Chapter 21

Nicoday was caught off guard when Noelle didn't try to persuade him. Reclining in his leather chair with effortless charm, he twirled a pen between his long, elegant fingers while holding the phone in his other hand.

Taking a moment, he finally asked, "Elly babe, aren't you going to convince me?"

"Convince you of what?" Noelle sounded genuinely confused.

"To not come. Shouldn't you try to change my mind?" he pressed, his tone light but teasing.

"How would I do that?" Noelle replied carelessly. "You're busy, I wouldn't want to bother you."

Nicolas arched an eyebrow, intrigued. "When did you become so considerate?"

"I've always been considerate," she said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

Nicolas didn't respond right away, thinking, This little liar. She's one of the most stubborn, self-centered people I know. When did she start pretending to be so thoughtful? He finally relented. "Alright, try a little harder to persuade me. Who knows? I might change my mind."

But Noelle wasn't playing along. "No need. Mom and Leia are coming with me tomorrow. It's fine if you don't come."

That caught Nicolas off guard. "I thought your family wasn't treating you well, right? Why are you letting them tag along?" He recalled what he'd learned about the Anderson family after Noelle entered their lives. They hadn't exactly welcomed her. On her arrival, most of the family had gone to the hospital to pick up Leia. Eli, the only one forced to stay behind, had unceremoniously stuck Noelle in a storage room before heading to the hospital himself. Their rejection of her was painfully obvious.

"What do you mean? They're treating me just fine," Noelle said lightly, brushing it off.

"Is there anyone you think doesn't treat you well?" Nicolas asked.

"Of course!" Noelle thought for a second and grumbled, "Damon, I guess. He's always mad at me every time he sees me."

Nicolas sneered. He wasn't surprised. Damon's arrogance and unwavering favoritism for Leia were well known. Noelle's arrival had obviously disrupted the family dynamic, making her a target of his hostility.

"Just steer clear of him. No need to deal with someone like that," Nicolas advised.

"No way," Noelle said firmly. "I'm going to work hard to make Damon like me."

Nicolas frowned. "Why? You don't need everyone to like you."

"I have my reasons," she said vaguely, avoiding further explanation. In truth, Noelle's return to the Anderson family was part of a mission; earning her family's affection was critical to her goal. Every member of the Anderson family was part of that plan. But she couldn't tell Nicolas. Anything related to her mission was strictly confidential.

Unaware of her real motives, Nicolas assumed she just craved her family's approval. He chuckled softly. "Fine. Do what you want. Just don't push yourself, okay?"

"Okay," Noelle agreed.

Just then, a knock came at the door, followed by Eli's voice. "What are you doing cutting with Nick?" Eli's tone immediately spiked with alarm.

On the other end of the line, Nicolas froze for a second, silently thinking, Babe, you really didn't need to be that honest. He sighed lightly, then said with a resigned chuckle, "Looks like we'll have to end our chat here. Get some rest. See you at the mall tomorrow."

"Huh?" Noelle blinked in surprise. See me at the mall? Wait, is he coming after all? Didn't he say he was busy? she wondered.

Before she could ask, Nicolas had already hung up.

Meanwhile, Eli pushed the door open and stormed in, glaring at Noelle as she sat on the bed. "Were you just talking to Nicolas?"

Noelle put down her phone and shot him a look. "Eli, why do you keep barging in without knocking? That's so rude. You need to work on that."

"Cut it out," Eli snapped, frowning. "From now on, stop talking to Nicolas."

"Why not?" Noelle asked, her tone turning defensive.

"No reason. Just don't," Eli said firmly. He assumed Noelle was infatuated with Nicolas just because of his looks, oblivious to the idea that marriage couldn't rest on appearances alone. She might feel giddy now, but she'd regret it if she actually married him.

"Eli, you're so bossy," Noelle huffed, clearly annoyed. She liked Nicolas because he always took her seriously and looked out for her. When she got caught sneaking back once, it was Nicolas's advice that helped her smooth things over. Of course, it didn't hurt that he was incredibly handsome and matched her ideal type perfectly.

"Did you even hear what I said?" Eli asked, frustrated by her lack of response.

Noelle didn't bother answering. Instead, she flopped onto her bed, hugging her pillow and rolling around like a child. "Eli, you're such a bossy ghost! I'm not listening!" Her voice rang out, sweet yet defiant.

Eli stared at her, utterly speechless.

The next day, Kimberly took Noelle and Leia to Ishurman Financial Center to shop for clothes and jewelry. Though the outing was meant for Noelle, Kimberly made sure to include Leia so neither daughter would feel slighted. To avoid running into acquaintances, Kimberly bypassed her usual stores and headed two floors higher.

At Ishurman Financial Center, the higher the floor, the more exclusive and expensive the items. The price difference between levels ranged from tens of thousands to millions of dollars.

When Kimberly led them up the extra floors, Leia immediately realized her mother intended to splurge.

At a luxury clothing boutique, Kimberly smiled warmly at her daughters. "Leia, Noelle, go pick out whatever you like."

"Okay!" Noelle nodded enthusiastically and dashed into the store.

"Yes, Mom," Leia replied politely, though her mood was sour. She knew this trip was all because of Noelle. However, the thought of owning the latest designs from such a high-end brand brightened her spirits. The Andersons weren't poor, but even they didn't typically spend extravagantly on everyday clothes. Their regular outfits cost a few thousand dollars at most. But here, prices started at over 100 thousand dollars—the kind of attire reserved for major events.

Leia carefully weighed each choice, wanting to strike a balance. She couldn't pick something too cheap and seem unworthy, but going for the most expensive pieces would look inconsiderate. Every decision felt like a mental battle.

While pondering her own selections, Leia glanced toward Noelle, curious about her approach. She assumed Noelle, with her tacky tastes, would grab straight for the most expensive items without a second thought. But what happened next left Leia and Kimberly in shock.

Noelle casually ran her hand along a rack of clothes and declared to the sales assistant, "I'll take this whole row. Pack it all up for me."

Both Leia and Kimberly stood frozen, stunned by her boldness.