Chapter 15

Less than five minutes after Nicolas and Noelle had split up, Noelle stepped out of the forest, dragging a man who was at least twice her size.

"Nick, I'm back!" Noelle called out, waving her hand cheerfully.

Nicolas's eyes narrowed slightly as he noticed the man she was dragging. The man's face was drenched in cold sweat, his arms dangling awkwardly at his sides, swaying with each step. Nicolas recognized the telltale signs: his arms had been dislocated. The precision and brutality of the technique were unmistakable, and Nicolas found it hard to believe Noelle had done this herself.

"Damn..." Shadow growled, his voice low and full of disbelief as he knelt on the ground, glaring up at Noelle. She'd approached him so silently and taken him down so cleanly. It was as if he'd been a novice.

"Mel" Noelle blinked innocently, pointing to herself. Shadow clearly didn't recognize her. During her time with Eagle Blades, she'd made sure to keep her identity hidden from most.

Before she could say more, Nicolas stepped forward, cutting off their exchange. "Who sent you to kill me?"

Shadow sneered, his lips curling into a mocking grin. "You think I'd tell you, huh?"

"He doesn't know," Noelle interjected casually, answering on Shadow's behalf.

Shadow turned to her, stunned into silence. "He doesn't?" Nicolas frowned, shifting his gaze to Noelle.

Noelle confirmed with a nod and added, "Eagle Blades operates on a need-to-know basis. The assassins only get assignments. The contracts are handled by a separate department."

"I see," Nicolas nodded, her explanation convincing him even more that she'd been part of the organization.

Shadow's expression hardened as realization struck. He fixed Noelle with a sharp, questioning glare. "How do you know so much about Eagle Blades? Were you part of it?" His voice rose with anger. "You know the rules—no internal attacks. You dare to lay a hand on me, huh? The organization won't let you get away with this!" His outburst made Nicolas's eyes flicker with unease. He hadn't expected the organization to have such a rule, and the implications for Noelle's safety were clear—if Shadow found out more about her, it could get messy.

"Lily Labe, don't bother talking to him," Nicolas said coolly. "If he doesn't have any useful information, he's useless."

"Got it," Noelle replied with a nonchalant nod.

Meanwhile, Shadow was seething, his face twisted with rage. "You'll regret this," he spat at Noelle. "As long as I'm alive, I'll hunt you down and kill you."

"Kill me?" Noelle's gaze sharpened as she stared down at him.

"That's right," Shadow snarled, his voice dripping with venom. "You ambushed me, you coward. I swear I'll never let this go."

Before Noelle could react, Nicolas let out a cold laugh. "That's assuming you ever get the chance to leave here alive," he said smoothly. As an assassin, Shadow's crimes guaranteed he'd face the death penalty if handed over to the authorities. He was already calculating how to ensure Shadow wouldn't reveal anything about Noelle in court.

But before he could decide, a loud bang shattered the silence. Nicolas froze, his gaze snapping to Shadow. A clean, bloody hole now marked the center of Shadow's forehead. His eyes widened in shock. He stared at Noelle's impassive face as if he couldn't believe what had just happened. Then he crumpled to the ground, lifeless.

Nicolas felt his heart skip a beat. He turned stiffly to the petite, slender Noelle standing beside him. In the moonlight, her delicate, beautiful face remained calm and unflinching. She had just killed someone, yet there wasn't the slightest trace of emotion on her face. It was as if she had done this countless times before. At that moment, Nicolas truly believed Noelle's claim of being an assassin. After a brief silence, he finally said, "Ellie babe..."

"Thin?" Noelle turned her head, her previously stoic expression replaced with a radiant, innocent smile. Her eyes curved playfully as she asked, "What's up, Nick?"

Seeing her cheerful smile, Nicolas suddenly felt like he was in a dream. He wondered how someone could switch so effortlessly between angel and demon. "Why did you kill him?" he asked. Though his mind was reeling, Nicolas managed to stay composed; years of dealing with high-stakes situations had prepared him for this.

Noelle twirled the gun in her hand, pouting slightly. "He said he wanted to kill me. Of course, I have to take care of him first."

"But killing him here will cause a lot of trouble," Nicolas said, rubbing his temples as he felt the weight of the situation settling on him. "Two deaths in one night, and now, Noelle, you've directly escalated things."

"Relax, Nick," Noelle said, patting his shoulder confidently. "This guy was an Eagle Blades assassin. No one's going to protect him, and the police won't even bother filing a case. If they ask, I'll just say it was self-defense."

Nicolas raised a brow, surprised by her composure. He ruffled her hair, chuckling lightly. "Looks like you've done this before."

"Of course," Noelle said proudly, lifting her chin with a grin. "Didn't I tell you? I'm the best at everything I do. Cleanup jobs like this? I've got it down."

Just as Noelle had predicted, the police didn't press her for details. Once they confirmed Shadow was an assassin, they took a brief statement and left without further trouble.

By the time Nicolas drove Noelle back to the Anderson family home, the sky was beginning to lighten with the first hints of dawn. After getting out of the car, Noelle turned back and smiled, waving at Nicolas. "Thanks for driving me home, Nick. I had a great time tonight."

"Keep it quiet when you go in, okay?" Nicolas reminded her. He knew Noelle had snuck out. If the Anderson family found out about what happened, it could get messy.

"Got it," Noelle said with a quick nod. She leaned closer, cupping her hands around her mouth like she was telling a secret, and whispered, "I'll sneak in. You should go back and get some rest too, Nick." Her whispering, paired with her playful gesture, made her look even more adorable. Nicolas couldn't help but lower his head slightly and smile. Then he looked up, his deep eyes brimming with warmth and gentle affection as he gazed at Noelle. "I'll wait until you're inside before I leave. Go get some sleep once you're in."

"Okay!" Noelle beamed, then turned and leaped over the villa's outer gate with catlike agility. Once she had cleared the gate, she turned back to wave at Nicolas before disappearing inside.

Nicolas didn't leave until Noelle was safely inside. As the car began to pull away, his thoughts were filled with images of her—every smile, every expression. Without realizing it, he let out a low laugh.

Bryan, who was driving, glanced back in the mirror and grinned. "Mr. Sawyer, it seems you've taken a liking to Miss Anderson."

"Yeah," Nicolas admitted, raising an eyebrow. "She's adorable, isn't she?"

Bryan nodded. "Yes, very cute!"

Nicolas's expression darkened slightly. "You think she's cute?" His voice turned a bit cold, carrying a warning tone.

Bryan froze, suddenly nervous. "No, not at all!"

Nicolas's eyes narrowed. "So she's not cute?"

Bryan quickly shut his mouth, praying Nicolas would drop the subject.

Meanwhile, Noelle climbed a tree near the house, springing lightly onto the second-floor balcony and slipping into her room. But the moment she stepped inside, the lights clicked on, and a sharp voice cut through the quiet. "Noelle, where have you been all night?"