


    Wyatt froze. "I spent it all on Carl''sb. You know research is expensive."


    Noelle chimed in and sounded surprised. "But as far as I remember, Carl''sb has plenty of inventors fighting to fund it. They''re not short of money at all."


    "Shut up, Noelle. This isn''t your ce to speak. Donovan, just give me this year''s dividend in advance." Wyatt cowered away in diffidence at her words.


    "Fine." Donovan agreed readily, though his expression darkened.


    Xenia finally smiled and turned to Wyatt, looking utterly fragile and delicate. "Wyatt, I feel guilty to have you pay so much for me. Don''t worry. I''ll definitely pay you back."


    "What nonsense are you talking about? We''re getting married, so my money is entirely yours." Wyatt held her hand tightly with his eyes full of affection.


    Donovan lost his appetite entirely and set down his utensils. Then, he walked away.


    Suddenly, Wyatt seemed to


    remember something and looked at Noelle. Oh, right. You should move out of your bedroom and let Xehia have it. We''re moving into your room after getting married."


    Crack! Noelle grasped her spoon so hard that it broke.

 Chapter 563

    The smile on Noelle''s face turned cold after hearing Wyatt''s words. So now, he was greedy, huh?


    She sarcastically announced, "Mom and Dad left the room for me. You have no right to make me move."


    "Your room is the biggest, so why shouldn''t you move? After Xenia and I get married, we need the biggest room. You can just stay in Xenia''s small room."


    Wyatt had noticed earlier that Noelle had spoken up for him. He took it as a sign that she still cared and feared that he''d ignore her, so now, he felt justified in making demands.


    Noelle''s lips curled with sarcasm. "Wyatt, are you sure you wanna stay in my room? Let me tell you a little story about something that happened there just a few days ago..."


    Xenia''s face paled at her words. She quickly turned to Wyatt. "I suddenly feel a little unwell."


    "What''s wrong?"


    "I don''t know... My chest just feels a little tight. Can you check for me?"


    Wyatt blushed. "I''ll call the family doctor for you."


    As he held onto Xenia in his arms, he turned to Noelle and shouted, "What are you waiting for? Call the doctor!"


    Noelle unhurriedly enjoyed her dessert and didn''t bother getting up. Lucas sneered. "Xenia has always loved faking illnesses. Calling a doctor won''t help."


    "You two are unbelievable! Is this how you treat Xenia when I''m not around? She''s going to be your future sister-inw!"


    Wyatt ended up getting the butler to call the family doctor instead.


    Noelle gave Xenia a meaningful look, while thetter got so scared that she dared not even meet Noelle''s eyes. She seemed terrified of that video of her and Gordon in the bedroom getting out.


    Lucas looked at Noelle and hesitantly asked, "Why don''t you just expose Xenia for scheming against you and ending up with Gordon herself? That way, Wyatt would dump her."


    "Don''t you think this sounds more interesting? If you want to do it, go ahead. I''m not stopping you."


    Now was not the right time for the video toe in handy. Noelle needed a n that would lead her straight to Sean. The clue from the foundation had gone cold, so she had to find another way.


    After Noelle left, Lucas decided against telling Wyatt anything. He figured maybe Noelle was holding back because she didn''t want to sadden Wyatt.


    Did this mean she still cared about the Liddells? As Lucas thought about the mistakes he''d made in the past, he felt increasingly guilty.


    ...


    Back in her bedroom, Noelle grabbed her phone and started texting Cedric about everything that''d happened at the Liddell residence, but he didn''t reply.


    As she thought about the day''s events, she recalled that she had a video of Xenia and Gordon in bed. To Xenia, that video was as deadly as a de hanging over her head, one that was ready to fall at any moment.


    Aside from dealing with the


    foundation, Noelle remembered that


    Wyatt had been involved in the Al


    project in her past life. It was a


    project focusing on developing


    smart prosthetic limbs.


    The project had originally been her idea and research for Wyatt. Butter, it


    became a huge sess and reaped high sales.


    If Wyatt wanted to marry Xenia, he''d definitely want to upgrade to a more advanced and functional prosthetic limb. That would make him seem more like a normal person.


    Noelle thought she could start with the Al project. Once she made up her mind, she nced at the time.


    Cedric still hadn''t responded. What was he doing?


    She couldn''t resist calling him. It took a while for the call to finally be answered, but the voice on the other end belonged to a woman.


    Noelle''s breath hitched. The voice sounded familiar. She called out in disbelief, "Ms. Merlock?"


    "I know you have a lot of questions, Ms. Liddell, but now isn''t the time to


    talk. Meet me tomorrow morning at the coffee shop across from your school. We''ll talk face-to-face."


    "Why do you have Cedric''s phone? You¡ª"


    The call was cut off before Noelle could finish. She immediately tried calling back, but it was hung up.


    Her mind was in chaos. Why would Laura have Cedric''s phone at this hour? Were they together?


    She anxiously scrolled through her chat history with Cedric. Everything seemed perfectly normal.

 Chapter 564

    Noelle even began to wonder whether the phone call was just an illusion or maybe even just a dream. She tossed and turned on her bed, unable to fall asleep for the entire night. She wanted to know what was the rtionship between Cedric and Laura.


    Noelle recalled that Laura had brought Cedric food when he was hospitalized back then. She had thought that they were simply just friends. She had also thought that Laura was much closer to Alfred instead and didn''t think further about


    it.


    But now, looking back at things made her realize that something was off.


    Noelle could tell that Laura had been harboring hostility toward her for a long time. She had assumed that it was because of Samantha, but now, she realized that it was because of Cedric!


    It was no wonder that Cedric was saying strange things during dinner at L Bistro yesterday. She wondered what exactly he was hiding from her.


    As soon as dawn broke, Noelle got out of her bed and went for a run. She could not sleep at all. When she finally stopped from exhaustion, she took a look at her phone and saw that Cedric still had not replied to her message.


    She hesitated for a moment but eventually decided not to give him a call. Noelle was not in a particrly great mood, and she returned to her room to freshen up before heading downstairs.


    By then, the rest of the Liddell family was already awake.


    The moment Noelle saw Donovan, she said, "Where''s the money? I still don''t have it yet."


    "I''ll have Amos transfer it to youter," Donovan replied.


    "Do it now, or I can''t guarantee what I might do all of a sudden."


    Noelle was now like a ticking time bomb, ready to explode with one wrong move. Donovan also noticed her foul mood. He knew that if he pissed her off further now, she would do just about anything.


    He eventually pulled out his phone to transfer the money. "Happy now?"


    Noelle took a look at her phone and remained silent, lowering her head to eat breakfast.


    As Wyatt and Xenia entered the dining hall, he turned to Noelle and said, "Do you remember what I told you yesterday? I told you to move out of your room!"


    Noelle lost her appetite instantly. She stood up and walked toward Xenia, which startled Xenia to the point of turning pale.


    Xenia exined, "Wyatt, let''s not fight with Noelle for the room. It''s not right."


    Xenia noticed Noelle''s foul mood and realized that if she angered Noelle enough for her to mention the video footage, her life would be over.


    Noelle walked past the two of them with an annoyed look and left the dining hall. Xenia breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Wyatt, the room was left for Noelle by your parents. We shouldn''t take it from her."


    Wyatt was dissatisfied. "It''s just a room that our parents left behind. Does she have to be so petty about it?"


    Lucas could not help but retorted, "Wyatt, if you''re so generous, why don''t you give Noelle all of your inheritance from Mom and Dad?"


    "Why should I?" asked Wyatt.


    "It''s just some money that our parents left behind. Do you have to be so petty about it?" Lucas''s reply hit back at Wyatt just as hard.


    Wyatt was furious. "That''s clearly different!"


    "What''s the difference? It all came from our parents," Lucas replied. As he looked at Wyatt, he felt like he was looking at his past self, who was blindly loyal to Xenia and treated Noelle unfairly.


    Lucas could not help but warn Wyatt. "Wyatt, you''re going to regret it if you keep on treating Noelle like this."


    "Bullshit. I won''t regret anything," Wyatt replied with conviction as he held Xenia''s hand tightly. She was the woman he loved.


    Xenia lowered her eyes as a smirk appeared on her face. She wanted nothing more than to take everything away from Noelle.


    After leaving the Liddell residence, Noelle went straight to the cafe


    across from her university. She


    spotted Laura the moment she stepped inside, still dressed as elegantly as ever, like a socialite.


    Noelle herself did not know what she was feeling in the moment as she walked over to Laura. She sat down and stared at Laura. "Why did you have his phonest night? What did¡ª"


    She trailed off with her own words, unable to continue further.


    Laura stirred her coffee with a spoon and smiled. "We were togetherst night."

 Chapter 565

    Noelle felt a chill running through her entire body after hearing Laura''s reply. She realized that only one thing could have happened when Cedric and Laura-a man and a woman¡ªwere alone togetherst night. She had never imagined that such an absurd situation would happen in her life.


    Laura''s eyes flickered with a hint of delight when she noticed Noelle''s pale expression.


    She continued, "Ms. Liddell, I''ve always wanted to tell you about this. I just never had the chance."


    Noelle replied, "Cut the crap. How would you never have the chance to tell me this? Tell me, what exactly is your rtionship with Cedric?"


    "Ms. Liddell, I actually wanted to tell you about itst night. Do you remember when I asked you if you knew who your boyfriend really was?" Laura asked.


    Noelle recalled that she was indeed asked about such a question. But she did not think much about it at the time.


    She had never doubted Cedric, after all. She also recalled the question Cedric had asked her back in the private roomst night, which was also about the concealment of one''s identity.


    She realized that the ''friend'' that Cedric mentioned was not Alfred but himself. Her heart sank further and further as her palms grew cold.


    Noelle looked at Laura and asked, "What is Cedric''s true identity?"


    "It''s an easy guess, really. His surname is the same as Magnus," Laura replied.


    Noelle''s mind went nk for a moment beforeing to an unbelievable realization. Her lips were pale as she asked, "Cedric is Magnus'' older brother?" "That''s right. Cedric is the heir of the Greene family," Laura replied.


    Noelle had no idea how she had left the cafe. All she knew was that she could not stay there any longer. She felt as if she could no longer breathe the moment she found out about Cedric''s identity.


    She never expected that Cedric was actually the heir of the Greene family. Noelle held onto her head as she realized that it only made perfect sense.


    It made sense how Cedric and Alfred were close friends, how Cedric could visit L Bistro whenever he wanted to, how he had showed up so quickly during the negotiation about the Al project with the Greene family, and how whenever they went on dates, there were hardly any other people around them.


    She realized that he had probably booked the entire venue so as to avoid being seen dining with her in public. But even so, she never once suspected him to be the heir of the Greene family itself.


    Noelle had always thought that Cedric was just an ordinary man who, through his connection with Alfred, became best friends with him and started a business together.


    She now realized the discrepancy of Alfred bing best friends with an ordinary person. There were countless clues all around her, but she overlooked all of them and remained deceived for the entire time.


    Laura chased after Noelle. "Ms.


    Liddell, please wait. I know you must be feeling overwhelmed right now but I believe that Cedric also truly cared about you. Otherwise, he wouldn''t have hidden his identity just to be with you."


    "What do you mean by that?" Noelle asked.


    Laura exined, "I don''t mean anything else. I''m sure you know that he and I have been engaged since we were young and that we grew up together.


    "But marriage isn''t just about love; there are many real-life problems to consider. Ms. Liddell, you wouldn''t want to bebeled as a mistress for no reason, do you?"


    Noelle felt as if Laura''sst sentence was a knife stabbing into her heart. She felt a sharp pain in her eyes as she stumbled a few steps backward. "I had no idea who he was."


    Laura replied, understand, Ms. Liddell. You''re innocent in all of this. But you should know that Cedric and


    I have been in a rtionship for


    many years, and even our families are well acquainted with one another.


    "We were already engaged for a very long time. I''m sure you understand that


    marriages between powerful families aren''t that simple."


    Laura''s voice carried a tone of gentle


    persuasion as she continued, "Ms. Liddell, Cedric may have never told


    you about his true identity, but as one woman to another, I don''t want to see you continue being deceived.


    "You''re a good girl, Ms. Liddell. You still have a bright future ahead of you."


    Noelle immediately panicked and fled the scene. Laura''s words echoed endlessly


    in Noelle''s ears; each sentence was like a knife stabbing into her heart, rendering her unable to catch her breath.


    Cedric was actually the heir of the Greene family, as well as Laura''s fiance.


    Noelle then recalled that in her past life, the two of them had actually ended up marrying each other. She began to wonder who she even was in the grand scheme of things.

 Chapter 566

    Noelle crossed the street absentmindedly, not noticing that the traffic light had changed colors. Vehicles began to move toward the pedestrian crossing.


    Suddenly, someone pulled her back and snapped her out of her daze. "Noelle, watch out!"


    She felt a chill running down her spine when she saw that the car had just sped past her.


    Noelle looked up and saw a young man in front of her. She recognized him as a member of her esports team and quickly said, "Thank you."


    "Noelle, are you okay? You don''t look too well. Do you need me to take you to the hospital?" he asked.


    "No, I''m fine," Noelle forced herself to smile, but her mind was in turmoil.


    The team member walked her across the street and said, "Are you dealing with something, Noelle? I might be able to help if you tell me about it."


    She lowered her gaze and replied, "There are no sses early in the morning today. Are you heading to the base for training?"


    "Yeah, I am."


    Noelle joined him and headed to the esports base as well. She saw that there were not many people training early in the morning.


    She was still a little upset when she turned on herputer. She then turned to the team member and asked, "You''re new to the team, right? Do you need me to guide you or anything?"


    "Of course, Noelle! Please carry me!" he replied.


    The handsome young man sat down beside Noelle and turned on theputer as well before logging into his game ount.


    When Noelle invited him to her party and saw his username, she was momentarily stunned. "Your username is ''Reverse Time,'' too?"


    "Yeah, is the name too cringey or anything? Many people have made fun of me for it before. By the way, Noelle, you said ''too'' just now. Did someone else have this username, too?" he asked.


    "Yeah, a friend of mine used the same username as well."


    Noelle stared at the username and the game character. Both were identical to a certain someone she had met in her past life. She wondered if the new team member was actually him.


    The team member asked, "Noelle, why are you looking at me like that?"


    "It''s nothing. By the way, have you always been using this username?" she asked.


    "Yeah, I''ve been ying this game since I was in high school. I just picked the username randomly and haven''t changed it since."


    Noelle was still absentminded as she ran a dungeon together. She soon realized that he was also exceptionally skilled at the game.


    After they cleared the raid, she looked at him with mixed emotions and asked, "You''re really good. Why didn''t you join the team earlier?"


    He replied It''s a littleplicated back home. My grandmother wasn''t in good health for quite some time, and Phad to take care of herd didn''t have much time to y because of it."


    Noelle recalled that someone in her past life had also mentioned something simr.


    She began to wonder if she had really mistaken someone else for Cedric all this time.


    Just then, Grace walked over and said, "Oh, Noelle, I wanted to introduce you to our new member! His name is Raymond Lattimer, and he''s also aputer science major. He''s pretty good!"


    "I just witnessed his skills," Noelle replied.


    She felt rather overwhelmed. Then, she stood up and said, "Keep up the training, guys. I''m heading to the office to take care of something."


    Back in her office, she buried her face in her hands, wondering if fate was ying some kind of cruel joke on her.


    Her phone buzzed, and she picked it up after some hesitation. It was a message from Cedric, just as she had expected. "I was busyst night, so I couldn''t reply in time."


    Noelle had been eagerly awaiting for his reply. But now, she found his reply nothing but ironic.


    She recalled how Cedric often used the same excuse in the past and that she had never once doubted him. Butst night, he was clearly with Laura.


    of their time together


    The memories of


    shed through Noelle''s mind, leaving her feeling suffocated. She wanted to ask Cedric directly about who exactly he took her to be and if he had taken her as his mistress that he had to keep in the shadows.


    Noelle stared at her phone, her fingers trembling as she typed up a reply. "Why


    are you still messing with me when you already have a fiancee?"

 Chapter 567

    Noelle stared at her own message with the urge to ask him for answers. Her heart felt as if it had been plunged into cold water, and in the end, she deleted the message in her drafts.


    She tossed her phone aside and just stared at Cedric''s message, ultimately not giving him a reply. At that moment, Noelle had no idea what to do.


    Noon arrived in no time, and she received another message from Cedric. "Let''s have lunch together. I brought you a gift from my business trip."


    Noelle nced at the message, but she did not feel like replying to anything. Not long after, her phone started ringing with a call from Cedric.


    She did not answer the call, and he called again and again. Each attempt further caused her heart to sink into turmoil.


    Grace turned to Noelle and asked, "Who''s calling you, Noelle? Aren''t you going to pick up the call?"


    It was only then that Noelle picked up her phone and wrote a reply on WhatsApp. "I''m a bit busy right now. Let''s talk some other time."


    Cedric frowned upon reading her message. He felt that something was off about her reply. She had never acted like this before.


    He wondered if she was really busy with her esports team.


    His slender fingers reached out to tap on her profile picture on WhatsApp. He took


    a look at her status and saw that there was nothing unusual.


    He wondered if she was mad at him because he did not reply to her messagest night. That was the only reason Cedric could think of.


    Just then, Emma approached him and said, "The doctor said that if grandma undergoes surgery, the risk is rtively high."


    Cedric put his phone back into his pocket and looked up at Anastasia inside the ICU, his gaze filled with concern.


    Anastasia suddenly copsed and was rushed to the hospitalst night. She was finally brought out of the operating room after an emergency operation thatsted all night.


    He pursed his lips and replied, "Let''s focus on her current recovery. We can talk about the surgery some other time."


    "I think so, too. We must be fully prepared if grandma were to undergo surgery," Emma hesitated for a moment before continuing. "When do you n on telling Noelle the truth?"


    Cedric lowered his gaze and replied, "I haven''t had the chance to tell her."


    "Grandma wanted me to tell you this. Either you tell Noelle the truth of everything that happened back then, or you break up with her. That''s the best choice for the both of you."


    Emma did not want them to make the decision, and only when their rtionship deepened. Making a decision by then would only be even more painful.


    Cedric fell silent. He felt that he was struggling to breathe.


    Emma continued, "Grandma and I are doing this for your own good, Cedric."


    She deeply regretted urging Cedric to return home back then. Had she not done so, perhaps the car ident would not have happened. But s, there was no cure for regret in this world.


    Standing outside the ICU, Cedric felt as if he was stuck between a rock and a hard ce.


    Just then, Laura walked up to him with a lunchbox in hand. "Mrs. Greene, I made some breakfast. You all should eat something. You''ve all been staying up all night and not getting any rest. I can watch over Mrs. Greene Senior in your ce."


    She noticed the tense atmosphere between Cedric and Emma but did not dare to


    ask about it. Even as she handed the lunchbox to Cedric, he did not ept the lunchbox and just replied coldly.


    "I''m not hungry right now."


    Laura replied with sincerity. "Cedric, you should eat a little even if you''re not


    hungry. Mrs. Greene Senior would be worried if you don''t.


    "You should go get some rest. I''ll stay here with Mrs. Greene. I have experience with taking care of patients, so you don''t have to worry."


    Emma spoke up as well. "You should get back to work, Cedric. I''ll call you if anything happens at the hospital. I hope you seriously consider what I just said. It is what Grandma wanted for you."


    Cedric took another look at Anastasia in the ICU before turning to leave. Laura watched him leave before turning back to Emma with feigned nonchnce. "Mrs. Greene, what did you say to Cedric? He seems really upset."


    "It''s nothing, really. I was just talking to him about grandma''s surgery. He''s naturally struggling to make a decision, given how much he loves his grandma," Emma replied.


    She had not told Laura about the car ident in the past.


    Laura nodded in response, but she knew that Emma was not answering her question truthfully. She could tell that they were talking about something rted to Noelle.

 Chapter 568

    Laura still had not figured out much about Noelle, but her instincts told her that they were talking about something important. Otherwise, Cedric would not have seemed so solemn.


    ...


    Meanwhile, at the university, After finishing her sses in the afternoon, Noelle spent the rest of her time ying games at the esports base. She was toying with her defeated opponents more than ever.


    The rest of the team at the base could tell that Noelle was in a foul mood, and no one dared to joke around with her. Grace cautiously approached Noelle and asked, "Noelle, is something wrong?"


    Noelle forced herself to smile in an attempt to appear nonchnt. "It''s nothing. By the way, dinner''s on me tonight."


    But everyone around her could tell that she was not in a good mood. As everyone went out together for dinner, Noelle received a message from Cedric asking if there was anything she wanted to have for dinner.


    She nced at it and replied with a dull expression. "I''m having dinner with the team tonight. I can''t make it."


    Cedric was sitting in his car as he received Noelle''s reply. He felt an increasing sense of unease welling up inside his heart.


    He gave her a call, but no one answered. He then sent another message. "Where are you having dinner at? I have something to give you."


    His messages received no replies at all. Cedric loosened his tie and rolled down the car window to feel the wind. He was now certain that Noelle was angry at him.


    Meanwhile, Noelle looked at the messages and deliberately ignored them.


    She ordered some alcohol for herself, to which Grace reminded her, "Don''t drink so much, Noelle. You''ll get drunk."


    But at that moment, all Noelle wanted to do was to drink. She was already staggering on her feet by the time dinner was over.


    Grace hurriedly supported her and said, "Be careful, Noelle."


    Raymond walked up to them and said, "I''ll carry her back. Holding her up isn''t gonna work since her legs are already giving out. She might stumble and fall."


    Grace hesitated for a moment before nodding in agreement. The entire group carefully helped the drunken Noelle cross the street.


    Suddenly, a luxurious car pulled up nearby, and an exceptionally handsome man stepped out of it. His expression was stern as he walked over, all the while staring at Noelle.


    Cedric frowned and said, "Didn''t I tell you not to drink so much when you''re not at home? Here, I''ll bring you back."


    Raymond took a step back and asked, "Who are you?"


    Cedric''s expression darkened slightly. "I''m her boyfriend."


    The rest of the team exchanged nces at each other in confusion. None of them


    had ever seen Noelle''s boyfriend before.


    Grace stepped forward and


    ???


    exporry, but we''ve never


    seen you before. We don''t really know who you are. We can''t just hand Noelle over to you."


    Cedric patted Noelle''s face lightly and said, "Noelle, wake up and tell them who I am."


    Noelle groggily opened her eyes. When she saw the man in front of her, she stubbornly replied, "I don''t know you!"


    Cedric''s face darkenedpletely. "Noelle, this isn''t funny."


    Grace braced herself and said, "Noelle''s drunk right now, so she might just be saying nonsense. But as her roommate, I''ll guarantee that she gets back to her dorm safely! You can save whatever you want to say until tomorrow when she wakes up."  ?wnovel


    Cedric finally withdrew his hand and held himself back from saying anything more. He followed after the group from a distance, not leaving until he saw Noelle safely return to her dorm.


    He then searched online for an answer to his questions. "What do I do if my girlfriend is angry at me and won''t reply to my messages?"


    Cedric memorized every tip and suggestion he could find on apologizing and making amends with one''s girlfriend.


    The next day, Noelle woke up to her head throbbing with pain. A voice rang out. "You''re finally awake!"


    Noelle turned around to find Grace next to her. She yawned and sat up on her bed. "I drank way too muchst night, didn''t I?"


    "Noelle, did you have a fight with your boyfriend?" Grace asked.


    Noelle froze up for a moment. "Did I say something weirdst night?"


    "Not really, but your boyfriend was waiting outside the university all night."


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


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 569

    Noelle was stunned. "My boyfriend?"


    She recalled that she had never introduced Cedric to her ssmates.


    Grace nodded and exined, "When we were heading back to the university after dinner, a really handsome man approached us and said that he was your boyfriend. But since none of us had ever met him before, we didn''t let him take you away."


    "How were you so sure that he was my boyfriend?"


    "Well, we just guessed. Some of our ssmates saw him still standing next to his car outside of the university this morning. He''s really handsome, so he''s easily recognizable."


    Grace handed her phone to Noelle and continued, "This is the photo they sneaked of him. Here, see if it''s your boyfriend or not."


    Noelle took a look at the photo and immediately recognized the man as Cedric. Her expression became slightly unnatural. "He actually waited outside the university all night?"


    Grace exined, "He''s still wearing the same clothes from yesterday, so it''s obvious that he didn''t go home at all. He also followed us the entire way when we were bringing you back to the dormst night."


    Noelle was temporarily at a loss for words after hearing Grace''s exnation.


    Grace continued, "It''s normal for couples to argue with each other. But still, you should give him a chance to exin himself."


    She had never been in a rtionship before, but she believed that they should at least talk things through.


    Noelle smiled, seemingly mocking herself. "Not everything can be solved with an exnation."


    She still had not yet figured out how to face Cedric, or rather, his true identity.


    "So what did he do to make you mad anyway?" Grace asked.


    Noelleined, "I just recently found out that he had been lying to me. I haven''t talked to him since then because I don''t know how to deal with it yet."


    Suddenly, Mia spoke up. "Are you nning to forgive him? Or are you nning to break up?"


    Noelle turned over to Mia in surprise. Mia had barely interacted with them after all.


    Mia''s expression was also slightly unnatural. "I think my fiance has been lying to me as well."


    Noelle''s brow twitched as she realized that Mia may be referring to Donovan.


    Grace immediately asked, "Mia, your fiance lied to you as well? Don''t tell me they''re all cheating?"


    Both Noelle and Mia fell silent.


    Noelle thought about the rtionship between Cedric and Laura. With that rtionship in mind, Noelle herself was technically the mistress.


    She turned to Mia and asked, "Do you know your fiance well?"


    Mia exined, "We don''t really know each other that well. Our marriage is arranged by our families. I''m a disabled person, so even if my family is well-off, men of simr background wouldn''t normally choose someone like me to marry."


    She sounded as if she had been


    das


    §â§Ö


    holding the words in for a long time as she continued, "I don''t have many friends growing up. The few friend''s I had were only friends with me because of my family''s influence. A boyfriend would do that, too. C¨®ntent


    Noelle frowned and asked, "Then, do you like your fiance?"


    "I don''t even know if my feelings for him are considered liking him, but he treats me well. Someone like me can''t really wish for more, or I''ll just beughed at."


    Mia''s tone contained a deep sense of inferiority. Noelle had not expected Mia''s rtionship with Donovan to be like this.


    What happened during the press conference back then was most likely due to Mia being a whistleblower. As such, Noelle had assumed that she and Donovan were on good terms.


    Grace could not stand the somber conversation any longer. "No need to be so depressed, Mia! I heard that you''re doing really well in your journalism major. You must really be talented!


    "You don''t really have to force yourself to get married, you know? If your fiance doesn''t treat you well, then just find someone else!"


    Mia lowered her head and replied, "But it''s what my family arranged for me. They said that if I married a good man, my future would at least be secure."


    "You''ve been brainwashed by your family! It''s not like we''re still living in medieval times. As long as you have a job and can support yourself, you''ll be fine!" Grace spoke with fervor. She wanted to help shake away all of Mia''s self-doubts.


    Noelle finally spoke up. "Trust your own feelings, Mia. If a rtionship makes you ufortable, then you need to make a choice."


    Mia looked at her and asked, "What about you, Noelle?"


    Noelle fell silent for a long while beforeing up with an answer. "The same goes for me, of course. It''s not like I can''t live without a man by my side. Even if we broke up, I''ll still be doing fine by myself."


    Grace nodded and said, "Well said! Anyway, it''s almost noon. Let''s go get lunch together!"


    Noelle got out of bed to freshen up and get a change of clothes before heading


    out.

 Chapter 570

    Mia suddenly spoke up. "Can I join you for lunch?"


    Noelle had no objections to that. She nced at Grace, and then the two of them nodded in agreement.


    Mia let out a breath of relief. She grabbed her walking stick and headed downstairs with them.


    Noelle turned to Grace and said, "How about the cafeteria? It''s closer."


    The main concern was that Mia had trouble walking. They were worried that Mia would feel ufortable if they went too far. And thus, the three of them went to the cafeteria for lunch.


    Grace nced toward the school gate and said, "The car is still there."


    Noelle followed after her line of sight and also recognized Cedric''s car instantly.


    She did not expect him to still be waiting outside the university.


    She took out her phone and saw several messages from Cedric, asking if she had already woken up and inviting her to L Bistro for lunch.


    After going through the messages, she replied, "I''m awake now. I still have sses today, so I can''t make it."


    Her phone started ringing moments right after she sent her reply. Grace spoke up. "You should pick up the call and exin what happened."


    Noelle stepped aside in the hallway to answer the call. A deep, hoarse voice came from the other end.


    "Are you okay? Do you feel ufortable anywhere? L Bistro''s soup works really well at treating hangovers. I''ll bring some to youter."


    "You don''t need to do that. I''m okay now," Noelle''s voice sounded somewhat distant.


    Cedric rubbed his temples and said, "Noelle, something happenedst night, so I couldn''t reply to your messages in time. I''ll make sure to let you know in advance from now on."


    Still standing in the hallway, Noelle looked at the car parked outside of the university''s gates. Her eyes were slightly teary. "I understand. I''m just a little busytely. Let''s talk after things settle down."


    Noelle still had no idea how to face Cedric just yet. She felt that she needed a few more days to clear her mind. But the truth was that she was just avoiding him.


    Cedric let out a sigh of relief. "Alright, I have something I want to tell you by then."


    wa?


    Anastasia was still hospitalized, and


    he wanted to bring Noelle to meet her. But before that, he had to tell


    Noelle about his true identity. H


    never would have expected that their rtionship would be strained in such a critical moment


    After she hung up, Cedric rolled down the car window and lit a cigarette.


    He was not addicted to smoking. He only ever smoked whenever he felt extremely frustrated because he had no idea how to make amends with Noelle at that moment.


    His only option now was to find a way to make it up to Noelle in the next few days, lest Noelle be even more furious once she found out about his true identity.


    Noelle hung up and then watched as the car outside the university drove away. She felt as if a part of her heart had been hollowed out.


    She turned around and headed to the dining table. As she ate her lunch, she was still as absentminded as ever.


    Grace asked, "Has he left?"


    Noelle was slightly irritated. "He''s gone now. I''ll talk to him in a couple of days after we both calm down a little."


    Grace turned to Mia and said, "Noelle''s rtionship is mutual, so I guess it''s fine. But as for you and your fiance, you need to be cautious of him trying to take advantage of your wealth."


    Mia hesitated for a moment. "I''ve already looked into my fiance''s family. I heard that he dotes on an adopted sister in his family. I''ve also heard that the rest of his family have also gone to great lengths just to help her several times over the years."


    Noelle was surprised. She wondered if Mia was referring to Xenia.


    She realized that the Cantrell family was not so clueless as to not know anything after all. But she immediately wondered why Mia had brought it up all of a sudden and if Mia was testing her or something.


    Grace angrily mmed the table. "Adopted sisters? That again? Never heard any good examples about them!"


    A mix of emotions shed across Mia''s face. When Grace went to use the


    restroom, she turned to Noelle and asked, "What do you think?"


    "Ms. Cantrell, there''s no need to beat around the bush if you just wanted to know


    about Donovan''s rtionship with Xenia," Noelle replied.


    Mia''s face instantly turned pale after hearing Noelle''s reply. She did not expect Noelle to catch on to what she was really trying to say.

 Chapter 571

    Noelle watched as Mia''s expression turned from shock to a mix of guilt and embarrassment. Her face turned red as Mia eventually replied, "Sorry."


    Noelle had expected Mia to exin herself, but Mia instead just apologized immediately. It surprised Noelle.


    The Liddell family would never apologize in such situations, after all. They would alwayse up with a bunch of excuses. In the end, they would even try to guilt- trip Noelle in return, but Mia was not like that.


    Noelle spoke up. "You really did owe me an apology. You were the one who tipped Donovan off about the press conference, weren''t you?"


    Mia was still blushing as she nodded. "It was me. I''m sorry."


    Noelle thought for a while and replied, "Do you think that I was the one who made things turn out this way by constantly rebelling against my family?"


    "That''s what I thought at first. But I realized that you''re not that kind of person after spending more time with you. After that, I began to suspect Xenia, and I noticed that Donovan treats her differently," Mia replied.


    Noelle replied, "Why don''t youe with me to the Liddell residence for a meal? You''ll understand the situation better by spending more time around them."


    Mia nodded without hesitation. "Sure!"


    She did not want to be kept in the dark any longer. Then, she nced at Noelle and cautiously spoke up. "I owe you one after what I''ve done about your press conference. I''ll make it up to you someday."


    Noelle actually wanted to tell Mia that she and Donovan were not a good match. But she ultimately held herself back, as she did not want to get too involved in the Liddell family''s messy affairs.


    She knew that Donovan was not someone who would ever agree to a matrilocal arrangement, so she believed that Donovan must have had his own motives behind all of this.


    After having lunch, Noelle and Grace headed to the esports team''s training base. They arrived to find the team already in the middle of practice.


    Noelle saw Raymond sitting in front of hisputer. He was exceptionally talented in the game mechanics and had good situational awareness. She had watched as he improved significantly over time.


    Noelle suddenly recalled about a certain someone in her past life who had a ystyle resembling Raymond''s. Then again, Cedric''s ystyle was also rather simr.


    The game mechanics werergely the same for everyone ying the game, after all. But there was one way to find out the truth. Noelle had learned how to do the 12-hitbo from a certain someone in her previous life.


    But even so, she had never personally witnessed him executing thebo in front of her. Noelle walked over and sat next to Raymond. "Do you know how to do the 12-hitbo?"


    "I would already be on the national team if I could pull off something that difficult," Raymond replied.


    Grace, who was sitting nearby, chimed in as well. "The other day.I saw Raymond attempting the 12-hitbo a few times, and he almost got it right! I think he''ll manage to pultit off with a bit more practice."


    Noelle was pleasantly surprised. "You''ve also practiced the 12-hitbo back then?"


    "Yeah, of course. I really admire King and his technique. He''s kinda like my idol!" Raymond exined.


    Noelle smiled in response. "He''s my idol, too!"


    She recalled that the person from her previous life was also a fan of King''s. Otherwise, they would not have been so familiar with the 12-hitbo.


    Noelle spent the entire afternoon sparring with Raymond. She was eager to find out if he was the same person from her past life. But Raymond would barely fail toplete thebo every time.


    Noticing his frustration, Noelle reassured him. "I practiced the 12-hitbo for a very, very long time before I managed to do it. You''re talented, Raymond. I''m sure you''ll seed if you keep practicing."


    "Thanks for teaching me so many new techniques, Noelle. I''ll keep working hard," he replied.


    Noelle took a look at the time and realized that it was already gettingte and that the rest of the team had already left.


    She then said, "I''ll walk you back. I need to go back to the dorms anyway."


    Noelle and Raymond turned off the lights and locked up the base before leaving for the dorms together. Ase they reached the dormitory building, Raymond came to a halt and said, "I''ll be learning a lot more from you in the future, Noelle. I only hope that


    I don''t


    annoy you too much."


    "You won''t," Noelle waved at him before turning to head inside. She instinctively


    reached for her phone as she turned around, only to see that there were no


    messages from Cedric.


    She put the phone away after taking another look at the screen. Back in her dorm, she noticed that several bags were ced on a desk.

 Chapter 572

    Grace exined, "These were delivered by a courier, most likely from your boyfriend."


    Cedric had once sent gifts to Noelle in a simr fashion.


    Noelle walked over and saw several luxury brands amongst the bags. One of them even contained a pair of limited-edition boxing gloves.


    Had it been in the past, she would have been thrilled to receive such gifts. But now, she pushed the bags aside without even taking out any of the contents. She reckoned that they would all be returned a few dayster.


    Noelle freshened up andid down on her bed. When she saw that there was an unread message on her phone, her heart started beating a little faster as she wondered who the message was from.


    She calmed herself down as she reached for her phone. She saw that it was indeed a message from Cedric. "Are you still awake?"


    Noelle stared at the screen for a long time, but in the end, she decided not to send him a reply.


    She was traumatized from being betrayed by her own family in her past life. She never expected that the man she trusted wholeheartedly now was actually also deceiving her all along and wondered who else was there that she could trust.


    The next morning, the first thing Noelle did after waking up was check her phone. She did not reply to Cedric''s messagest night, and he had also stopped sending any more messages to her.


    Just then, a news notification popped up on her screen. "Heir of the Greene family will soon tie the knot! The wedding date will be announced soon!"


    She felt suffocated when she saw the headline, her eyes dry with unshed tears. Noelle wondered why Cedric still came looking for her when he was already engaged and if he nned to keep the truth from her and let her remain as a mere mistress forever.


    "Noelle, why are you crying?" Grace grabbed a piece of tissue and handed it to Noelle.


    Noelle wiped her tears and exined, "What if I say that I''ve been made to be the mistress?"


    "What?! You mean that he already has a girlfriend?" Grace asked.


    Noelle forced herself to smile. "A fiance, to be precise. They''re getting married soon."


    "This is ridiculous! You should expose him!" Grace replied.


    Noelle turned off her phone and replied, "He''s not just any ordinary person. It


    won''t make much of a difference, even if I exposed him. People will just call me a gold-digger."


    "You can''t let him off that easily, Noelle. If he made you the mistress, then you should turn the tables on him as well."


    Noelle looked at Grace and asked, "But how?"


    Grace exined, "From my


    decade-long experience of reading novels, I can tell you that men like your boyfriend enjoy the thrill of keeping his rtionship with you a secret. It gives them a sense of superiority.


    "But if you dump him first and then act like you never cared about him, he''ll end


    up being the one to break down instead of you."


    Noelle pursed her lips and replied, "Will that really work?"


    "Do you want him to just brush you off with a half-hearted apology before proceeding to marry his fiance anyway? Are you really just going to let him hurt you like this?"


    Noelle frowned and remained silent.


    Just then, Mia poked her head out and said, "I can help you."


    There was nothing that the Cantrell family could not bring to light.


    Grace nodded in agreement. "Oh, yes! Mia''s a journalism major. She can write up


    the perfect expos¨¦ and bring that shameless bastard into the spotlight!"


    Noelle lowered her gaze and said, "Not yet, for now."


    Mia insisted, "I really can do it. Trust me, this is my area of expertise."


    She had owed Noelle a favor, and she was eager to repay it. Noelle knew that the Cantrells were an influential family, but they were still hardly able to stand up against the Greene family.


    She was worried that she would end up dragging Mia and her family into trouble


    as well. Noelle calmed herself down a little and said, "I''ll ask you again if I really need the help."


    She needed to think about everything thoroughly.


    After finishing her morning sses, Noelle went to the esports team''s training base as usual. Raymond was also at the base, so the two of them teamed up to run some dungeons together.


    Suddenly, she saw a notification showing that one of her in-game friends had


    logged in. Then, she noticed that Cedric was now online.


    [Your friend has sent a request to join your party.]


    Noelle''s eyelids twitched as she read the new notification.

 Chapter 573

    Noelle hesitated for a moment, but then she just started the game. She did not


    ept the other''s request to join her party. But doing so only made her heart start beating even faster.


    However, she became much more decisive when she recalled the headline that she saw that morning.


    Since Cedric was already getting married soon, there was no reason for him to be still looking for her. She wondered if what Cedric had wanted to tell her that day was precisely about his marriage.


    Noelle was not fully focused while ying the game.


    Meanwhile, on the other end, Magnus was stunned after being rejected from joining Noelle''s party.


    Curious, he opened up Noelle''s game history and saw that she had been continuously teaming up with another guy and that the guy also had the username ''Reverse Time.''


    Magnus was utterly confused about what was going on. He immediately took a screenshot and sent a message to Cedric. "Cedric, did you make a new ount or something? Okay, whatever. But why are you only ying with Noelle and not inviting me?"


    He wondered if Cedric regarded him as an annoying third wheel. A secondter, Magnus received a phone call from Cedric, his voice tense. "Who is she ying with?"


    "Isn''t she ying with you?" Magnus asked.


    Cedric gritted his teeth and replied, "No."


    Magnus immediately realized that something was off as he stammered, "But she''s been ying with this guy for the past two days, and they''ve been ying nonstop. I thought it was you!"


    Cedric''s expression darkenedpletely after looking at the screenshot Magnus had sent him. He wondered if that was the reason why Noelle had been ignoring him.


    Magnus continued, "Cedric, did you two have a fight or something? Maybe this is just one of her esports team members at the base, and they''re just training together."


    It took Cedric a long while to reply. "We argued a little with each other."


    "Is she angry at you after you told her about your true identity?"


    "No, it''s because I didn''t reply to her messages in time. Grandma fell ill two days ago, and I also had some urgent matters to attend to at thepany. I only got around to replying to her messages the next day."


    "Cedric, you''re fucked, man. From a girl''s perspective, not replying to her in time is akin to an unforgivable


    crime! If you''ve gone three days


    without any messages, you''ve basically broken up with one another! You should go to Noelle and exin everything."


    Irritated, Cedric hung up the call and then opened up WhatsApp to find that his message to Noelle fromst night still had not yet been read. At that moment, he felt as if his heart was being torn apart.


    Magnus'' words echoed endlessly within Cedric''s mind as he stared at his phone. His expression was as serious as if he was thinking about an extremely important matter.


    A senior executive had just finished giving a report when he noticed Cedric''s unusually stern expression, causing the executive to break into a nervous sweat. "Mr. Greene?"


    Cedric snapped back to reality and stood up. "You guys can continue."


    He strode out of the office, grabbed his suit jacket, and headed straight for the


    exit, his expression more stern than ever.


    One of his assistants chased after him. "Mr. Greene, is there something urgent?"


    "Yes, it is very urgent. I want you to take charge of this meeting and then give me a full reportter," Cedric


    replied as he stepped into the


    elevator. He could not afford to detay any longer.


    He had to find Noelle and exin everything to her in person.


    Just as he reached the parking garage, he received a call from Emma. "Grandma''s awake now. Come to the hospital whenever you''re free. She has something she wants to tell you."


    "Got it," he replied. In the end, Cedric changed his mind and drove toward the hospital instead.


    While on the road, he took a moment to send Noelle a message. "Let''s meet at the gym tonight. I know that you don''t have ss in the evening."


    Noelle only picked up her phone and saw Cedric''s message after she finished her game. The message was sent to her two hours ago.


    Raymond handed her a bottle of water. "Are we still training tonight?"


    "I''m going to the gym tonight," she replied.


    "The one across the campus?" he asked.

 Chapter 574

    Noelle nodded in response. She also felt that it would be better to exin everything clearly.


    Raymond stood up after her and said, "Let''s go there together then. I''ve also gotten a part-time job at the gym."


    Noelle knew that Raymond came from an average family. Other than training at the base, he would usually be working part-time to earn for his living expenses. The two of them then headed to the gym across the campus.


    Noelle put on a change of clothes and headed straight to the boxing area, only to find Raymond organizing the equipment there.


    She was a little surprised. "Why are you here?"


    "I work part-time here. I picked up some basics when I previously worked part- time at another gym, so the coach here asked me to teach some sses," Raymond replied.


    He then noticed the pair of red boxing gloves in her hands and continued, "I know this brand. This must''ve been expensive!"


    Red seemed to be the most popr color that year, and the boxing gloves sold out as soon as they were avable on the market.


    Noelle nced at the boxing gloves. They were a gift from Cedric. Her expression turned stiff. "Since we''re here, let''s spar."


    She hade to the gym on a whim and did not schedule a session with her coach.


    Raymond guided Noelle through some warm-up stretches to rx her body before putting on boxing gloves to begin their sparring.


    After they exchanged a few blows with each other, he paused and said, "You''re way better than I am. How long have you been doing this?"


    "About two months," Noelle replied.


    "That means that you''ve got the talent for this! Not everyone can just pick up boxing. It''s a sport that requires attention to a lot of details. It means that whoever was teaching you must be really good at it."


    Noelle thought of Cedric, as he had been the one teaching her about boxing. Her expression turned rtively cold. "Let''s continue."


    At that moment, she was thinking only about Cedric and nothing else. During their spar, Noelle eventually became distracted and stopped paying attention to Raymond''s movements. She ended up taking a punch from him.


    Noelle cried out and fell to the ground, her head spinning.


    Raymond was startled. He did not expect Noelle to miss the block. "Noelle, are you okay? I didn''t mean to hit you!"


    "It''s not your fault, Raymond. I just wasn''t paying attention." Noelle knew that the mistake was hers, that she had gotten hurt because she got lost in thought and failed to react in time.


    She forced herself back up, and Raymond supported her by the shoulders. "Let''s take a break at the side."


    Cedric walked over just in time to see Noelle being supported by a young stranger. His expression darkened instantly. "Stop it! What are you two doing?!"


    His expression was ice cold as he strode up to them. Noelle turned to look at Cedric and saw that his face waspletely sunken.


    Her head was still spinning from the


    blow, and just as she was about to exin the situation, Cedric


    suddenly threw a punch at


    Raymond. Raymond was naturally


    not a match for Cedric. He was sent stumbling into the railing before being bounced back in ce.


    Cedric grabbed Raymond by the cor and said, "Get lost."


    Raymond wiped the blood dripping from his nose and replied, "Who do you think you are?!"


    Cedric took a look into Raymond''s eyes and instantly knew that Raymond had his sights on Noelle. He felt a surge of anger spreading through his chest as he raised his fist to deliver another punch.


    But this time, Noelle stopped him. She forced herself to intervene despite feeling


    unwell. "Cedric, stop! Why are you hitting him?"


    Cedric froze up for a moment before turning to look at her. "This guy was putting


    his hands all over you, and you''re still defending him?"


    "He didn''t."


    "I saw it with my own eyes!" He was furious. "Noelle, I thought that you had ignored me for the past few days because I didn''t reply to your messages in time. But it''s because of him, isn''t it?"


    Noelle froze up as she realized what he was trying to say. She replied with disbelief. "Are you saying that I cheated on you?"


    As far as she was concerned, he was the one who cheated on her.

 Chapter 575

    Noelle was so furious that her eyes turned bloodshot. She could not believe that Cedric had twisted the situation to me her instead.


    Cedric noticed that she was about to cry and immediately softened his tone. "That''s not what I meant. I didn''t say that you were cheating on me."


    But he just saw that she was standing way too close to a stranger, and he did not want to see her getting so close to another man.


    Noelle held back her tears and pushed Cedric''s hand away. "Let him go."


    Cedric let go of his hand obediently. He lowered his voice and asked, "What''s wrong, Noelle?"


    "Nothing."


    Noelle ignored Cedric and handed her towel to Raymond. "Go take a cold shower. It''ll help to stop the nosebleed."


    Cedric noticed Noelle giving Raymond her towel. He immediately snatched it away and said, "You can use mine."


    He then stuffed his own towel into Raymond''s arms instead. Raymond did not ept the towel. He just turned to Noelle and asked, "Will you be okay by yourself?"


    "I''ll be fine. You go ahead and stop the bleeding. I''m sorry about what happened just now," Noelle replied. She never expected Cedric to actually hit someone.


    Raymond nced at Cedric before finally turning around to leave the boxing ring. With that, the room finally returned to silence.


    Noelle looked at the towel in Cedric''s hand and reached out to grab it. "Give it to me."


    Cedric did not let go. He stepped closer toward Noelle, his voice still stiff. "I misunderstood the situation because I saw that you were getting too close to another guy."


    He still could not believe that she would give her towel to someone else right in front of him as if he were invisible.


    Noelle retorted, "Then what about you?"


    He noticed her questioning gaze and replied, "I never had any female sparring partners when I worked out at the gym."


    "I''m not asking about that. Didn''t you say you have something to tell me? I''m listening."


    She was eager to hear how Cedric would try to exin himself.


    Cedric licked his lips and exined, "The reason why I didn''t reply to your messages that night was because my grandmother was sent to the hospital for an emergency.


    "On top of that, I had something urgent to deal with back at thepany, so I didn''t have time to reply to your messages right away. I already saw that your message was nothing urgent, so I had nned to reply to youter."


    He never would have thought that she would be so angry over such a matter.


    Noelle was weirdly calm even after hearing his exnation. "That''s it?"


    "Yeah, that''s really it. If your message had been something urgent, I would''ve replied to you immediately."


    Cedric bent down slightly to meet her gaze, his eyes filled with sincerity. He was so anxious that it almost seemed like he was swearing an oath.


    Noelle''s expression, however, remained so cold that it made his


    scalp tingle. He grabbed her hand and continued, "If there''s anything else that I''ve done wrong, please just tell me directly."


    He really could not figure out what she was thinking. Noelle withdrew her hand from his.


    As his hand was left hanging in the air, he grew even more anxious. "Noelle, I swear that I''ll reply to your messages instantly from now on!"


    "Cedric, I''m asking you onest time: are those all the exnations you wanted me to hear? Is there really nothing else you wanted to say?" she asked.


    Cedric was at a loss for words. He really wanted to tell Noelle about his true identity, but Noelle was still mad at that moment.


    He reckoned that if he were to tell her the truth now, she would choose to break up with him on the spot. And thus, he hesitated.


    Cedric cautiously nced at Noelle and said, "Can I tell you about it after you''ve calmed down?"


    He had not yet even managed to calm her down just yet. If she were to find out that he had been hiding his true identity from her at that moment, it would practically be the end for him.


    Noelle shook off his hand and turned to leave the boxing ring. "If you don''t want to say it now, you might as well never say it ever."


    "Noelle, wait!" Cedric had no choice but to chase after her helplessly. "Noelle, let''s


    go to L Bistro for dinnerter. Or are there any ces that you''d like to go?"

 Chapter 576

    "That''s enough, Cedric! Can''t you see that you''re just being annoying?" Noelle replied.


    She shot him a nce before turning to see Raymond on the chair with his head tilted up. She walked over and asked, "Raymond, are you okay? Is your nose still bleeding?"


    "It''s much better now," Raymond replied.


    He noticed Cedric was still standing next to Noelle, so he asked, "Wanna head back to campus togetherter?"


    "Yeah, let me treat you to a meal at the cafeteria. I''m really sorry for today," she replied.


    "It''s no problem."


    He could tell that Noelle did not want to talk to Cedric beside her, so he stood up and said, "Let''s go now, or there won''t be any food left at the cafeteria."


    Noelle nodded in agreement and was ready to leave when Cedric grabbed her by the arm. "We''re not done talking yet."


    Cedric did not want to let her go. He had a bad feeling that if she left, their rtionship would be over.


    Noelle frowned and said, "Let go of me."


    Cedric remained stubborn. "I''m not letting you go."


    Raymond stepped forward and said, "Can''t you see that Noelle doesn''t want you bothering her? At least have some self-awareness."


    Cedric red at him and replied, "You''d better stay far away from her."


    With that, he lifted Noelle onto his shoulder and carried her back to the boxing area.


    Raymond wanted to intervene, but the gym''s owner stopped him. "What do you think you''re doing?"


    "I''m going to help!" Raymond replied.


    "Help with what exactly? That man ain''t your average Joe! He bought this gym


    just so that he could practice boxing with Noelle!"


    Raymond was stunned. "Aren''t you the owner?"


    The gym owner firmly blocked


    Raymond from advancing. "I''m just the owner on the surface. Besides


    they''re really close to one


    even if they''re just having a little


    fight right now. Why do you want to


    get involved anyway?"


    It was only normal for couples to get into a disagreement and even fight with one another. But if a third party intervenes, it would be apletely different matter.


    Raymond''s expression darkened as he looked toward the boxing area.


    Meanwhile, Cedric headed back to the boxing area and ced Noelle down in the ring. She steadied herself before ring at him. "Have you gone mad?!" "Yes, I''ve gone mad," Cedric replied.


    His eyes were slightly bloodshot as he locked his gaze with hers. "I''ve already exined everything clearly. Can you at least tell me why you''re angry at me?" "Why should I?!"


    Noelle was fuming. Her eyes were simrly bloodshot. "You just attacked someone for no reason! What right do you have to threaten others?"


    Cedric pursed his lips and replied, "Because I was jealous. Is that not enough?"


    Noelle felt her heart sink. She could not believe that he would use jealousy as a reason. Then, she snorted and replied, "And what right do you have to use me?"


    Cedric was frustrated. "I''m your boyfriend. Am I not allowed to be jealous? I can always spar with you. You don''t need to look for someone else."


    "I''m not sparring with you anymore, Cedric. I''m not a puppet that does whatever you want me to do!" Noelle replied.


    Cedric was so furious that he could feel his temples throbbing. He ced his hands on her shoulders and exined to her.


    "I''m not trying to control you, Noelle. Put yourself in my shoes and think. Wouldn''t you be upset if you saw me getting too close to another woman?"


    She stared at him intensely and replied, "So you do get it after all. That night, who else were you with other than your sickly grandmother?"


    "I was at the hospital with my grandmother. Who else could I have been with?" Cedric''s patience was running thin. "Noelle, are you doing all of this because you''ve fallen for that guy from earlier?"


    Tears started flowing down her cheeks as she shouted, "You bastard! How dare you turn this around and me me instead?! You were with another woman that night,


    weren''t you? How long do you n on tying to me?!"

 Chapter 577

    Noelle had originally prepared a script of harshnguage, of which Grace had


    even helped here up with the lines. But at that moment, Cedric was standing right in front of her, and she had only finished saying a single sentence before tears started streaming down her face.


    Even she herself had not expected to cry that hard.


    Cedric was stunned. He immediately used his towel to wipe her tears for her. "I was not with any other woman that night."


    Noelle shoved his hand away. "Cedric, I''ve been thinking things through for the past few days. I think we should break up."


    His pupils contracted the moment he heard the words ''break up.'' He refused her without even the slightest bit of hesitation. "No, I won''t agree to this."


    Noelle wiped her tears and continued, "Whether you agree or not doesn''t matter, Cedric. I''m serious when I say that we''re not right for each other."


    Cedric was slightly angered. "Noelle, we''ve only been together for such a short time. How do you know that we''re not right for each other already? Or are you suggesting that we break up because you''ve fallen for another guy?"


    He realized that was the reason why she had been ignoring him for the past few days.


    Noelle pped his hand away. "Say whatever you like. Weren''t you the one who said that there would be plenty of handsome guys my age in university?


    "Weren''t you the one who said that I''d start a new life there? You were right; I get along better with people my own age."


    Cedric stared at her with a deep gaze, seemingly hiding a storm of emotions. "Noelle! I know that you''re just saying all of this out of anger."


    "I mean all of it! Let go of me! I''m leaving!"


    He pinned her against the ropes in the boxing ring with a firm grip and exined, "You got me into this. Do you think that you can just break up with me whenever you like and walk away?"


    He lowered his head to try and kiss her, and she just turned her face away to dodge him. But in the end, she could not possibly match his strength.


    Cedric locked Noelle in his embrace. His kiss was anything but gentle. If anything, it was almost possessive.


    Noelle was furious. She wondered


    what he had taken her to be. She bit down on his lips and then pped him across the face. "Cedric, you already have a fiancee, so why are you still messing with me?!"


    He was stunned. "I don''t have a fiancee."


    "Hah! You don''t have a fiancee, you say? Then what''s the deal with the news? Why did they report that you''re getting married to Ms. Merlock? How long were you nning to keep this from me?!"


    She stared at him dead in the eyes and continued, "You''re the heir of the Greene family, aren''t you?"


    Cedric''s hand trembled. He instinctively reached out to grab her, but she dodged to the side. His hand grabbed onto empty space before being suspended in mid-


    air.


    He did not even know what kind of expression he should be making at that moment. He just looked at her his voice hoarse. "I was nning to tell you the truth today, but you''ve been angry the entire time. I was afraid that you might be even more upset if I had told you about it."


    He never expected that Noelle already knew about his true identity. He finally realized the reason why she had been acting so strangely for the past two days. All that time he had thought that she was just mad at him for not replying to her messages.


    Noelle''s gaze was filled with mockery. "Do you think that we could still be together after you told me the truth?"


    Cedric recalled that he had asked her the same question, to which she answered that she would opt for a breakup.


    He cautiously exined, "Laura and I have never been engaged! It was just something that my mom and the Merlock family decided by themselves. I never agreed to it!"


    Noelle felt a strange feeling in her heart when she thought about Emma. She recalled how Emma had always treated her well back then.


    She then realized that on that day at L Bistro, Emma must have already known about her rtionship with Cedric, which would exin why Emma did not even greet or talk to her.


    Noelle wiped her tears and replied, "But you never replied to my messages that night! When I called your phone, it was Laura who answered the call!"

 Chapter 578

    If there really was nothing between Laura and Cedric, why did she have his phone?


    Cedric recounted, "I was rushing to get my grandmother to the hospital. I must have dropped my phone there, and she picked it up. But I didn''t know she answered your call. She never told me."


    "How am I supposed to believe that?" Noelle looked at him calmly, but her heart ached.


    She continued, "I never doubted you. But you lied to me for so long. Once trust is broken, it can never be the same again."


    Cedric panicked. "Noelle, it''s not like that. I didn''t mean to hide my identity from you."


    "Oh? Then tell me why." Noelle wanted to hear the reason.


    Cedric met her gaze but couldn''t bring himself to talk about the ident all those years ago. Noelle once said that she hated the driver and the person in the back seat.


    Cedric finally understood the pain of a broken heart.


    His grandmother was right. He should have told Noelle from the beginning. But now, he couldn''t because he didn''t want to lose her he was trapped between a rock and a hard ce with no way of turning things around.


    Noelle stared at him. "Say it. Why did you lie to me?"


    Cedric remained silent.


    Noelle smirked. She guessed it was because of their difference in status. That was why he had hidden the truth. Did their time together mean nothing to Cedric?


    Noelle picked up the boxing gloves and handed them to him. "Take these back. And I''ll return the things you sent to my dorm, too."


    Cedric looked at the red boxing gloves but didn''t take them.


    Noelle let go, and they fell to the floor.


    Cedric''s gaze lowered to the gloves The bright red color was piercing He stepped forward,


    Noelle''s hand, but shee


    Noelle''s hand, but she pulled away before he could touch her


    He sounded hoarse. "I was wrong, but I don''t want to break up."


    Noelle''s expression remained


    remained eerily


    calm. "Artionship built on lies


    wouldn''tst. I fell for Dr. Greene, not the heir of the Greene family."


    Cedric met her eyes and felt as if he was trapped. His heart sank.


    He knew Noelle. She might seem gentle, but she rarely changed her mind once she made a decision.


    Noelle stumbled back. "Cedric, this is the end for us."


    Cedric shook his head. "No. I don''t ept this."


    "Don''t ruin what we had. You know as well as do that this wouldn''t work. Your identity will only bring me trouble. I just want a peaceful life." She turned and left the boxing ring, tears streaming down her face.


    She had rehearsed this so many times. In the end, she could barely form words.


    She would never forget her meeting with Laura at the cafe.


    If Cedric had kept this from her, what else was he hiding? She couldn''t take the


    risk, nor did she want to. Walking away was her best option.


    "Noelle, stop!" Cedric ran after her but tripped as he jumped from the boxing ring.


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


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 579

    Cedric was focused on chasing after Noelle and didn''t notice his footing. He tripped and fell to the ground, letting out a muffled groan.


    Upon hearing the sound, Noelle turned and saw Cedric on the floor. She rushed back to help him up. "Are you okay?"


    She noticed his hand was bleeding. "I''ll get the first-aid kit."


    However, Cedric grabbed her hand. "Don''t go."


    Noelle looked down. "Let''s stop the bleeding first."


    "I''ll go with you." Cedric got up and walked with her.


    Jim had been watching the whole thing. When he saw Cedric getting injured, he quickly stepped forward. "The first-aid kit is in my office."


    The two of them followed Jim into the office, where he handed the kit to Noelle. "I have something to take care of. You help him."


    He left before Noelle could say anything. Noelle had no choice but to open the kit and disinfect Cedric''s wound. Then, she nced at the injury.


    "You''ll probably need stitches."


    Cedric silently watched Noelle. He wanted to say something but didn''t know what.


    Noelle simply put a band-aid on his wound, feeling his gaze on her the entire time. After putting away the first-aid kit, she turned to leave. A hand grabbed her wrist.


    Noelle didn''t turn around and stared at the ceiling. "I need to go back to school."


    Cedric looked at her wrist and said weakly, "Can we take a few days to cool off, then talk again?"


    Noelle nced at his injured arm. In the end, she didn''t have the heart to shake him off. After a pause, she hummed in agreement.


    Cedric finally sighed in relief. "I''ll take you back."


    "No need." Noelle refused. "I don''t


    want to end up in the headlines in et


    someone finds out who you are. Besides, you never took me to crowded ces before, right?"


    She finally realized Cedric had always booked private spaces to avoid being recognized.


    Cedric didn''t respond. He had no way to exin.


    Noelle went to the locker room, changed clothes, and left the gym. But as she walked down the street, she could sense someone following her She knew who it was, but she never looked back.


    Then, she hid behind a tree and stole a nce only after stepping onto campus.


    Cedric stood at the school gate. He only stayed for a moment before two girls


    approached him, asking for his number.


    Noelle forced herself to look away. What was she hoping for?


    "Are you okay?" came a sudden voice. It startled her.


    Noelle turned and saw Mia sitting on a bench nearby, quickly masking her emotions. "I''m fine."


    at


    Mia''s gaze flicked toward the school gate with aplicated look. Cedric, the heir of the Green family, was the gate. She never imagined Noelle''s boyfriend to be him.


    Noelle sat beside Mia and noticed the book in her hands. She was probably just


    enjoying the sun while reading.

 Chapter 580

    Mia hummed. "Wipe your tears."


    Noelle blinked as Mia handed her a tissue. After a brief hesitation, she epted


    it.


    Mia paused. "Your boyfriend is really handsome."


    Noelle immediately knew Mia had seen Cedric. She chuckled bitterly. "So you know who he is. I only just found out myself."


    "Is that why you''re fighting?" Mia guessed immediately.


    She had heard gossip from Samantha that Noelle''s boyfriend was poor and struggling financially. Who would have thought he was actually the heir of the Greene family? If he was considered poor, then everyone else must be struggling for scraps.


    "I never imagined he''d lie to me for so long." Noelle knew that given Mia''s family background, she must have interacted with the Greenes and had likely seen Cedric before.


    She looked at Mia curiously. "Has my brother ever met Cedric?"


    Mia shrugged. "I''m not sure, but different social circles don''t usually interact with one another. I only saw him a few times when we were kids, but never after that."


    Someone like Cedric, with his status and responsibilities, would be busy with work, social engagements, and travel. He rarely appeared in public, so it was natural that those outside his circle wouldn''t recognize him.


    Mia paused. "Your brother and I haven''t settled in yet. My family hasn''t made his identity public, so he hasn''t been introduced to these circles."


    It made sense that Donovan hadn''t met Cedric.


    Noelle nodded. She nced at Mia. "But I made things clear with him. I also brought up breaking up. We''re not a good match. Especially since he has a fiancee."


    "He doesn''t." Mia was firm. "Yesterday''s news was fake. The Merlock family has always wanted their eldest daughter to marry Cedric. Emma agreed, but Cedric himself never did. All the rumors over the years were just spection."


    Mia looked at Noelle seriously. "You might doubt me, but you can''t doubt the information I''ve gathered."


    Noelle smiled. As the eldest daughter of the Cantrell family, Mia''s words carried weight.


    Still, she stared at the ground and muttered, "Even if that''s true, we''re just not a good fit. I don''t want to live like that. It''s exhausting."


    Being with Cedric would mean facing countless obstacles. Besides, he hid his identity from the very beginning. What was he guarding against?


    Noelle didn''t want to dwell on it. Dwelling on it would only make her feel worse.


    Mia hummed, "But from what I''ve learned over the years, Cedric is a disciplined, ambitious man. If you two truly love each other, he''ll make things work. Emma and his grandmother are both very kind people."


    Noelle''s heart ached at the mention of Emma. Emma had treated her so well.


    Now, she probably wouldn''t like her anymore.


    "We''ll see what happens." Noelle brushed it off.


    Mia swiftly changed the topic. "Noelle, do you have time to visit the Liddell family?"


    Noelle huffed. "I can go anytime. But have you told my brother?"


    Mia shook her head. "No, and I don''t n to."


    Noelle immediately caught on that Mia wanted to catch Donovan off guard to see his real reaction. Despite her quiet and seemingly insecure nature, Mia was actually quite assertive.


    Noelle raised a brow. "But knowing my brother, he''s going to be annoyed if you


    just show up unannounced."


    Mia pursed her lips. "I''ll message himter."


    Just then, Noelle''s phone buzzed. She nced at the notifications.


    Wyatt had messaged the Liddell family''s group chat. "I''ve booked a table at Bistro tonight. And I invite the whole family to celebrate my engagement with Xenia and discuss the wedding."


    Were they getting engaged already?


    After skimming the message, Noelle turned to Mia. "Do you want toe to L


    Bistro with me tonight for a show?"

 Chapter 581

    Noelle and Mia arrived at L Bistro together. She was able to enter L Bistro with thetter apanying her.


    It was likely that Wyatt and Xenia had the dinner held here because they had been stopped outsidest time.


    Mia muttered apologetically, "I''d like to stop by the restroom first."


    Noticing that the floor was wet as if it had just been mopped, Noelle offered, "I''II go with you."


    The two of them entered the restroom together. Noelle waited outside by the sinks. But Xenia suddenly emerged from a stall. She was wearing a sleek, form- fitting white evening gown with a smug look on her face.


    "Did you actually get in, Noelle? You don''t even have a membership. Did you shamelessly rely on your boyfriend to mooch off Mr. Parham''s membership again?"


    Xenia strutted forward, unting therge diamond ring on her finger. "Noelle, look at this. Wyatt bought it for me. It''s over a million dors. Your boyfriend probably doesn''t even make that much in a year."


    Xenia was in an excellent mood. "I''ve told you not to date a broke guy. What can loyalty bring to the table?"


    Noelle smirked. "That''s one thing I can''tpare to you. After all, you were just dumped by Justin, and when your dream of marrying into a wealthy family shattered, you immediately turned around and made my brother yourpdog. But I must say, you''ve always been very loyal to money."


    She nced at the dress. "Well, Wyatt is definitely more generous than Justin. Look at this luxurious custom-made dress. Justin never bought you anything this nice, even after all the times you slept with him, right?"


    "I see you have good taste. This dress is from a renowned designer. Donovan went to great lengths to have it custom-made as my engagement gift. It''s one of a kind." She sounded smug.


    "Unfortunately, there''s only one dress, so Donovan gave it to me. You''re not going to throw a tantrum again, right? You already forced Donovan to admit that he was the reason Wyatt lost his leg. He absolutely despises you."


    Noelle snickered. "Did you forget that I still have the video that could ruin you forever?"


    Xenia''s expression turned ugly, and she snapped, "I''ve already exined everything to Wyatt. He doesn''t care at all."


    "Is that so?" Noelle raised a brow. "Then, I guess I''ll just let Wyatt watch it for himself."


    "You wouldn''t dare! You made a deal with Donovan to keep the video a secret as long as you get full control over the foundation. You can kiss your parents'' inheritance goodbye if you break that agreement


    After blurting that out, Xenia quickly turned and left with her tail between her legs.


    Noelle smirked. So, that bitch was afraid, after all. Just then, she received a message from Mia.


    "My stomach doesn''t feel great. You go ahead first. I''ll join youter."


    Noelle nced at the restroom stall. Mia had probably heard her conversation with Xenia. She didn''t bother exining anything.


    Noelle went straight to the private room. When she entered, she saw Xenia whispering something tearfully to Wyatt. The atmosphere in the room shifted when Noelle entered.


    Xenia sobbed, "Wyatt, don''t me Noelle. This dress is one of a kind, and I have


    it while she doesn''t. So it''s understandable that she''d be upset."


    Wyatt pointed at Noelle angrily. "Xenia is going to be your future sister-inw! We''re about to get engaged, so of course, she should dress nicely. Why are you always so jealous?"


    Noelle scoffed. "What do I have to be jealous of? Hasn''t Xenia always gotten the


    first pick since she joined the family?"


    "That''s how it should be. Her father


    did our family a great favor. If it weren''t for him, you would''ve died in that car ident and wouldn''t be


    here living a privileged life as a youngdy of the family."


    Wyatt was furious. "I want you to apologize to your future sister-inw right now. And you are not allowed to speak to her like that or make her upset again."


    "Forget it, Wyatt. I have this gorgeous dress, and Noelle doesn''t. You even bought me this expensive diamond ring. I''ve gained so much."


    She sounded smug as she continued, "Maybe Noelle''s boyfriend just can''t afford a ring this expensive, and that''s why she''s so upset."

 Chapter 582

    Noelle pulled out a chair and sat down. "Wyatt, I suddenly remembered that I have something to show you....."


    Xenia''s face fell and quickly interrupted by turning to Wyatt. "Wyatt, why aren''t Donovan and Lucas here yet?"


    "Yes, why are theyte?" Just as Wyatt finished, the door to the private room opened, and Donovan and Lucas walked in.


    Wyatt was displeased. "Donovan, I need to tell you something. Noelle has an insanely strong jealousy streak. She got jealous of Xenia''s limited-edition dress and started insulting her."


    Donovan looked exhausted. "What dress?"


    Xenia smiled. "The one I''m wearing today. Donovan, you gave it to me as an engagement gift, but it seems like Noelle isn''t too happy about it."


    Donovan finally noticed the dress Xenia was wearing, and his expression turned unpleasant. "Why are you wearing that dress?"


    Xenia froze. "Didn''t you gift it to me?"


    "Who told you that? Take it off! When did I ever say it was a gift for you?" Donovan was furious. "Xenia, who told you to take the dress I ordered?"


    Xenia feigned innocence. "I didn''t take it."


    Wyatt immediately spoke up, "Donovan, it''s just a dress. Why are you making such a big deal out of it?"


    "That dress was a gift for Ms. Cantrell." Donovan directed his anger at Xenia. "Take it off! Right now!"


    Xenia hesitated, reluctant to part with the dress she adored.


    Wyatt quickly tried to smooth things over. "Donovan, I was just thinking about what gift to get for Xenia, and then I happened to see the butler bring this dress back. It looked perfect for her, and she really liked it, so I just made the decision to let her wear it."


    Donovan tugged at his tie. "Wyatt, if you want to give someone a gift, don''t use my things to do it."


    "Donovan, you''re being stingy. Ms. Cantrell has probably worn every designer dress out there. Besides, heard she''s a cripple. She wouldn''t even be able to do this dress justice. It''d be aplete waste on her." Wyatt sounded dismissive as he confidently held Xenia''s hand. "Xenia looks stunning in this dress. She''ll definitely steal the show at our engagement party."


    Xenia nced at Donovan, then


    pretended to be understanding.


    "Wyatt, forget it. This dress w


    meant for Donovan''s girlfriend. It


    wouldn''t be right for me to wear it."


    In truth, she was beyond irritated. Wyatt couldn''t even afford to buy her a proper designer dress and had to steal one that was meant for someone else.


    Wyatt brushed her off. "Don''t worry about it. Donovan isn''t that petty. After all, your father did a great favor for our family. He wouldn''t hold this against you."


    Donovan''s expression turned ugly, but he couldn''t refute it.


    Xenia pondered before saying, "Donovan, I can''t exactly take this dress off right now. How about I just wear it for tonight? I promise to be carefu and not get it dirty. I''ll take it off once I get home, and then you can still gift it to Ms. Cantrell."


    Donovan''s expression softened. "Fine, I''ll get you another dresster aspensation."


    Xenia nodded, but a n was forming in her mind.


    Noelle frowned. "Donovan, don''t you think it''s inappropriate to give someone a dress that''s already been worn?"


    She wouldn''t have cared if she didn''t know Mia personally. But just imagining Mia wearing a dress that Xenia had already worn made her ufortable.


    Xenia feigned innocence. "Noelle, it''s just us here tonight. How would Ms. Cantrell ever find out if we keep it down? Unless you''re nning to sabotage Donovan?"


    Xenia walked over to Noelle with a ss of red wine. "A lot has happenedtely. Let''s have a drink and make peace."


    Noelle looked irritated. "Who the hell would want to drink with you?"


    Just as she finished speaking, Xenia suddenly gasped and flinched. The wine in her ss spilled all over her pristine white dress.


    Her eyes watered as she whispered, "If you have a problem, take it out on me, Noelle. Why ruin this dress?"

 Chapter 583

    Noelle nced at Xenia''s dress, now stained with red wine.


    Her smile widened. "Xenia, your tricks are just as pathetic as ever."


    Xenia would rather destroy the dress that she couldn''t keep and even framed Noelle in the process.


    Xenia gasped. "Noelle, you did this on purpose! You wanted to ruin the dress so that Donovan wouldn''t be able to exin himself to Ms. Cantrell, right?"


    "You knew you wouldn''t be able to keep this dress, so instead of letting it go..." Before Noelle could finish, someone suddenly threw red wine at her.


    She wiped her face and saw Wyatt standing with an empty ss. He had thrown the wine at her.


    Wyatt pulled Xenia to his side. "Noelle, don''t you dare try to shift the me! You couldn''t have the dress, so you deliberately destroyed it, right?"


    Noelle stared at him coldly. "Why would I destroy a dress that didn''t belong to Xenia in the first ce?"


    Wyatt scoffed. "You''re just jealous that Xenia can wear it, and you can''t. Donovan, are you really going to let her off?"


    Donovan frowned at Noelle. "This dress was a birthday gift for Ms. Cantrell. How am I supposed to exin to her now that you''ve ruined it?"


    Noelle sneered. Were they trying to make her the scapegoat again?


    Before she could say anything, Lucas stood up. "Donovan, I saw everything. Xenia deliberately poured the wine on the dress. It had nothing to do with Noelle. She didn''t even flinch."


    Wyatt''s face twisted in anger. "That''s only because Noelle scared Xenia, causing her to spill the wine!"


    "Wyatt, you''re being unreasonable. How could you pin this on Noelle?" Lucas was furious. He turned to Donovan.


    "Donovan, none of this would have happened if Wyatt hadn''t taken it upon himself to let Xenia wear the dress. If anyone was to me, it would be him and Xenia!"


    Donovan''s expression turned ugly. "Can all of you stop causing trouble? Do you have to make a scene every time?"


    Wyatt hurriedly added, "Donovan, the dress is ruined, and it''s all Noelle''s fault. Xenia had nothing to do with it."


    Donovan turned to Noelle. "It''s toote to prepare another gift now. The Cantrell family already knows what I intended to give them. You''ll


    apologize to them on the day of the party."


    Xenia''s eyes lit up. "Donovan, I''ll go, too! After all, I was involved in this as well."


    Attending Mia''s birthday party would be a great opportunity towork with


    wealthy families. And it was a perfect chance to insult Noelle, too.


    Noelle wiped her face with a towel. "No need for all that trouble."


    Donovan''s face fell. "Say that again?"


    "She said there''s no need for all that trouble." The door swung open, and Mia stood at the entrance, taking in the scene before her.


    Her gazended on Noelle. Upon noticing the wine-stained dress, her eyes flickered before she walked inside.


    Donovan''s expression shifted at Mia''s arrival. He stood up and hurried over, a rare trace of nervousness in his voice. "Why are you here?"


    "Am I not allowed to be here? I heard this was a family gathering." Mia smiled,


    then turned her gaze to Xenia. "That dress looks familiar."


    Donovan''s heart dropped. He nced back at Xenia angrily. Today wouldn''t have gone so terribly wrong if it weren''t for these two idiots.


    He had never expected Mia to show up. How much had she heard?


    Donovan quickly said, "I''m sorry. I''ll exin about the dress to youter."


    "Don''t you think the person wearing


    the dress should be the one


    exining?" Mia looked at Xenia indifferently. "Miss, this dress seems a little tight on you. Doesn''t it feel constricting?"


    Xenia stiffened. Of course, she knew the dress was a bit small, which was why she had been holding her breath all night and barely ate anything. But who was this woman belittling her?


    Wyatt immediately snapped, "Who do you think you are? This dress was custom- made for Xenia. It fits her perfectly."


    "Shut up, Wyatt!" Donovan broke out in a cold sweat. He stared at Mia. "Which private room are you in? Let me take you there first, and I''ll exin everything." Mia avoided his hand. "Seems like you and this youngdy are quite close." Donovan shook his head. "You''ve got it all wrong. Xenia is just my sister."

 Chapter 584

    "But isn''t your sister named Noelle? I don''t recall her being called Xenia." Mia remained calm.


    Seeing Mia''s expression, Noelle finally felt relieved. It seemed that Mia wasn''t as weak as she appeared.


    Mia turned and handed Noelle a tissue.


    Noelle took it. "Thank you."


    "I should be the one saying that." Mia had overheard the conversation among the Liddells and knew what had happened.


    Donovan muttered, "I''ll get you another birthday gift."


    He couldn''t afford to offend the Cantrell family.


    "No need. I actually like this dress." Mia walked toward Xenia. Though her pace was steady, it was clear her legs weren''t in the best condition.


    Xenia suddenly realized something. "Donovan, is... is she Ms. Cantrell?"


    After all, Donovan was being overly nice, talking about birthday gifts, and this woman''s legs didn''t seem fully functional.


    Donovan nodded. "That''s right, she is."


    Xenia''s expression shifted, and she forced a smile. "Ms. Cantrell, I..."


    "Don''t even get me started." Mia nced at the dress on Xenia. "Now, take off my birthday gift."


    Xenia froze. "I... I didn''t mean to..."


    "Whether you meant to or not, don''t you think it''s rude to unt a dress that doesn''t belong to you?"


    Mia''s words hit Xenia hard. Thetter felt utterly humiliated, and a dark glint shed in her eyes. That cripple didn''t deserve to wear such a beautiful dress.


    She quickly turned to Wyatt and sobbed, "Wyatt..."


    But before she could continue, Mia grabbed her wrist. "I''m talking to you. Why are you-ouch!"


    Xenia forcefully yanked her hand away, causing Mia to lose her bnce.


    "Careful!"


    "Mia!"


    Both Noelle and Donovan lunged forward. But Noelle was faster and caught Mia first. She looked at Mia with concern.


    "Are you okay?"


    Mia was stunned. Then, her cheeks flushed as she steadied herself. "I''m fine."


    Donovan''s outstretched hand


    Hawkwardly in the air before


    he withdrew it. He then


    sharply to Xenia. "You!"


    "What the hell is wrong with you? Were you trying to push her on purpose?"


    Noelle cut in before Donovan could finish.


    Donovan looked at Noelle in surprise. Why was she stealing his lines?


    Xenia shrank back beside Wyatt. "Wyatt, I really didn''t mean it! I didn''t know Ms. Cantrell would grab me."


    "Xenia, I know you''re innocent. I''ll stand up for you." Wyatt turned to Mia. "Ms. Cantrell, don''t try to frame Xenia. She has always been kind and would never do something like this. If your legs aren''t in the besto condition, maybe you shouldn''t go out..."


    "Shut up!" Donovan roared as he pped Wyatt.


    Wyatt was stunned and yelled in disbelief, "Donovan, how could you hit me over some cripple-"


    Before he could finish, Noelle


    Let


    grabbed a wine bottle and poured it straight into his mouth. He


    tshut up already! Con it


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 Chapter 585

    Noelle gripped Wyatt''s jaw and forced the red wine down his throat. Her voice was cold. "If your mouth is so filthy, let me help you clean it. No need to thank me."


    Wyatt choked, but he couldn''t break free from Noelle''s grip. When had she gotten so strong?


    Xenia was panicking on the side. "Noelle, what are you doing? Let him go!"


    Noelle only let go after finishing the entire bottle of wine.


    Mia watched from the side with a small smile. She hadn''t expected Noelle to be so blunt.


    Wyatt was furious. "Donovan, are you just going to stand there and let Noelle do this to me?"


    Donovan snapped, "Wyatt, I actually think Noelle did the right thing. You really needed to wash your mouth out."


    Did Wyatt really think he could talk to Mia like that? Did he really think they could afford to offend the Cantrell family? What an absolute idiot.


    Xenia quickly realized the severity of the situation. Right now, the Liddell family couldn''t afford to offend Mia, let alone the entire Cantrell family. She immediately tried to smooth things over.


    "Donovan, we know our mistake. Wyatt was just being protective. He didn''t mean to say something so hurtful. After all, he''s in a wheelchair himself. How could he say something so cruel?"


    Donovan nced at Wyatt''s legs, then ordered, "Apologize to Ms. Cantrell now."


    Xenia was the first to speak. "Ms. Cantrell, I apologize for almost making you fall earlier. My brother tends to speak without thinking, but I''m sure you won''t hold it against him, right?"


    After all, Wyatt was also disabled. A disabled person should sympathize with another disabled person, right?


    Mia chuckled. "So, you stole my dress, stained it, and now you think an apology is enough?"


    "But Noelle was the one who stained the dress." Wyatt turned to Noelle. "If you want to settle scores, settle them with her."


    Mia looked at Donovan. "Is that true?"


    Donovan nced at Wyatt''s legs, then finally spoke. "It was Noelle who ruined the dress."


    Noelle snorted.


    Donovan snapped, "Noelle, what''s with that attitude? Don''t think I''ll cover for you just because you''re my sister."


    "That''s enough." Mia stared at them coldly.


    vene


    poure was clearly Xenia


    poured the wine on the


    now you''re trying to be?


    Wyatt retorted, "Noelle did it. We all saw it, right, Donovan?"


    Donovan nodded. At this point, Xenia wouldn''t be able to handle taking the me


    alone. After all, this matter involved Noelle, too.


    Noelle sneered as she turned to Mia. "You saw everything, right?"


    Mia felt a wave of guilt. In the past, she had misunderstood Noelle, too.


    She believed Noelle was arrogant, jealous of her adopted sister''s sess, and constantly making trouble for her. But she finally


    understood after hearing wheel


    happened and how the Liddell family was trying to frame Noelle


    Donovan suddenly looked nervous. "You... you saw everything?"


    Mia''s expression turned unpleasant She stepped forward and pped Donovan. "Yes, I saw everything. I just never expected you to tantly


    jund nder your own sister."


    lie


    Mia began to wonder if Donovan had been lying to her all along. Silence filled the


    room.

 Chapter 586

    Everyone in the room fell silent, especially Wyatt and Xenia. After all, Donovan had always been the authoritative figure in the family. No one had ever seen him treated like this before.


    After getting pped, Donovan''s gaze darkened, but he quickly regained hisposure. Still, he sounded harsh. "Mia, even if Noelle didn''t do it, she''s still involved."


    "Do you think I''m blind? That I couldn''t see what that butch just did?" Mia was clearly annoyed. "My legs may not be good, but my eyes work just fine."


    Donovan had no response to that. In the end, he turned to Xenia. "Come here!"


    Xenia hesitated. She didn''t want to admit what she had done. Damn it. How did that crippled woman catch her in the act?


    Before she could react, Wyatt stepped in and shielded her from Donovan. "Donovan, I was the one who made the decision to let Xenia wear the dress. If you want to me someone, me me. Why are you making things difficult for her? Don''t forget, she has done a lot for the Liddell family."


    Wyatt''s guilt-tripping left Donovan speechless.


    Donovan pointed at him angrily. "Who are you to talk to me like this?"


    "If you''re going to protect Ms. Cantrell, then I''m going to protect Xenia." Wyatt was sure of himself as if he had done nothing wrong. Meanwhile, Xenia hid behind him.


    Donovan roared, "Are you two trying to drive me insane?"


    Noelle couldn''t help butugh, watching the scene unfold. She never expected Wyatt''s attempt at maniption to backfire on Donovan. How entertaining.


    Donovan turned his gaze to Noelle. "Do you find this funny?"


    Noelle nodded. "It''s pretty funny. And honestly, Wyatt''s not wrong. Xenia has done


    a lot for the Liddell family. You being so aggressive doesn''t seem fair."


    Since the stage was set, Noelle didn''t mind adding fuel to the fire.


    Didn''t Donovan love using the moral card on others? Now that it was affecting his own interests, Noelle was curious to see if he still upheld his so-called principles about family bonds.


    Donovan was furious at Noelle''s provocations.


    He tugged at his tie and turned to Mia. "I had no idea the dress was given to Xenia. I''ll make sure to exinter. For now, let me take you back to your private room."


    He needed to get Mia out of there. Otherwise, things would only get more difficult to handle.


    But Mia didn''t budge. Instead, she pointed at Xenia. "I''m nice. I''ll drop the matter if she takes off my dress right now."


    Donovan frowned. "But Xenia doesn''t have a change of clothes with her."


    "That''s her problem. Since when do I have to consider the feelings of a thief?" Mia growled.


    She had overheard Xenia''s arrogant words in the restroom earlier. Seeing her feigning innocence infuriated Mia even more. She hated two-faced people like this.


    Mia refused to back down. "I don''t care. She needs to take the dress off right now, or this won''t be over."


    Wyatt scoffed. "It''s just a dress. If you marry my brother and be the Liddell family''s daughter-inw, what''s the big deal about letting your sister-inw wear one of your dresses?"


    Donovan shot Wyatt a warning look, signaling him to shut up.


    Mia remained calm as she stared at


    Donovan. "Is everyone in your family this shameless? Maybe I need to rethink our rtionship. I have no intention of bing a woman who


    sacrifices everything for her


    boyfriend''s family." . to


    Donovan clenched his jaw. "Mia, this is just a misunderstanding!"


    "I don''t want to hear any more excuses. Either she takes off the dress right now,


    or we break up!" Mia''s stance was firm.


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 Chapter 587

    Noelle was surprised Mia was asking for a break-up. She hadn''t expected Mia to be even more decisive than she was.


    Donovan was stunned. "You''re breaking up with me?"


    "Yes. I never imagined the Liddell family would be like this. That woman is wearing my dress! Yet you are agreeing to let her take it back, change out of it, before returning it to me?"


    Mia snorted. "Donovan, do you really think I care about the dress? How dare you humiliate me like this?"


    When Mia heard Donovan''s reply, she realized he had never liked her. Their entire rtionship had been a lie. She might have a physical disability, but that didn''t mean she would let a man deceive her feelings.


    Donovan finally realized that Mia overheard everything. He quickly tried to exin. "Mia, that''s not what I meant."


    Mia remained firm. "I''m giving you a chance to make things right."


    Donovan flushed red with anger. He spun around and strode toward Xenia, making her instinctively step back in fear.


    Wyatt immediately blocked him. "Donovan, what are you doing? Are you seriously nning to strip Xenia of her clothes? That''s not appropriate!"


    Donovan stared at the two of them coldly. Hemanded, "Take off the dress. Otherwise, both of you can get the hell out of the Liddell family."


    The Liddell Corporation had received significant investments and business deals from the Cantrell family. Thepany would be on the brink of bankruptcy if he broke up with Mia now.


    Donovan''s expression turned ugly at the thought.


    He fixed his gaze on Xenia. "I know you''ve always been smart. I hope you make the right choice now."


    Xenia was furious. Of all the days to cross paths with Mia...


    She couldn''t afford to anger Donovan, and even more so, she couldn''t afford to offend Mia. She knew how much Donovan relied on the Cantrell family''s investments and partnerships. ''


    Xenia forced herself to remainposed and nodded. "Wyatt, could you ask someone to buy me a change of clothes nearby?"


    Wyatt looked at her with concern. "You don''t have to put up with this. I told you. You don''t have to suffer when you''re with me."


    Xenia was silently cursing him. Then, why didn''t Wyatt actually do something instead of just talking big? He was all bark and no bite!


    Noelle pointed toward the entrance. "You could just ask the staff at L Bistro for a


    female employee''s uniform. That would be the fastest solution."


    Mia immediately nodded. "Good idea. Have L Bistro bring over a waitress uniform."


    Donovan sighed in relief. "I''ll arrange it now."


    No matter how unwilling Xenia was, she had no choice but to change into the waitress uniform. She was so humiliated and almost broke into tears. She had arrived at L Bistro in a designer gown, hoping to unt it when she returned to school and impressed Samantha and her friends.


    But Mia and Noelle ruined everything. When Noelle saw Xenia return wearing the waitress''s uniform, she immediatelyughed. "This Outfit suits you. After all, Stolen things were never really yours to begin with."


    Xenia sobbed and ran to Wyatt. "Wyatt, I didn''t steal anything! This uniform is so ugly... If people see me like this, they''ll think I work here. It''s so embarrassing!"


    This was all Wyatt''s fault. His stupidity had caused her to be humiliated by that crippled woman.


    Wyatt turned to Noelle and demanded, "You should change into a waitress uniform, too. That way, Xenia won''t feel awkward."


    Noelle''s expression turned unpleasant at the unreasonable demand. "Why don''t you change into a staff uniform instead? That way, you and Xenia can match as a couple."


    Wyatt stiffened. "Why should I wear a staff uniform? Noelle, what are you talking about?"


    "I''m just repeating your words," Noelle replied coolly.

 Chapter 588

    Noelle didn''t hold her tongue with Wyatt. Donovan frowned. "Enough. You''re making a scene."


    Didn''t they see Mia was still here? Wasn''t this embarrassing enough?


    Donovan handed the dress over to Mia. "She''s changed out of it now. You should be satisfied, right?"


    Mia had always been easy to appease before, so why was he so unlucky to have her catch him in this situation today? He regretted suggesting that Xenia wear the dress and then change out of itter.


    Mia nced at the dress, tossed it into the trash can, and poured an entire ss of red wine over it.


    Noelle could barely hold back herughter. Xenia felt her heart drop. Mia could have just given the dress to her if she didn''t want it!


    But no! Xenia was forced to take it off, only to watch it get thrown away. This was humiliating!


    Donovan''s expression turned unpleasant. "What are you doing?"


    "Throwing it away, of course. What? Did you think I''d actually want a dress someone else has worn?" Mia met Donovan''s gaze. "Your adopted sister may be precious to you, but she''s nothing to me."


    Anger shed in Donovan''s eyes at the insult. But he couldn''t say anything to Mia. Even if it wasn''t Mia, he still wouldn''t be able to retort, especially since the Liddells were clearly wrong.


    He could only swallow his pride. "I understand. I''ll make it up to you with another birthday giftter."


    Mia turned to Xenia. "A driver''s daughter should know her ce. No matter how fancy your clothes are, you''ll never be one of us."


    Xenia''s eyes welled up with tears. "Ms. Cantrell, I''ve always known my ce. I''ve been careful walking on eggshells all these years."


    Wyatt immediately tried tofort her. "Don''t cry, Xenia. I know things haven''t been easy for you."


    Mia retorted, "Really? From what I hear, she''s had it pretty easy. The Liddells favor their adopted sister so much that they even kicked their own biological sister out."


    Xenia''s tears abruptly stopped. That damn cripple knew a lot.


    Donovan didn''t want Mia to stay any longer. He quickly said, "Mia, every family has it''s own struggles. The Liddells were in the wrong today. I''l exin everythingter, but there''s no need to tell your family about this, right?"


    This would be a much bigger problem if the Cantrells found out.


    Mia smirked. "I could keep it from them. But your dear adopted sister dirtied the dress and refused to admit it. Are you really going to let someone with such poor character get away with it?"


    She wasn''t letting Xenia off the hook. Xenia gritted her teeth in rage. Was this damn cripple done yet?


    Donovan hesitated. But in the end,


    he turned to Xenia. "I''ve spoiled you too much. I felt bad because you lost your parents, and your father once did the Liddells a favor.


    "But I never expected you to turn out this way. Apologize to Ms. Cantrell and promise never to do this again."


    Xenia shrieked, "Donovan, I didn''t do anything wrong! Noelle scared me, which made me spill the red wine!"


    Wyatt quickly jumped in. "Donovan, Xenia is my fiancee and your future sister-in-w. If anyone should apologize, it''s Noelle!"


    Noelle scoffed. "Do you two think Ms. Cantrell is stupid enough to fall for this nonsense?"


    Mia''s gaze sharpened. "Wait... Xenia is your adopted sister. And now she''s also your brother''s fiancee? Isn''t that incest?"


    Donovan''s expression turned ugly. He wanted nothing more than to throw Xenia and Wyatt out.


    These two were always causing trouble! How had he never realized how much trouble Xenia could stir up?


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 Chapter 589

    Noelle could tell that Donovan was annoyed with Xenia. After all, her stunt of secretly wearing the dress had offended the Cantrell family''s heiress.


    Noelle hadn''t expected Xenia to mess up this badly in front of Mia. She worried that Mia might fall victim to Xenia''s act, but it turned out Mia was more than capable of holding her own.


    After a long pause, Donovan finally gritted his teeth. "We''ll be terminating her adoption soon. Xenia will have no further ties to the Liddells."


    "But that hadn''t happened. If word gets out, even my family will be dragged into this mess. People might even assume Xenia has improper rtionships with her brothers." Mia didn''t bother beating around the bush.


    Given her status, she wouldn''t have survived in the Cantrell family for this long if she couldn''t even stand up to someone like Xenia.


    Donovan clenched his jaw. "I''ll take care of it."


    Xenia suddenly burst into tears. "Donovan, I''ve told you that I''m an adult and can move out anytime. I didn''t want people to gossip about us."


    Mia scoffed. "Your legs work just fine. Who could possibly stop you if you really wanted to leave?"


    Xenia choked, looking down and sniffling pitifully.


    Wyatt''s heart ached for her. "Who does she think she is to put on airs? She''s not even married into the family yet, and she''s already acting high and mighty!"


    "No need to worry. I wouldn''t want any association with the likes of you." With that, Mia turned and walked out of the private room.


    Donovan''s expression darkened. He turned back to Wyatt and Xenia. "I''ll deal with you two when I get back!"


    Then, he hurried after Mia. Noelle was concerned for Mia. But when she caught Mia''s reassuring nce, she simply sat back down. Just then, the waiter arrived with their food.


    Noelle was feeling hungry after watching the drama unfold. She picked up her spoon and started eating. She had to admit that the food here was really good.


    After Donovan and Mia left, Xenia''s tears miraculously stopped. She turned to Wyatt, worried. "What do we do? Ms Cantrell is obviously furious, and we cannot afford to


    offend the Cantrell family.


    "Don''t worry. I''ll talk to Donovan," Wyatt said confidently. "I wouldn''t have lost my


    leg if he hadn''t run from his responsibilities back then. He owes me for that."


    He sounded extremely


    self-righteous. "Besides, Ms. Cantrell is just a cripple. She should consider herself lucky to marry someone as outstanding as Donovan Who else would even want her?"


    Xenia froze. He made a good point.


    But before she could say anything, Noelle suddenly burst outughing. "Do you two seriously not know that Donovan is marrying into the


    Cantrells and not the very


    ther way.


    around?


    Wyatt''s face twisted in disbelief. "What are you talking about? Donovan would never agree to something like that!"


    Xenia also looked confused. She turned to Noelle. "How do you know?"


    Noelle smirked. "Remember when I held that press conference for ke''s


    incident, but the Cantrells shut it down? Donovan admitted it himself back then."


    She didn''t mention that it was actually Cedric who had revealed the truth. Speaking of Cedric, she suddenly thought of his brother, Magnus.


    Now that she thought about it, Magnus did treat Cedric differently. She should have noticed the oddity sooner.


    Even Lucas was stunned. "Is he really marrying into the family? But Donovan is so proud. How could he stand for that?"


    Noelle sneered. "Because the Liddells are nothingpared to the Cantrells. What else could he do but marry into their family?"


    Wyatt was indignant. "But Ms. Cantrell is a cripple! Why should she get to have him?"

 Chapter 590

    "Aren''t you also disabled? You''re not even as good as Ms. Cantrell." Noelle couldn''t stand the way Wyatt kept calling Mia a cripple.


    Her words enraged Wyatt. His face twisted with fury as he snapped, "What did you say? Say that again if you dare!"


    Noelle calmly set down her spoon. "I said, you''re a wheelchair-bound cripple yourself. What gives you the right to call someone else that?"


    "You traitor!" Wyatt shouted, his face contorted with rage. "How dare you take an outsider''s side and insult me!"


    Before he could get closer, Noelle suddenly flipped the table. The dishes crashed down, and the cooked fishnded on Wyatt''sp.


    He saw red. "Noelle! Do you think I won''t beat you up just because you''re grown?"


    Noelle smirked, then kicked his wheelchair over. Wyatt fell straight into the mess of food miserably.


    Noelle towered over him. "Don''t assume I won''ty a hand on you because you''re disabled."


    Wyatt was livid. His voice trembled as he shouted, "Aren''t you afraid I''ll never forgive you?"


    Noelle cocked a brow. "I pray for that to happen."


    She had long stopped caring about the Liddell family.


    Wyatt struggled to get up, but he couldn''t bnce with only one leg., so he turned


    to Xenia for help. But Xenia hesitated, feeling utterly humiliated. However, she couldn''t afford to lose Wyatt when Donovan was already annoyed with her.


    So, despite her reluctance, she walked over and handed Wyatt a towel. "Wipe yourself off first, Wyatt."


    Noelle watched them with amusement. "Instead of wasting time here, you should focus on dealing with the Cantrells. The Liddells will go bankrupt in no time if you piss them off. At that point, forget about your engagement. Even survival will be hard enough."


    Wyatt cursed, "This is all your fault!"


    Noelle raised a brow. "I wasn''t the one who stole a dress."


    Just then, a waiter entered. "Excuse me, who will be settling the bill?"


    Noelle smirked and pointed at Wyatt. "Him. After all, he invited us to celebrate his engagement."


    Wyatt snapped, "Fine! I''ll pay!"


    But when be reached into his


    pockets, he froze. Then, he admittet


    awkwardly forgot my wallet And I don''t have my credit card on me."


    Xenia flushed with embarrassment. "Then, what do we do?"


    "I thought Donovan was here and was nning to just put it on his tab." He turned to the waiter. "Do you know Donovan Liddell Just charge it to him. No need to make this difficult."


    The waiter smiled. "Sorry, sir. Our restaurant doesn''t allow tabs."


    He looked directly at Wyatt. "Cash or card?"


    Wyatt flushed bright red. With no other choice, he turned to Lucas. "Lucas, cover this for me. I''ll pay you backter."


    Lucas replied coolly, "Xenia made


    me lose my entire esports team. Now, I''m buried in debt, and I still have to pay a settlement to Maple Enterprise to avoid jail time. Where exactly would I get the money?"


    Wyatt grew frustrated. "Then use your credit card!"


    Lucas shrugged. "All my cards are maxed out. Since you and Xenia are engaged now, why don''t you ask her to cover it?"


    He had no intention of paying even a cent.


    Wyatt gritted his teeth in frustration. Finally, he turned to Noelle. "You should pay.


    You ate the most just now."


    Noelle smiled. "Beg."


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 Chapter 591

    Noelle had underestimated how shameless Wyatt could be. Had he been this shameless in her past life? Then again, Noelle hadn''t interacted with him much then.


    But Xenia was already with Justin and was desperately trying to marry into the Parham family. There had been no mention of any connection between Wyatt and Xenia.


    Wyatt cursed. "Noelle, I''m still your brother! Why are you making such a fuss about paying for a meal?!"


    "Do you think you''re worthy of my money?" Noelle had no interest in wasting more time here. She turned and walked out of the private dining room.


    Behind her, she heard Wyatt yelling at Lucas, demanding that he cover the bill, bringing up how he used to give Lucas allowance when they were kids and iming it was time to pay him back.


    Noelle couldn''t help butugh. She hadn''t expected Wyatt to be this shameless. But she had her fill of amusement at Xenia''s expense today.


    Noelle was curious if Donovan would still tolerate Xenia and preach about family bonds and how blood was thicker than water after today''s stunt. Honestly, she was looking forward to it.


    As she reached the entrance of L Bistro, Noelle nced up at the window of the private room where she and Cedric had dinedst time. Back then, they had stood by that very window and kissed.


    Just as she was lost in thought, a convoy of luxury cars pulled up by the roadside. Noelle was stunned. It seemed someone important wasing here to dine.


    She instinctively shifted to the side. But before she could step away, a group of uniformed bodyguards exited the vehicles and walked directly toward her.


    Surprise crossed her eyes. What was going on?


    The bodyguards stood around her and spoke in unison, "Ms. Liddell, please get in the car."


    Noelle''s heart skipped a beat. "Did you get the wrong person?"


    The men continued, "Ms. Liddell, Mrs. Greene specifically sent us to pick you up."


    Mrs. Greene? Noelle immediately thought of her connection to Cedric. Emma must have figured out who she was after their encounter at the lift. She nced at the bodyguards, quickly guessing why Emma wanted to meet her.


    Just then, she received a message from Emma. "I sent the driver. Don''t worry."


    Seeing the message, Noelle hesitated before getting into the car. As she did, a familiar voice called out from behind. "Noelle, where are you going?"


    She turned to see her family stepping out of the restaurant. Judging by Wyatt and Xenia''s sour expressions, they had not enjoyed the end of that meal. But it seemed Noelle would never know who paid.


    Noelle ignored Lucas and let the car door shut behind her. As the vehicle pulled away, Lucas stumbled forward and then anxiously called Noelle. But she didn''t pick up.


    "Where did Noelle go, Lucas?" Xenia was seething jealousy as she watched the convoy disappear.


    Those were expensive cars! Who hade to pick Noelle up?


    Lucas frowned, worried. "I don''t know. She didn''t answer my call."


    Wyatt, covered in food stains, maneuvered his wheelchair closer. He huffed. "Looks like we underestimated Noelle. No wonder she''s acting all high and mighty. She must''ve found herself a powerful backer!"


    Won


    Xenia frowned. "But I''ve never heard of Noelle having any powerful connections... Could it be Mrs. Greene?"


    Wyatt sneered. "Do you really think someone like Mrs. Greene would send a car for her? That brat isn''t that important."


    Xenia nodded. It did seem unlikely that Noelle had that kind of influence.


    Lucas was still uneasy and quickly sent Noelle a message. "Whose car did you leave in? Call me if anything happens."


    Noelle nced at the message but didn''t reply. There was no reason to tell the Liddell family about her ties to the Greenes.


    Not long after, the car pulled up in front of a beauty salon.

 Chapter 592

    Noelle stepped out of the car and nced around. The spa looked high-end- definitely the kind of ce frequented by wealthy socialites.


    Before she could take a second look, a staff member approached her with a polite smile. "Ms. Liddell, please follow me."


    She followed them inside, changed into a spa robe, and was led to a private suite. It was only then that she noticed Emma reclining in a chair with a face mask on.


    "Noelle, you''re here!" Emma sat up and patted the seat next to her. "You should try it, too. The estheticians here have excellent techniques."


    Before Noelle could say anything, someone gently pushed her onto a reclining chair. Then, something was smeared onto her face, and a pair of skilled hands began to massage her skin.


    She felt uneasy, but more than that, she was confused. By now, Emma should have heard about her rtionship with Cedric. Usually, the response would be to throw a check at her and demand she leave him.


    Noelle could not figure out Emma''s approach. Nheless, by the time the massage ended, she felt much more rxed.


    Sitting up, she nced at Emma and said, "I doubt you asked me here just for a spa treatment."


    "You''re right. There''s something else," Emma replied and pped her hands. Within seconds, several attendants walked in, carrying stacks of gift bags. They piled them around Noelle until she was practically surrounded.


    Noelle eyed the bags and let out a quiet sigh. "Mrs. Greene, if you have something to say, just say it. There''s no need for all the theatrics."


    Emma dismissed the attendants with a wave of her hand. Once they were alone, she let out a soft sigh and looked at Noelle with aplicated expression. She began, "I know this is going to make things awkward between us."


    Before finding out who Noelle was, Emma had actually liked her quite a bit.


    Noelle spoke first. "Cedric and I have already broken up."


    "Huh?" Emma''s eyes widened in shock.


    She had tried so hard to convince Cedric to end things, yet he had never agreed. Now, hearing Noelle say it so calmly made her uneasy, and she wondered if Noelle had already known everything.


    Noelle''s voice remained steady. "He hid his real identity from me throughout our


    rtionship. I see that as deception, so I chose to walk away."


    Emma''s expression wavered with guilt. If that was all Noelle knew, then Cedric


    must not have told her about the ident from years ago.


    Emma reached out and gently held Noelle''s hand. "I admit that our family wronged you. That''s why want to make it up to you. Noelle, would you be willing to be my goddaughter?"


    Goddaughter? A flicker of irony shed through Noelle''s eyes. So, this was how Emma nned to make things right.


    Emma squeezed her hand, her tone soft yet sincere. "Sweetheart, I''m not trying to insult you. If you be my goddaughter, no one will dare mistreat you again."


    Emma truly wanted to make amends. After learning how miserable Noelle''s life with the Liddells had been, Emma had barely slept in days.


    Noelle did not quite know how to react to such kindness. "Mrs. Greene, you don''t have to do this. Cedric and I are truly over, and I won''t be chasing after him in the future."


    "This isn''t about him¡ªI just want a daughter. I even prepared a lot of gifts for you. Take them."


    Emma pushed a gift box into Noelle''s hands. Inside, Noelle found a car key-one for a luxury vehicle¡ªand a thick stack of real estate deeds.


    For a moment, Noelle was stunned. Instead of throwing a check at her, Emma was giving her a mansion and a luxury car.


    Before she could process it, Emma handed her a legal document. "I mean it, Noelle. If you be my daughter, you''ll inherit my assets. All you need to do is sign, and O everything listed here will be yours."


    Noelle nced at the papers. The assets, including stocks and shares, had to be worth hundreds of millions of dors.


    Emma was practically pulling her hand toward the document, ready to press her fingerprint on it. Noelle did not move. "Mrs. Greene-"


    "Call me Emma! And today, you are epting all these gifts! From this moment on, you are part of the Greene family!"


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 Chapter 593

    Noelle never imagined she would see Emma again under these circumstances. She had expected a dramatic scene straight out of a TV drama¡ªEmma, the wealthy socialite, pping a check on the table and warning her not to dream of climbing the socialdder.


    But this? This was something she had not seening.


    In the end, Noelle did not sign anything and ced the box back on the table. She looked Emma in the eye and said firmly, "You don''t have to worry about me and Cedric..."


    Emma interrupted gently, "Sweetheart, I''m not asking you to be my goddaughter because of Cedric. I''m his stepmom, and there''s only so much I can do about his life. But I genuinely like you."


    She could see the wariness in Noelle''s eyes and understood why her actions might havee off as suspicious. But she truly wanted to make things right¡ª and more than that, she really did like Noelle.


    After learning how badly Noelle had been treated by the Liddells, all Emma wanted was to give her the kind of protection a real family would provide.


    Noelle asked, "But I thought you preferred Laura for Cedric, Mrs. Greene."


    Emma''s expression stiffened before she let out an awkward sigh. "I used to, yes. But that was just wishful thinking on my part-Cedric never agreed to it.


    "Don''t get the wrong idea about him... all these years, the only girl he''s ever had feelings for is you."


    Emma could not lie about that. It was just unfortunate that Noelle was that girl back then. She dreaded the day Noelle would find out the full truth about the ident, knowing it would hurt her even more.


    Upon hearing Emma''s exnation, Noelle''s emotions grewplicated. She could not help but wonder if everything Laura had said to her back then was all a lie. Before she could dwell on it further, the door to the private room swung open.


    Cedric walked in, his expression stern, followed by a team from TG Public Rtions. Noelle was caught off guard. She had not seen or spoken to him since their breakup at the gym. Dressed in a sharp suit with his hair perfectly styled, he looked every bit the sessful executive.


    Cedric''s eyes scanned the room, taking in Noelle''s spa robe and the green facial mask still on her face. This was not the scene of a confrontation he had been expecting.


    The tension in the room was palpable, and Noelle nced at him briefly before looking away, unsure of what to say.


    Emma stood up, hands on her hips. "What are you doing here? And why did you bring so many people are you here to start a fight?"


    Cedric pressed his lips into a thin line. The moment he got Tilly''s message, he rushed over without hesitation.


    He stepped closer to Noelle, positioning himself protectively beside her, and said, "Mom, I told you not to interfere in Noelle''s life."


    Emma rolled her eyes. "I''m not


    interfering! invited her for a spa day and bought her some gifts. And by the way was just about to tell.


    you-want to make Noelle mal ne


    goddaughter. You know I''ve always wanted a daughter, but Magnus turned out to be a boy."


    Emma was quite bitter about this matter.


    Cedric''s expression darkened. "No. That''s not happening."


    Emma raised an eyebrow. "Why not? You two are broken up, aren''t you?"


    The word ''broken up'' stung, and Cedric shot back, "I never agreed to that, and I never will."


    Noelle could only be his girlfriend, not his sister. He added, "If you want a daughter so badly, talk to Dad about having another kid. IVF is an option."


    Emma was speechless for a


    moment, her face flushed with frustration Meanwhile, Noelle,


    watching from the side, was surprised but did not say anything. From the way they talked, Cedric and Emma actually had a good rtionship.


    Emma grabbed Noelle''s hand, red at Cedric, and snapped, "You''re the one


    who got dumped. Don''t me me for that."


    Cedric sighed, exasperated. "I''m working on fixing things. Could you please not make it harder?"


    Noelle stood awkwardly between them, wishing they would stop bringing up the breakup as if she were not even there. Moreover, she was supposed to be dealing with a wealthy socialite waving a check in her face.


    She secretly grumbled, "Why is nothing going the way I expected?"

 Chapter 594

    Emma was still holding Noelle''s hand as she spoke excitedly. "Oh, Noelle, go wash your face and change your clothes. I''ll take you shopping! I heard some new collections just dropped-perfect for young women like you."


    Her enthusiasm was impossible to hide. She was eager to experience what it was like to dress up a daughter.


    After all, when she used to dress up Magnus as a child, one moment, he would be an adorable little girl, and the next, he would be rolling in the mud like a wild rascal. It had never given her the satisfaction she craved.


    Noelle hesitated for a moment, trying toe up with an excuse to decline. On the side, Cedric nced at the time and said, "She needs to head back to school. The dorms have a curfew."


    "Oh, right, I forgot about that. Then we''ll go another time," Emma said, visibly disappointed.


    Noelle could only nod. Ever since she heard Emma rify that Cedric and Laura were never engaged, her mind had been in turmoil.


    The main reason she had been so upset with Cedric and broken up with him was because of Laura. But now she found out Laura had been lying.


    At that moment, Cedric took Noelle''s wrist and said, "I''ll take her back."


    Emma quickly added, "Make sure she takes all the things I bought for her."


    "I''ll get her what she needs," Cedric replied firmly.


    Noelle did not even get a chance to respond before Cedric led her away. Once they left the private room, Noelle suddenly stopped, looking uneasy. "I haven''t changed my clothes yet."


    "I''ll have Tilly bring them to you," Cedric said, not wanting her to stay with Emma any longer, worried she might let something slip.


    However, Noelle blushed, hunched over slightly, and whispered, "I''m not wearing a bra."


    She was in loose spa attire and


    could not possibly walk out like that. Cedric''s gaze fell on her, and without hesitation, he took off his jacket and draped it over her shoulders. Then, he turned to one of the staff nearby and said, "Get her a room to change in."


    Noelle still had the seaweed facial mask on her face, so she definitely could not leave like that. Soon, Tilly arrived and escorted Noelle to another room.


    After washing her face and changing into her clothes, Noelle finally rxed. She looked at Tilly and asked, "Did he arrange for you to be here?"


    She had initially thought the PR team from TG Public Rtions had been assigned to her because of Alfred''s influence. But now it seemed like it was all Cedric''s doing.


    Tilly looked slightly awkward. "Ms. Liddell, Mr. Greene cares deeply about you. This isn''t about keeping tabs on you."


    She could tell Cedric''s concern for Noelle was far from casual. However, Noelle did not respond. When she stepped out of the room, she saw Cedric standing outside, his back turned to her.


    He was speaking in a low voice, his expression serious and


    As Cedric approached, Noelle felt a sudden wave of uncertainty. He reached out


    to take her hand, but she pulled away. She knew the Cedric she had just seen was his true self.


    The evasion created an awkward


    tension between them, and Cedric''s hand hung in the air for a moment before he let it drop. A faint smile tugged at his lips as he said, Don''t take what my mom said to heart."


    Noelle looked up at him and teased, "Mrs. Greene offered to make me her goddaughter and even promised me a share of her wealth. That might be worth considering."


    She could tell Emma had not meant to insult her with money.


    Cedric''s face darkened instantly. "No way. I don''t need another sister." What he needed was a wife.


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 Chapter 595

    Noelle felt a slight sense of satisfaction seeing Cedric''s dark expression. She turned and walked toward the elevator without another word.


    Soon, she heard steady footsteps following her, and she did not even need to look


    to know who it was. The elevator doors opened, and she stepped inside. From the corner of her eye, she saw Cedric enter as well, standing right next to her.


    They stood close, with just a fist''s distance between them. The elevator was silent, and Noelle nced up at the reflection in the doors, identally meeting Cedric''s intense gaze. She quickly looked away.


    Noelle could still feel his eyes on her, but she refused to meet his stare. Cedric watched her with a mix of frustration and helplessness, his gaze lingering on her delicate profile. He had not slept well these past few days, haunted by the memory of her angry face when she broke up with him.


    He had never felt so desperate in his life, yet he could not do anything to change her mind. Before he could figure out what to say, the elevator doors opened, and Noelle walked out without looking back.


    Cedric, who was annoyed and frustrated, hurried after her. He said, "Wait, let me drive you back."


    "No need, Mr. Greene. There are plenty of cabs around. It''s convenient," Noelle replied, her tone and expression distant as she turned to face him.


    Cedric felt a pang of frustration and took a deep breath. He insisted, "I need to talk to you."


    "I think we''ve said everything there is to say," Noelle shot back, turning to leave. But Cedric pulled her back, and she stumbled into his arms.


    She tried to struggle, but his grip was firm. She gritted her teeth and hissed, "Cedric!"


    "I''m here," he replied calmly.


    "You''re shameless," Noelle muttered.


    Cedric did not respond. Shameless or not, he would rather be called that than let her walk away. Just then, a luxury car pulled beside them, and the window rolled down.


    "Ms. Liddell," a voice called out.


    Noelle looked up and saw Salena inside the car. Flustered, she pushed Cedric away with enough force that he nearly stumbled.


    Cedric was caught off guard and red at the woman in the car. His tone wasced with irritation as he asked, "Mrs. Cantrell, what can I do for you?"


    If Salena had not shown up, he would have already convinced Noelle to get into his car. Of all times, why did she have to show up now?


    Salena, noticing Cedric''s displeasure, realized she might have interrupted something. At first, she had not even realized that the man hugging Noelle was Cedric.


    1.n


    After the incident at L Bistro, Emma must have figured out who the girl Cedric was protecting was. Salena could not help but wonder why. Emma had not done anything about it. Nheless, seeing how fiercely Cedric stood by Noelle, it seemed breaking them apart would not be easy.


    Salena apologized, "I''m sorry, Mr. Greene. I didn''t realize you were here. I just needed to speak with Ms. Liddell about something."


    Noelle was curious about what Salena could possibly want to talk to her about. After all, they had only met once before. She walked over and asked, "What did you want to discuss, Salena?"


    "I heard the Liddells have an adopted daughter named Xenia Quigley. She seems quite close to your brothers, especially Donovan, who''s cleaned up her messes more than once," Salena said pointedly.


    Noelle understood what Salena was implying. She smiled and replied, "As


    you probably know, my parents passed away in a car ident, and Xenia''s father, who was their driver, also died. Donovan took Xenia in and raised her in the Liddell household. They''ve always been close, and he''s protective of her."


    "Protective? More like obsessed," Cedric interjected, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "If I didn''t know Xenia was his adopted sister, I''d think Donovan had feelings for her."


    Salena frowned and argued, "Donovan doesn''t strike me as the type to blur those lines."


    If he were, the Cantrells would not have considered him as a potential for their matrilocal arrangement.


    Cedric''s expression turned icy. "Mrs. Cantrell, if you look into it, you''ll see the Liddells'' favoritism isn''t just rumors. It''s all true."


    Salena fell silent, considering her words. Cedric continued, "If your family is serious about choosing someone for your matrilocal arrangement, I suggest you reevaluate his character."

 Chapter 596

    In any case, Cedric did not think Donovan was a good fit, and Noelle actually felt the same way. At that moment, Cedric''s car pulled up to the curb. He grabbed Noelle''s hand and led her into the car.


    Noelle nced back at Salena''s car and asked, "Didn''t the Cantrells look into Donovan''s character or the Liddells'' background before?"


    "Since the Liddells have always lived in Aldoria, even if they wanted to investigate, all they''d find is your bad reputation," Cedric exined, turning to look at her. "As for character, if a man wants to pretend, you''d never see through it."


    But as soon as he said it, he regretted it. Noelle raised an eyebrow. "Mr. Greene, you''re absolutely right. Seems like you know yourself pretty well."


    Cedric felt like he had shot himself in the foot. He replied weakly, "At least I''m not trying to take advantage of anyone''s wealth."


    Noelle retorted, "Or maybe you''re just afraid I''m after your family''s power and status?"


    "Why would I be afraid of that? If you promise not to get mad or break up with me, I''ll transfer all my assets to your name. We can share everything after marriage," Cedric said earnestly.


    Noelle''s face warmed, and she muttered, "Who said anything about marrying you? I''m breaking up with you."


    The moment Cedric heard the word "breakup," he fell silent. He did not respond, but in his mind, he was not agreeing to it.


    Noelle turned her head, staring out the car window. She caught his reflection in the ss, and for some reason, she felt an ache in her chest, as if something heavy was pressing down on her. When the car stopped outside her school, she opened the door and walked away without looking back.


    Cedric could only watch her retreating figure and rub his temples in frustration. He loosened his tie and unbuttoned his cor, knowing he had a lot of work to do to win her back. His top priority, though, was stopping Emma from making Noelle her goddaughter he did not need another sister.


    When Noelle returned to her dorm, she was distracted, thinking about what had just happened. She saw Mia had also returned and wanted to ask her what Donovan had said when he chased after her to exin.


    sense Noelle''s


    Mia seemed to sen


    curiosity and spoke up first.


    "Donovan exined for a long time, saying there was nothing between him and Xenia. He only sees her as a sister, and Xenia is about to get engaged to Wyatt."


    Noelle was not surprised. "You saw what the Liddells are like today."


    Mia''s expression was clear and resolute. "I''ve decided to break up with Donovan."


    Her feelings for Donovan had never


    been that strong. Still, after witnessing what happened at L Bistro and seeing him lie to her, alwaysiding with Xenia and ming Noelle for the dress


    incident, she realized the rumors about Noelle were all false.


    Noelle sighed in relief. "I think that''s the right choice. He''s too ambitious."


    He would not settle for being a live-in son-inw-he was just using Mia. Nevertheless, as long as Mia saw him for who he really was, that was what mattered most. At least she would not be deceived anymore.


    For the next few days, Noelle focused on preparing for her team''s campuspetition. On the day of the preliminaries, even the event''s sponsors showed


    up.


    When Noelle saw Laura, she was momentarily dazed, remembering their meeting at the caf¨¦. Back then, she had beenpletely blindsided, overwhelmed by hurt and confusion.


    Laura walked over with a smile. "Ms. Liddell, you look much better than before. Girls should always look forward. I''m d to see you''ve picked yourself up and started a new chapter."


    Noelle stared at Laura, smirking. "I heard Ms. Merlock and the Greenes are about to announce some good news?"


    Laura tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, smiling sweetly. "We''ve been keeping it low-key, but it seems the paparazzi found out. After all, Ced and I grew up together. No matter what happens, we''re meant to get married."


    "Really? Then why did Mrs. Greene say there''s no engagement between you two?"


    As soon as Noelle said this, Laura''s expression cracked.


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 Chapter 597

    Noelle remained calm, carefully observing the changes in Laura''s expression. In just a few seconds, Laura''s face shifted from awkwardness to anger, then quickly settled back intoposure.


    Noelle could not help but admire the socialite''s ability to control her emotions. After all, thest time they met at the caf¨¦, Laura had fooled herpletely.


    Laura''s smile faded, and her tone turned condescending. "Ced and I grew up together. We''re from the same world. But you? He didn''t even tell you his real identity. How much sincerity do you think he has for you?"


    Noelle''s heart ached at those words, but she kept herposure. She smirked and retorted, "Ms. Merlock, dropping the act now, are we?"


    Laura''s eyes shed with irritation. "What act? Everything I told you before was for your own good. Did you really think a Cindere story would evere true?"


    Noelle scoffed. "And yet, Ms. Merlock, you''ve spent years scheming to marry into a richer family, haven''t you? But since that didn''t work out, you resorted to dirty tricks to drive a wedge between me and Cedric."


    After hearing Emma rify that Cedric and Laura were not engaged, Noelle pieced Laura''s schemes together. Laura had been at L Bistro that day and must have known about her rtionship with Cedric, and the phone call must have been the start of Laura''s n.


    Nevertheless, the fact that Laura knew Cedric''s phone password bothered Noelle deeply.


    Laura''s expression darkened for a moment, thinking, "This bitch is sharper than she looks."


    Then, she whispered, "So what? He didn''t even tell you his real identity because he was afraid you would cling to him.


    "You''ve probably asked him by now, right? It won''t be long before he starts distancing himself from you. He''d never marry someone like you."


    Laura rambled on, but Noelle remained unmoved, which only made Laura''s heart sink. Noelle suddenlyughed, her mocking gaze piercing through Laura.


    Laura''s voice sharpened. "What''s so funny?"


    "Ms. Merlock, you should really check a mirror when you talk. Your jealousy is showing-even under all that foundation," Noelle said lightly, her words instantly enraging Laura.


    "Don''t get too cocky, Noelle. You''re not good enough for the Greenes Neither Mrs. Greene nor Mrs. Greene Senior would ever approve of you," Laura snapped, clinging to the only card she had-her social status.


    Noelle simply smiled. "That''s for me to worry about, not you. You''re in such a rush


    to talk to me¡ªweren''t you just trying to see if Cedric and I are still together?"


    She was not going to fall for Laura''s tricks this time.


    Laura gritted her teeth. "Ms. Liddell, you''re just as unpleasant as the rumors say."


    "And you''re just as cunning and maniptive as they say, Ms. Merlock. You can twist lies into truths. You even tried to paint me as the other woman. I don''t have the thick skin for that!" Noelle fired back.


    She could no longer hold back. After all, this woman had schemed against her, causing her so much pain and heartache. Now that she saw through Laura''s games, she was not going to let her off easy.


    Laura sneered. "Ced and I grew up together. Our families have been discussing an engagement."


    "Keep telling yourself that. The truth is, the Merlocks are desperate to climb into the Greenes'' good graces. You want to marry Cedric, but he''s never been interested in you He doesn''t love you," Noelle said bluntly.


    Laura''s face twisted in anger, and she raised her hand to p Noelle.


    However, Noelle caught her wrist mid-air and mocked, "What''s wrong? Can''t handle the truth?"


    "Noelle, you shameless, ill-bred girl! How dare you even dream of being with Ced? Look at yourself¡ªno parents, no background, nothing!" Laura spat, her voice trembling with rage.

 Chapter 598

    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 ¡ªit 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 caf¨¦ 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?"


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 Chapter 599

    Noelle could not shake the feeling that tonight''s celebration dinner was not going


    to be as straightforward as it seemed. Still, her teammates were thrilled, especially since L Bistro was not a ce just anyone could get into.


    Grace was particrly excited when Noelle returned to the dorm. She had never dined at such an exclusive spot.


    Overhearing the ns, Mia pulled Noelle aside and whispered, "I did some digging. Going to L Bistro probably has something to do with the Merlocks. You should be careful."


    She suspected Laura was behind this, likely up to no good.


    Noelle nodded and said, "I figured as much."


    Mia continued, "The Merlocks haven''t been doing well these past couple of years. That''s why they''re desperate to marry Laura off to the Greenes. Too bad Cedric isn''t interested in her. Laura''s all about appearances and can''t hold a candle to you."


    Mia had always been overlooked in social circles due to her limp, but that had also allowed her to overhear plenty of juicy gossip over the years.


    Noelle smiled. Ever since she had taken Mia to L Bistrost time, their friendship had grown much stronger.


    Mia handed her a membership card to L Bistro. "Here''s my card. I don''t need it since I can just walk in, but you might find it useful."


    Having navigated elite circles for years, Mia had a good idea of what Laura might be nning.


    Noelle took the card without hesitation. "Thanks."


    If Mia was offering, she was not going to turn it down. Just then, Grace came out of the bathroom, dressed and ready to go.


    After that, Noelle gathered the team, and they headed to L Bistro together. When they arrived at the private room, they found several people already seated and drinking, clearly not waiting for them.


    Noelle''s brow furrowed as she took in the scene. The Howie stood up and greeted her, "Noelle, you''re finally here! We''ve been waiting. Let me introduce you these are the sponsors from the Merlocks."


    Noelle''s expression darkened as


    they sat down, the mood in the room shifting ufortably. One of the middle-aged men raised his ss and said, "Congrattions on your win today. Fill your sses and have a drink with us."


    Noelle, however, ced her hand over her ss. "We''re still students. We don''t


    drink alcohol-just soda or water, please."


    Her refusal immediately soured the atmosphere.


    One of the sponsors sneered, "You''re not going to give the Merlocks any respect? I''ve seen plenty of college kids like you. You''re adults now it''s time to learn how to socialize and handle a little alcohol. Don''t you know how the world works?"


    Howie chimed in, trying to smooth things over. "The Merlocks have been our partners for years. It''s just a drink-no big deal. Show some courtesy."


    Noelle shot back, "I never asked for the Merlocks'' sponsorship in the first ce!"


    It was clear to Noelle what kind of dinner this was, and she thought Laura really was truly disgusting.


    Seeing Noelle stand her ground set


    Howie turned his attention to Grace and two senior teammates, pulling them over to sit next to the sponsors.


    "You girls can have a drink. It''s just one-no harm done." Despite his words, he filled their sses with red wine, pressuring them toply.


    The two seniors, not wanting to cause a scene, reluctantly took sips of their wine, even covering for Grace by drinking hers as well. The sponsors smirked, clearly enjoying the power dynamic.


    "See? The veterans know how to follow the rules. Have another," one of them said.


    Feeling guilty for letting her teammates take the heat, Grace finally picked up her ss. She said nervously, "I''m not much of a drinker, but I''ll have a little."


    As she did, one of the men leaned in, cing his hand on the back of her chair and closing the space between them. With a sleazy grin, he remarked, "Don''t worry; I''ll teach you how to drink."


    Noelle had seen enough. She stood up abruptly, walked over to Grace, and forcefully pushed the man''s hand off the chair.


    The sponsor''s face turned red with anger, and he snapped, "What do you think you''re doing? Just because you''re the team captain doesn''t mean you can act like you''re above everyone else!"

 Chapter 600

    "I recorded the entire incident of your harassment on my phone. So, what am I doing? Making sure you end up behind bars-how does that sound?" Noelle shot back, her voice sharp.


    She then pulled Grace to her feet. "Since we clearly can''t enjoy this dinner with you, we''ll take another room."


    Laura and Samantha walked in just as the tension peaked. The moment they entered, the middle-aged men in the room visibly straightened up, their earlier bravado fading.


    Laura picked up a ss of wine and said, "Ms. Liddell, there''s no need to be so upset. Socializing involves a drink or two."


    Noelle, however, was having none of it. She grabbed a bottle and filled Laura''s ss to the brim. "If that''s the case, Ms. Merlock, why don''t you finish this first before saying anything else?"


    Samantha, standing beside Laura, red at Noelle. "Who do you think you are telling Laura what to do? If it weren''t for her generosity, you wouldn''t even be allowed to step foot in L Bistro!"


    Noelle ignored Samantha and turned to Laura. "These men work for the Merlocks, don''t they? One of them just sexually harassed my teammate. Your family''s reputation will take another hit if this gets out."


    The man in question immediately protested, "That''s a lie! I didn''t touch anyone!"


    Noelle held up her phone. "I have proof." She smirked at Laura. "Do you like this little gift?"


    Laura''sposure cracked. She turned to the man and pped him across the face. "Apologize. Now."


    Samantha looked confused. "Laura, why are you making him apologize? These girls are probably just gold diggers looking for rich men. They''re probably asking for it!"


    Laura snapped, "Enough, Samantha!"


    She knew better than to underestimate Noelle, especially after how she had handled Samantha in the past. Now that Noelle knew about Cedric''s background, Laura knew she had to tread carefully.


    Noelle chuckled. "Ms. Merlock, you''re a smart woman. As long as he apologizes sincerely, we''ll let this go."


    The man reluctantly muttered an apology to Grace, but the mood in the room had already soured.


    Laura''s tone was icy. "You''ve ruined tonight''s celebration."


    Noelle shrugged. "The celebration hasn''t even started yet. We''ll just take another room."


    Then, she signaled for a server.


    Samantha sneered. "This is L Bistro, not some cheap diner. Do you think you can just waltz in and get another room? Without Laura, you wouldn''t even be allowed in here!"


    Laura added, her voice dripping with sarcasm, "Why don''t you just stay and eat


    with us? No need to make a scene."


    Noelle pulled out the membership


    card Mia had given her earlier. Samantha''s eyes narrowed. "There''s no way someone like you could have a membership card for L Bistro Did you steal it or buy it off some shady website?"


    Laura, however, looked shaken. She wondered if it was Cedric''s card.


    The server hesitated. "Is this card yours?"


    Noelle replied calmly, "No, it''s not."


    The server exined, "If it''s not your card, we''ll need to verify the owner''s identity."


    Noelle tried calling Mia, but there was no answer.


    Samantha smirked triumphantly. "See? I told you she stole it!"


    Just then, the restaurant manager, Bobby, rushed over. Samantha


    pointed at Noelle and said,


    Fuentes, this woman is using a stolen membership card. Throw her out!"


    Instead, Bobby bowed slightly to Noelle. "My apologies, Ms. Liddell. The new server didn''t know. Your VIP suite upstairs has been ready for you."


    Laura''s face fell, unable to believe what was happening.


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 Chapter 601

    Marvin''s words caught Noelle off guard, but she did not let it show. Instead, she turned to her team and said, "Let''s head up to the lounge upstairs. There''s no point in interrupting Mr. Merlock from socializing with others."


    Laura''s face instantly darkened. "Ms. Liddell, what''s that supposed to mean?"


    "We don''t drink, so we''ll leave you to your fun. Consider it a favor," Noelle replied coolly.


    Samantha snapped, "Noelle, who do you think you are? Even Laura has to book the VIP lounge a month in advance. Mr. Wilcher, are you sure you didn''t make a mistake?"


    Marvin remained calm. "There was no mistake. Ms. Liddell reserved the VIP lounge."


    Noelle nced at Laura. "Didn''t realize the VIP lounge was so exclusive. You''re wee to join us upstairs if you''d rather."


    Laura stiffened but stayed silent.


    ...


    As Noelle led her team upstairs, Grace walked beside her and whispered, "That was so satisfying. You should''ve seen the looks on the Merlock sisters'' faces." Noelle squeezed Grace''s hand. "Are you okay after what happened earlier?"


    "I''m fine. But did you actually record the video?" Grace asked.


    Noelle shook her head. "Didn''t get the chance. But guilty people panic easily, so it doesn''t matter."


    The team filed into the VIP lounge, but Noelle spotted Tilly from TG Public Rtions talking to a server nearby. Curious, she walked over.


    Tilly tensed when she saw her. "Ms. Liddell."


    "Was this your doing?" Noelle asked.


    "Actually, Mr. Greene instructed us to handle


    everything for you," Tilly


    admitted carefully, knowing tensions


    high between them.


    Noelle had assumed Mia had arranged it. However, after hearing the VIP lounge required a month''s notice, she had started suspecting Cedric''s involvement, and seeing Tilly only confirmed it.


    Tilly hesitated before adding, "I wasn''t going to interfere, but the Merlocks were out of line. I couldn''t just stand by."


    "Thank you," Noelle said. She genuinely appreciated the gesture.


    Back in the lounge, she struggled to focus. Grace, ever the gossip, leaned in. "So, was Mia the one who got us the VIP spot?"


    Now that Grace knew Mia''s connections, it was the obvious assumption. Noelle forced a nod, not about to admit that Cedric was behin it¡ªnot after their breakup. Later, she slipped out to go to the restroom and froze when she saw a familiar figure leaning against the wall, seemingly texting somebody.


    Cedric straightened when he noticed her, his gaze intense. "Done eating?"


    "Not yet. Just a bathroom break. About the lounge... I owe you one," she said, looking straight at him.


    "You don''t owe me anything. The lounge is yours whenever you want it¡ªno membership needed," he said softly.


    Meanwhile, Noelle suddenly panicked and avoided his stare.


    After Cedric received Tilly''s call, he could not help but rush over. He took a step closer and whispered, "Actually-"


    But before he could say more, Raymond''s voice cut in. "Captain?"


    Noelle turned to see Raymond watching them, and she awkwardly asked, "You''re done?"


    "Just stepping out for a smoke," he replied.

 Chapter 602

    Raymond shot a nce at the man standing next to Noelle. He had heard the two had already broken up. In response to Raymond''s reply, Noelle nodded politely and walked past Cedric without hesitation.


    However, Cedric''s eyes darkened as he watched Raymond approach. His voice was low and carried a hint of threat. "Stay away from her."


    "But didn''t you two break up?" Raymond raised a brow.


    "I haven''t agreed to it yet," Cedric replied coldly, his lips tightening. He narrowed his eyes and added, "You''d better not do anything you''ll regret."


    Raymond did not respond, but his gaze held a clear challenge. He did not even bother to finish his cigarette before turning around and heading back into the private lounge.


    Cedric clicked his tongue softly. He could not believe he had just warned some clueless kid. The feeling that washed over him was hard to describe.


    ...


    Meanwhile, Noelle had juste out of the restroom after sshing cold water on her face. As she walked back down the hallway, she saw Cedric still standing there. She took a deep breath and made her way over to him.


    Without looking directly at him, she passed by, but Cedric spoke up. "There''s a dinner tonight for the Al project. Want toe? There''s a new developmenting up-something to do with prosthetics."


    Noelle froze for a second when she heard the word "prosthetics," as it reminded her of Wyatt. In her past life, she sessfully developed Al-powered prosthetics, which became incredibly popr.


    She had only mentioned the idea to Cedric once, but apparently, he had moved fast. Then again, with Maple Enterprise backed by Alfred and Cedric, money and resources were never a problem.


    Noelle gave a small nod and pulled out her phone to text Grace, telling her to go ahead and eat without her. Then, she followed Cedric to a private lounge at the end of the hallway.


    As soon as they walked in, she noticed Laura was there, too. The air in the room shifted, and the atmosphere turned noticeably tense.


    Everyone who was present knew about Laura and Cedric''s history, so when Cedric walked in with a young woman by his side, eyebrows were definitely raised.


    Laura stood up immediately and greeted Noelle with a sweet but pointed smile. "Ms. Liddell, what a surprise to see you here."


    Nearby, a wealthy heir named


    Tommy Chapmanughed and said, "Mr. Greene, that''s cold, man. Ms. Merlock is already here, and you go off to bring in another girl? Aren''t you afraid she''ll get jealous?"


    Everyone chuckled along, feeding the tension in the room. Laura''s smile


    deepened as she nced at Noelle, clearly feeling victorious.


    Noelle''s smile grew just as bright. "Maybe I came at a bad time?"


    v


    She tilted her head and looked at Cedric, shing a smile that made his jaw clench. Right now, he absolutely did not want to see her smile That smile had hidden daggers-it hurt more than if she had just yelled at him.


    Laura quickly tried to smooth things over. "No, you''re right on time. There are some folks here who invest in pro-gaming teams. Since you''re so good at gaming, maybe you'' consider going pro someday?"


    "I''m not looking to join a pro team at the moment," Noelle replied calmly.


    "That''s a shame. This kind of opportunity doesn''te around often. Sticking to your college team might limit your future."


    Noelle looked straight at her. "The manager of Team Celestial had tried to recruit me before, too, but I turned them down. Everyone''s got their own path."


    Laura quickly walked over to Cedric''s side and chirped, "Ced,e on, have a seat. Everyone''s been waiting for you."


    Noelle turned to leave, but Cedric caught her wrist before she could go. He lowered his head and asked gently, "Are you mad?"


    The room went dead silent. Everyone stared at the two in shock, not quite believing what they saw.


    Noelle''s smile only widened. "I''m not mad."


    Tommy could not help but ask, "Ms. Liddell, are you and Mr. Greene... close?"


    Noelle nced at him with a fake smile. "Not really."


    Cedric did not move, still staring down at her. His brow twitched as he turned toward Tommy and said tly, "She''s mine. So watch what you say."


    Noelle''s cheeks flushed, thinking, "What the hell did he mean by ''she''s mine''?"


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 Chapter 603

    Cedric''s words obviously carried a hidden meaning, and it was hard to ignore the way people were interpreting them.


    On the other side, Laura''s expression nearly cracked. She had not expected Cedric to bring Noelle to this dinner, let alone act so close to her in front of everyone.


    She could not help but think he did not care about her dignity at all. After all, everyone here had assumed she and Cedric were an item.


    Noelle nced back at him, wondering if he had any idea how misleading his words sounded. She was annoyed that he imed she was his woman.


    Without saying a word, Cedric pulled out a chair for Noelle and motioned for her to sit. Then, he sat down right next to her.


    Noelle hesitated for a second. If she remembered correctly, that had been Laura''s seat earlier. She questioned whether this man really could not see what he was doing.


    The looks around the room shifted subtly. Word had it that Cedric was incredibly protective of a girl outside of work. Seeing this, they started specting if that mysterious gaming streamer, SweetNelly, was actually Noelle.


    Laura was clearly sidelined now, and she could not keep quiet any longer. "Ced, tonight we''re discussing a new Al project. Ms. Liddell doesn''t really have the background for this, so she might find it a little boring."


    Tommy jumped in right after. "Yeah, I mean, what would a gaming streamer even understand about tech like this?"


    The tone in his voice had that unmistakable mix of snobbery and condescension.


    Laura moved toward Tommy, and the people around him instantly stood to offer her a seat, giving her the respect she was used to. Just then, someone tried to steer the conversation back to the project.


    "Maple Enterprise winning the bid was huge. They''ve got the best tech and the deepest pockets-once this hits the market, they''ll dominate instantly."


    "Yeah, that''s all thanks to Mr. Greene''s sharp instincts. My family initially didn''t believe in the project, but now they''re eating their words."


    Noelle listened as they discussed the future of the Al project. Once itunched, Maple Enterprise''s value would skyrocket¡ªand so would her own share.


    Laura turned to her with a faint smile. "If you''re bored, feel free to leave anytime. No one here will hold it against you."


    Noelle replied calmly, "I''m good."


    Tommy jumped in again. "It sounds like Ms. SweetNelly is really into the Al project, then. Do you have anything you want to add?"


    Noelle thought about it for a moment and shook her head. "Not at the moment."


    After all, this was still just the beginning. All the projections they were talking about were just that-projections. Talking too much now would juste off as bluffing.


    However, as soon as she said that, Tommy burst intoughter. His eyes held a mocking glint. "Ms. SweetNelly, if you don''t get it, you can just ask. No need to pretend you know what we''re talking about."


    The vibe in the room instantly dropped. Laura lifted her ss and sipped her drink, but her eyes had turned cold. Tonight was the perfect chance to remind Noelle that when one did not belong in a certain circle, one really should not try to force one''s way in.


    Cedric''s face darkened. He was just about to say something, but Noelle chuckled softly.


    Tommy narrowed his eyes at her and said sharply, "Ms. SweetNelly, you find this funny? Is faking it hrious to you?"


    "It kind of is," Noelle said, her tone still calm. She looked at him without blinking. "You got the name of Maple Enterprise''s newest system wrong. And the specs you mentioned? You were quoting the performance of the previous version."


    "That''s impossible," Tommy snapped. "How would a streamer like you even know


    that? What, did you sneak a look at Mr. Greene''s confidential files?"


    He sounded rattled now and instinctively nced at Laura, clearly trying not to embarrass himself in front of her.


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 Chapter 604

    Laura finally spoke up, her voice soft but pointed. "Ced, you''re being reckless. I


    know you care about Ms. Liddell, but there should be limits.


    "With so muchpetition in the industry, what if she identally leaks


    confidential info? That could be a disaster."


    Tommy quickly chimed in, backing her up. "Exactly. You shouldn''t let a woman get


    in the way of work. That''s not like you, Mr. Greene."


    Cedric gave everyone in the room a nce. "Didn''t you all want to meet the lead


    engineer on the Al project? Well, I brought her with me tonight."


    The room fell intoplete silence. Laura gripped her ss so tightly that her


    knuckles turned white. She looked at Noelle, unable to believe what she had just


    heard.


    Tommy stared in disbelief and mumbled, "Mr. Greene... you''re saying the lead


    engineer is SweetNelly, the gaming streamer?"


    Cedric nodded once. "That''s right. It''s her."


    "You''ve gotta be kidding. Are you seriously telling us a live-streamer is heading


    your entire engineering division? She might be good at video games, but that''s a


    whole different world from engineering."


    Cedric tapped his long fingers on the table, his sharp gaze sweeping across the


    room. The energy shifted immediately, and no one dared say another word.


    Then, he spoke. "Do you really think I''d joke about something like this?"


    Faces changed instantly. Everyone knew Cedric was not the type to mess around.


    Still, it was wild to think the legendary engineer everyone had heard about was


    not only so young but also a woman.


    Tommy could not hold it in. "Mr. Greene, I''m sorry, but none of this adds up. She


    doesn''t look anything like the person we''ve all heard about."


    No one could wrap their head around it. The only exnation that made sense


    was that Cedric had elevated Noelle just to impress her, maybe even date her.


    Cedric turned his eyes on Tommy. "You judge too much by appearances. That''s


    exactly how you got scammed out of your money by a womanst time."


    Everyone around them burst intoughter.


    Tommy''s face turned red, but he refused to back down. "That''s a low blow. I fell


    for a ssic honey trap. And Mr. Greene, I gotta say, this looks kind of simr.


    "We''ve all invested money in this project. What if you got scammed, too? Our


    investments would be toast."


    Noelle heard all of it. She turned slightly and nced at Cedric, noticing his cold


    expression. Clearly, he was pissed.


    Shepletely understood where


    the crowd wasing from. After


    all, she was young, and other than


    the colleagues who had worked with


    her at Maple Enterprise, no one


    really believed she could hold that


    title.


    Cedric''s face was nk, his dark eyes unreadable. His fingers tapped the table


    again, this time louder, sharper.


    Then, he said tly, "In that case, we''ll terminate the partnership."


    Laura jumped in quickly. "Ced, don''t


    be mad. What you said was really


    hard to believe. We''ve all known


    each other for years. There''s no


    need to ruin the business just


    because of this."


    Cedric turned to her. "I don''t think you were invited to tonight''s meeting, were


    you?"


    Laura''s expression froze, and her face turned visibly pale. "We''re all friends.


    What''s wrong with stopping by to say hi?"


    Noelle was a little surprised-was Cedric actually standing up for her?


    The once-loud Tommy walked over,


    wine ss in hand. "Ms. SweetNelly,


    don''t take what I said too personally.


    I had no idea you were so talented.


    You''ve clearly mastered both men


    and machines-I''m honestly


    impressed."


    Noelle nced down at the ss in his hand. "At least I don''t fake knowledge or


    make up numbers just to sound smart."


    Laura came over, trying to smooth things over. "Ms. Liddell, it was just a small


    misunderstanding. Let''s not make a big deal-give us some grace, will you?"


    Noelle''s tone turned icy. "Why should I? Are we even that close?"

 Chapter 605

    Noelle''s response was downright brutal¡ªand she did not even try to hide it.


    Tommy immediately snapped, "What''s wrong with you? Ms. Merlock is being


    generous and asking you to give her some grace, and you actually have the nerve


    to refuse?"


    Noelle retorted, "You wanna kiss up to her, go ahead. But don''t assume everyone


    else is that desperate."


    Tommy''s face turned red with rage. "Who the hell do you think you are? Just


    because you slept with Mr. Greene a few times, you think you''re some kind of


    queen? Ms. Merlock is the one he''s actually engaged to. You''re nothing more than


    a side chick!"


    "Shut up!" Cedric''s punchnded hard, with zero hesitation and even less mercy.


    His voice was icy as he stared Tommy down. "Let me make this perfectly clear:


    I''ve never had any engagement with the Merlocks. The ones who keep spreading


    that rumor better get ready to face the consequences."


    The room went dead quiet.


    Laura could barely hold herposure. She had genuinely believed Cedric would


    protect her dignity¡ªafter all, they had known each other since they were kids.


    Yet, he just publicly shut down the engagement rumor as if it meant nothing. Did


    he not care that she would be the joke of their entire social circle? Why


    would he humiliate her like this?


    Her eyes filled with tears as she looked at him. "Ced¡ª"


    Cedric did not even flinch. "I warned you a long time ago to clear things up


    yourself. I didn''t want my girlfriend to get the wrong idea."


    Noelle stood quietly next to him, her ears still ringing from hisst words. She


    looked up just in time to see Laura''s tear-streaked face¡ªso different from the


    woman who had once strutted into a caf¨¦ acting like the legal wife confronting the


    mistress. When it came to ying a part, Laura definitely took the crown.


    Laura noticed Noelle''s look and snapped bitterly, "Happy now?"


    "Seriously? You and Cedric were never engaged. I didn''t start the rumor, and I


    never denied it either. So what does any of this have to do with me?" Noelle


    replied.


    Laura reasoned, "If you hadn''t shown up, he and I might''ve be something


    real."


    Maybe the rumor could have turned into a reality. But now that Noelle was here,


    all of Laura''s wishful thinking had crumbled.


    Noelle did not appreciate being med. "Cedric doesn''t like you. How''s that my


    fault? Maybe ask him instead ofing after me¡ªunless you''vepletely lost


    your mind."


    Tommy stormed toward her again. "Watch your mouth!"


    But Cedric stepped in front of her


    instantly, shielding her. He shot


    Tommy a warning re and


    growled, "Noelle''s not wrong. Even if


    she never existed, I still wouldn''t


    have gotten engaged to Laura."


    The ss slipped from Laura''s fingers and shattered on the floor. Her once-


    elegant poise copsed intoplete disarray.


    Noelle nced around. Everyone in


    the room lookedpletely


    stunned, their faces a mix of


    disbelief and awkward curiosity. But


    all she could feel was her heart


    racing louder than anything else


    around her.


    Cedric stood in front of her like a


    shield, blocking all the stares being


    thrown her way. She lowered her


    gaze slightly, tuning out the rest of


    the room. The only thing echoing in


    her head was what he had just said.


    "Ced..." Laura whimpered, her voice cracking with emotion.


    Cedric did not even look at her. "I have a name."


    "So now that Noelle''s here, you''re cutting ties with me?" Laura asked, her voice


    shaking. She had always been used to getting her way and could not believe this


    was happening.


    Cedric said coldly, "A while back, when my grandmother was hospitalized, I lost


    my phone. You were the one who picked it up.


    "But you had no business answering my calls¡ªespecially that one, the one that


    made my girlfriend think I was cheating."


    He did not have the energy to confront her before because all his attention had


    been on Noelle. But now that everything was out in the open, it was time to settle


    it.


    Noelle looked up, startled. All the eyes watching them were starting to make her


    ufortable. She leaned in slightly and whispered, "Alright, enough. There are


    too many people here."


    Laurapletely broke down and yelled, "Noelle! I don''t need your pity!"


    Noelle looked back at her calmly. Laura''s face was soaked in tears now¡ªlooking


    nothing like the proud, condescending woman from the caf¨¦ back then.

 Chapter 606

    Noelle pressed her lips into a thin line. "If you knew getting exposed would be


    humiliating, then why lie in the first ce?"


    "I didn''t lie! Ask anyone here¡ªdo you really think you deserve Cedric?" Laura


    snapped. She was clearly losing her usualposure, her voice sharp and high.


    Cedric''s jaw tightened as he finally said, "Laura, I was the one who pursued her."


    At that moment, Laura looked like someone had just cut off her oxygen. She


    lookedpletely frozen and speechless.


    She could not believe that he was the one who pursued Noelle. But why her?


    What did Noelle have that she didn''t?


    Noelle watched Laura''s crumbling expression and, for a second, was reminded of


    herself back at the caf¨¦¡ªnot so long ago. Maybe she had looked just as wrecked


    that day, all because of the same man.


    She stood up, ready to leave. She felt things had gotten so messy that discussing


    work now seemed pointless.


    Cedric noticed her movement right away and stepped in her path. Noelle''s


    expression tightened. "What are you doing?"


    "There''s broken ss on the floor," he replied. Then, he gently lifted her up, spun


    her around to avoid the shards, and set her down safely. His lips were pressed


    into a thin line. "We''ll talk business tomorrow at the office."


    "Got it." She nced at the shattered ss on the floor, her cheeks suddenly


    flushing for a reason she couldn''t exin. After that, she turned and quickly left


    the room.


    Laura watched the scene unfold, her voice hoarse. "Cedric, did you really have to


    humiliate me like this? In front of everyone?"


    "I told you long ago to clear up the engagement rumor yourself. If it were anyone


    else, she wouldn''t have stood by me after hearing it."


    His expression was stern, and it was obvious that there was no room for


    negotiation.


    Laura opened her mouth, but no words came out. She just watched as Cedric


    walked away, feeling like her entire world had shattered.


    Outside, Noelle returned to the team''s dinner gathering. Since most of her friends


    had finished eating, she went to pay the bill.


    The server smiled and said, "It''s already been taken care of."


    She did not have to ask¡ªshe knew exactly who paid. As the group headed out


    and walked down the stairs, she spotted Cedric standing near the entrance.


    His figure was tall and steady, his presence unmistakable. He turned and looked


    straight at her, locking eyes for a moment.


    Her teammates began whispering behind her. "Isn''t that Noelle''s boyfriend? He''s


    the same guy who waited outside campus all nightst month."


    "Damn, he''s even hotter in person. Way better than the pics we saw."


    Noelle''s ears burned with heat. She turned and looked at her teammates and


    said, "I''ve got a car on the way. Let''s head back to campus together."


    She followed the group toward the door, and as she passed Cedric, her heartbeat


    suddenly skipped.


    Noelle acted like she did not see him, but she could feel his eyes following her


    every step. Outside the building, her teammates started piling into the cabs in


    small groups.


    Raymond appeared beside her. "Come on, let''s go."


    Noelle nodded and slid into the back seat with Grace while Raymond took the


    front seat. Before shutting the door, he nced back at the man standing by the


    entrance.


    However, Cedric did not even look


    his way¡ªhis eyes stayed fixed on


    Noelle the entire time, and Raymond


    waspletely ignored. That small


    dismissal made something sour stir


    in Raymond''s chest.


    He turned and started making small


    talk with Noelle, but she only


    responded half-heartedly, distracted


    and distant. As the car pulled away


    from the curb, she found herself


    ncing out the window.


    There stood Cedric, head lowered, looking at his phone. But from the corner of


    her eye, she saw someone else appear¡ªLaura, tears streaking her face as she


    chased after him.


    Noelle quickly looked away, her


    heart pounding. She fumbled for her


    phone, hoping to distract herself.


    Then, she saw Cedric''s message.


    The moment her eyesnded on


    that single line, her heart went into<pplete chaos.


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