“Everyone listens to Donovan,” Lucas said, his tone firm. “Noelle wouldn’t dare defy him.”

Frank exploded. “Are you deaf? You’re pushing her away!”

“But we need a gunner! If she doesn’t play tomorrow, we lose!” Lucas’s voice was tight with panic. He hadn’t realized until now he'd already lost Noelle's support.

“You can’t force her, Lucas! Is the match more important than your sister? This will only drive her further away.” Frank’s voice was low, heavy with frustration. "Can't she just cut me some slack? She knows how much this means to me!" Lucas mumbled, head bowed.

Frank closed his eyes. “It doesn’t matter if you lose the match. But if you drag Donovan into this, you’ll lose her for good. Is the match really more important than your sister?”

The weight of Frank’s words hit Lucas hard. He left the ward, finding James waiting.

“Frank knows where Noelle is,” Lucas said, his voice barely a whisper.

“Why do you need to know, Mr. Liddell?” James asked cautiously.

“To make things right.” Lucas finally admitted the truth: Noelle wasn't the sister he remembered.

James gave him the address.

Lucas went straight to Noelle’s apartment, but lacked her unit number. He waited, watching the time tick by until her livestream ended. He sent a message, only to find he’d been blocked. Frank’s words echoed in his head. He sent another friend request: “Noelle, I’m waiting downstairs. Let’s talk.”

Noelle saw the request after her livestream. She ignored it at first, noticing Cedric on the balcony, his silhouette handsome in the dim light. A pang of unease hit her—was he talking to her? Another notification popped up: “I’ll wait until you come down. If the paparazzi find me, your address won’t stay private.”

Noelle was annoyed. She knew Lucas’s public profile. But she didn't want her quiet life disrupted. Finally, she decided to go down.

“Where are you going?” Cedric’s voice startled her. He stood tall in the doorway, blocking her path.