Noelle's studio had been running smoothly for three years; nothing like this had ever happened before. Quentin ruffled her hair and cupped her face. "I'll get to the bottom of this for you, okay?"There was something about the way he spoke and looked at her that soothed her rattled heart, and she couldn't help but nod. He then noticed the injury on her palm and frowned. "You're hurt?" A chilling air emanated from his body. "It's just a small cut, nothing serious." Noelle pulled her hand back and turned to check on her injured employees. Fortunately, her employees' injuries weren't serious. It seemed as though the mob's main goal was to cause as much damage as possible, almost as if they were attempting to destroy the place on purpose. Quentin thought of something and whispered a few words to Martin, who nodded and left. Quentin then called a few people over to help clean up the studio and replace everything that had been damaged. In the evening, the couple received an
Janet's voice was gentle. "Come over to Restaurant Blanc later, Elle. I want to introduce you to a friend."Noelle had no idea who Janet wanted to introduce her to, but she nodded. "Okay, Mom."She had always been gentle and considerate when she was dealing with Janet. Even though her eyes were clearly brimming with tears, she didn't say a single word against him.Quentin's heart skipped a beat. Had he truly wronged her? But before he could dwell on it any further, his phone rang. There was an emergency at work, and he had to deal with it immediately. He glanced at Noelle before leaving. …As evening fell, Noelle arrived at Restaurant Blanc. After pushing the door open to the private dining room, she was taken aback. "Johnnie? Mom?" She wondered why John was sitting with Janet. Dressed in an elegant light-colored suit, John was seated across from Janet. His demeanor was very refined. When he saw Noelle, his eyes lit up, and his expression softened. "Noelle."He also had no ide
John paused before continuing, "We need to ask Noelle's opinion first."There was no doubt that he loved Noelle and was willing to protect her for the rest of his life. However, she had to agree to it first, and he would always respect her decision.Noelle breathed a sigh of relief and gave him a grateful look. John turned his head slightly to meet her gaze, offering her a reassuring smile. Yet, a pang of disappointment tugged at his heart. It appeared as though she didn't want to marry him. Fortunately, he hadn't agreed to Janet's proposal earlier. Or else Noelle would've been put in an awkward situation. Janet hadn't expected John to be so rational. In her mind, anyone else would've readily agreed to such a proposal. She turned to Noelle and asked, "Elle, do you agree with what I've said?"This poor girl had grown up without the love of her parents and ended up marrying a good-for-nothing man. Janet sincerely hoped that she could be with John. Even though he was older, he wa
Noelle's heart leaped into her throat, and she involuntarily stopped in her tracks."Don't you have anything to say for yourself?" Quentin's voice was low and menacing, his eyes ablaze with anger.Noelle clenched her fists. What was she supposed to say? That Janet was attempting to marry her off to John? Noelle believed that the man's anger could swallow her whole then. Janet spun around and sneered, "Quentin, since you don't treasure your wife, isn't it only right for me to introduce her to someone who will?"She paused before questioning, "Or do you think it'd be better to keep Elle by your side and let Xyla insult her for the rest of her life?"His brows knitted involuntarily. Her words really got to him. "Xy won't dare to do it again. But don't you think it's a bit too much for you to marry your son's wife to someone else, Mom?"Quentin was furious. The veins on his forehead bulged, his expression hardened, and his eyes were as sharp as knives. The chill emanating from him s
Quentin was the most esteemed man in Dragfort and the CEO of Stille Industries. Countless people sought his favor, though few managed to secure it. When he spoke in such a humble tone, his client was taken aback, repeatedly assuring him it was no trouble at all and that another gathering could be arranged when he was feeling better.After hanging up the phone, Quentin leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes to rest. Soon, the couple arrived at the villa. Quentin got out of the car, walked around to the other side, and took Noelle's hand. Noelle's heart raced, wondering if he would torment her that night. He took her upstairs and pushed her onto the bed, his towering figure looming over her. His breath was hot on her face, and she felt her throat tighten. "Quentin, I hope you can show me some respect. Otherwise, I truly can't find a reason to stay with you!"Noelle remained calm and composed, showing no signs of anger or fear. But her clear, dark eyes were clouded with sadness
"I'll be right back." Quentin left the villa. Noelle breathed a sigh of relief. She had assumed he wouldn't go.Quentin went to the supermarket at the villa entrance. Standing at the entrance, he let his eyes roam the aisles. Then, he spotted a section filled with colorful packaging and headed straight for it.He picked one of them up and looked at it. These things came in a variety of sizes and brands, and he had no idea which one she used. He imagined her petite figure and figured the smallest size should suffice. So, he grabbed a few packs of each brand and prepared to leave.Just then, two middle-aged women, one plump and one slim, walked in.The plump one said, "I was at Restaurant Blanc last night, and I overheard Xyla calling Noelle a bitch. So, I told Madam Burns, and as expected, she didn't let that little bitch off easily; she went to confront her first thing this morning!"The slim one responded, "Oh? Then, what happened?"The plump woman continued, "I heard Quentin
Noelle turned away and remained silent. She knew how dangerous it was, but she was on the verge of losing control.Quentin said, "How about we go see your mother tomorrow?"She was stunned for a while before quickly sitting up and said, "Really?"He nodded and replied, "Yes."Seeing the certainty in his eyes, she calmed down."Then let's leave early," she said.It was a long journey from the city to the remote county, and they still had to go into the mountains. She didn't want to leave after barely saying a few words to Emmie."Alright," Quentin agreed.They didn't speak for the rest of the night. At dawn, Quentin drove Noelle himself, without Martin. This made it feel like they were going on a picnic, which subtly brought them closer.The night earlier, he had Martin procure a large amount of daily necessities and fresh fruits to be distributed to the archaeological staff.When they stopped at a service area for a break, a young couple got out of a nearby car. The woman's e
When he got home, however, she wasn't there. When she finally returned, she looked exhausted and in low spirits. He asked what had scared her, and she said it was nothing.Then she asked him if he would be sad if she died. At the time, he thought she was trying to get something from him and had even mocked her.He had no idea what kind of despair and fear she had experienced that afternoon. It must have been excruciating with her dislocated arm.Thinking about it now, all the shock in Quentin's heart turned into guilt and heartache.He suddenly pulled her into his arms and held her tightly."I'm sorry, Noelle. I didn't know you were on that bus."Noelle, held tightly by him, felt her heart swell with a painful ache. Her eyes burned, and her throat tightened.Her heartstrings trembled, but she gently pushed him away, and said, "Quentin, I need to use the restroom."As she turned, her heart was in turmoil, and her tears began to fall like rain. If he had known at the time, would