Xenia ran straight toward Lucas, and he subconsciously reached out to pull her away. Turning, however, he saw Noelle rooted to the spot.
He immediately realized his action, shouting in fear, “Get out of the way!”
Noelle looked at him expressionlessly, her gaze dark.
With a sharp screech of brakes, a car stopped beside Noelle. The windows were down, and Cedric’s handsome face appeared. He said gently, “Get in.”
Noelle smirked. She knew it would be him.
As she climbed in, Lucas called out, “Noelle, you can’t leave with him!”
She turned to see him rushing toward them. She immediately rolled up the windows.
Lucas chased them for a while before stopping, defeated. He slammed his fist on the road in frustration, wondering how things had come to this.
The realization that he had instinctively left Noelle behind moments earlier deeply unsettled him. Thinking back to her piercing gaze, he couldn't shake his rising panic. He questioned his actions.
Although he had instinctively chosen to protect Xenia, it didn't mean he didn't care about Noelle. Xenia, after all, had run to save him. He couldn't possibly leave her behind. He assumed Noelle, intelligent as she was, would understand.
Nevertheless, he wasn't sure, wasn't confident.
Xenia approached, worried. “Lucas, are you alright? I'm sure Noelle will be fine. After all, she didn’t come home last night either. She was probably with that school doctor.”
Lucas’s 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, and he had to find a way to set things right.
In the car, Noelle rolled down the window and enjoyed the breeze. She said nothing, and Cedric remained silent as he drove her back to her apartment.
Chapter 46
Noelle entered the elevator and secretly glanced at him. “Are you mad?” She’d noticed his expression wasn’t right when she entered the car.
Cedric looked at their reflections in the elevator mirror. “You’ve improved. At least you thought to ask me for help when you were taken.”
Noelle explained, “That’s because everything happened so suddenly. Someone 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. Then Lucas appeared, stood up for me, and forcibly pushed me into his car. I never thought he’d take me to his training camp.”
She also never thought he’d arrange for so many people to congratulate her on joining their team when she hadn’t agreed to anything. The old Noelle would have been guilt-tripped into complying, but she refused to feel guilty anymore. That way, the Liddells couldn’t guilt-trip her.
“Who confessed to you?”
Noelle looked up. “One of the more handsome guys in the private school next to ours.”
Cedric narrowed his eyes. “Is he the one you have a crush on?”
“How could it possibly be him?” Noelle nearly laughed. When the elevator doors opened, she stepped out.
Cedric watched her leave, saying stiffly, “Kiddo, you shouldn’t get into a relationship so young!”
Noelle replied, “I know. You’ve already told me that multiple times. So stop lecturing me like an overbearing dad!”
Cedric slowly followed, frowning, deep in thought.
Noelle noticed fresh vegetables and fruit in the kitchen and asked confusedly, “Are you planning to cook?”
“What are you thinking? I was planning to have a chef come over when you messaged me.”
Noelle felt slightly guilty. “How about I cook from now on? I’m actually pretty good at it.” Ever since Cedric had taken her in, she’d wanted to do something for him.
Cedric narrowed his eyes. “Since when did you learn to cook?”
Chapter 46 3/3
“During my time in the Liddell residence, I often cooked for everyone, especially Donovan and Frank. Frank has a sensitive stomach and only eats what I cook…”
Noelle paused. “Regardless, I learned a long time ago.”
Back then, she’d purposely learned from a housekeeper to win her brothers’ favor.
Cedric seemed unhappy. He said slowly, “Kiddo, your hands aren’t meant for cooking.”
Chapter 47