Chapter 127

“Okay,” Noelle replied softly, her voice sweet and obedient.

She had been worrying about how to recover without her family noticing. Even if there was no blood, the smell of medicine might give her away. Nick’s offer to stay at his place solved her problems perfectly.

Seeing her agree so readily, Nicolas let out a quiet sigh of relief. Good. She hadn’t turned me down. The thought eased some of the tension in his chest.

“Then let’s go now,” Nicolas said.

“So soon!” Noelle blinked, surprised.

“Yeah.”

Every time Nicolas thought about the horrifying wounds on Noelle’s back, his heart ached. He didn’t want her staying in this place a second longer—no proper medical care, no decent environment. He couldn’t stand it.

“Hmm…” Noelle hesitated, biting her lip. She glanced at Nicolas and said, “But Eli’s home. I don’t know if he’ll let me go. I don’t want to…”

Eli had never liked Nicolas. If the two of them started arguing, it would be a mess. After their last cold war, Noelle didn’t want to go through that again.

“Don’t worry,” Nicolas reassured her, leaning down to nuzzle her forehead gently. His voice was soft and tender. “I won’t upset Eli. Besides, this is where Damon’s conscience comes into play.”

“Huh?” Noelle furrowed her brow, curiosity flickering.

What does Damon have to do with this, she wondered. But the thought quickly slipped away; she was too exhausted to press further. If Nicolas said it was fine, she trusted him.

With a soft sigh, she opened her arms and grinned up at him, her expression a mix of exhaustion and playfulness. “Nick, carry me. I want you to carry me downstairs.”

“Won’t that hurt your wound?” Nicolas hesitated. He thought carrying her on his back might be safer, avoiding her injuries.

But Noelle insisted, “I want you to hold me! Just be careful with the wound, okay!”

When his little princess gave an order, Nicolas obeyed. He chuckled softly, scooping her up effortlessly. “Alright, let’s go.”

“Okay.”

Nicolas carried Noelle carefully, making sure to avoid the bullet wound on her left shoulder. He headed downstairs with her in his arms.

Downstairs, Eli was pacing nervously, his eyes darting toward the staircase. “What’s taking Nicolas so long in Noelle’s room! What’s he up to! I’m going up there!”

Before he could move, he saw Nicolas coming down the stairs with Noelle in his arms. The sight made Eli’s blood boil.

He stormed over, blocking their path. “Nicolas, what the hell are you doing! Where are you taking Noelle?”

Nicolas, ever calm, smiled warmly at Eli. “Noelle’s running a fever. I’m taking her to see a doctor. Mind stepping aside, Eli?”

The way Nicolas said “Eli” made him flinch, a shiver of discomfort running down his spine.

Disgusted but undeterred, Eli stood his ground. “Are you out of your mind? We have doctors here. Why do you need to take her out?”

He leaned in to check on Noelle. She hadn’t looked great when she came home earlier, but after taking some medicine, she should’ve been better. What he saw shocked him.

Noelle’s face was flushed, her forehead damp with sweat. She looked utterly exhausted, curled up in Nicolas’s arms.

“Noelle! What the hell happened? You said it was just a cold?” Eli’s voice rose in panic.

Noelle winced, burying her face deeper into Nicolas’s chest. “Ugh. It’s noisy…”

I’m worried about you, and you think I’m being noisy, Eli thought, his jaw dropping.

Eli stammered, but concern still clouded his eyes as he glared at Nicolas. “Put her down! She’s burning up. She don’t need you hauling her around. I’ll call the family doctor.”

Nicolas didn’t budge. He kept his polite smile intact. “Eli, Noelle’s condition seems serious. Your family doctor might not be enough. I’ve already arranged for the best doctor in Reniam City to see her.”

“Oh, so you think money can buy everything! Put her down!” Eli snapped.

Nicolas remained silent, still holding Noelle. His gaze flicked toward Damon, who seemed to pick up on the unspoken message.

Damon sighed and stepped forward, pulling Eli back. “Eh, stop making a scene. Nicolas isn’t going to hurt Noelle. Don’t waste time.”

Eli stared at Damon in disbelief. “Damon, are you out of your mind? You’re seriously letting Nicolas take Noelle away?”

Damon, usually quick to anger, held back his temper for the sake of not making a scene in front of the outsider. Besides, Nicolas’s arrival seemed too timely, and he likely knew about Noelle’s injuries. He was probably just trying to get her treatment as quickly as possible.

“Look,” Damon said with a serious tone, “Nicolas says he’s already called in the best doctor. What’s the harm in letting him take her?”

“We have our own doctors, don’t we?” Eli was still agitated.

Damon shot him a sarcastic look. “Your doctors are different from his, aren’t they?”

“They are not!” Eli was stubborn.

Damon gave him a cold laugh. “Are they really?”

He then turned to their parents, asking, “Mom, Dad, what do you think?”

Vincent and Kimberly, who had accepted Nicolas’s expensive gifts earlier, felt obliged to side with him. Plus, they genuinely believed Nicolas…

Vincent nodded. “I think it’s fine for Nicolas to take her.”

Eli was stunned. “What?”

Kimberly chimed in, agreeing, “Since it’s the best doctor, it’ll be better for Noelle.”

Eli’s face went blank. “You too!”

He quickly turned to Charlie, asking, “Charlie, what do you think?”

Charlie, who had been quietly watching the exchange, glanced at his two brothers and replied with a neutral tone, “I abstain.”

Eli was speechless. “You’re abstaining?”

Frustrated, he turned to Leia.

Leia, trapped in his gaze, tensed, unsure how to respond. But before she could speak, Eli waved his hand dismissively. “Forget it. Your opinion doesn’t matter anyway.”

Leia could only stare, stunned by his attitude. What a jerk, she thought, disbelief thick in her chest.

Chapter 128