Chapter 43

"Harley, let's go," Noelle said, tugging at Harley's sleeve.

Eli had left with Leia, and the group of girls who had gathered around him dispersed.

Harley's mind lingered on what had just happened, but Noelle's call brought him back to the present. He turned to her, his expression a mix of concern and frustration.

"Noelle, you're the real daughter of the Anderson family, right? Leia was switched at birth and isn't even related to them? Uh-huh, that's right. Why?" Noelle replied, her tone casual.

Harley frowned deeply, irritation flashing in his eyes. "Then why does Eli treat you like this? He didn't even bother figuring out what happened before scolding you, and when he realized he was wrong, he didn't apologize. He just left."

"Eli cares about Leia more. She cried, so of course, he'd rush to comfort her."

Noelle tilted her head, puzzled. "Why does it matter?" Her tone was so matter-of-fact that Harley's anger surged.

"Why does he care more about Leia! You're his actual sister. Even if he doesn't favor you, he should at least treat you equally. How is this acceptable!"

Noelle blinked, considering his words. "I guess you have a point."

"It's not just a point; it's the truth," Harley's voice rose. "You don't realize it, but the way he treats you is completely wrong."

Noelle was just too naive, and it seemed like she had no sense of the complexities of relationships at all. That's why, even being treated this way, she didn't seem to feel anything.

But then, something else crossed Harley's mind. Could it be that Noelle had always been treated like this in the Anderson family? Perhaps, because everyone like Eli always favored Leia, Noelle never knew what it felt like to be supported or protected. She had no sense of comparison, no sense of what she was missing because it was all she had ever known, Harley thought.

The thought made Harley's heart sink, a heavy weight settling deep within him.

"Noelle," Harley began, his voice quieter but laced with concern. "Does everyone in the Anderson family treat Leia like this? Like she's the center of the world?"

"Yeah," Noelle replied with a shrug. "They all care more about Leia. Compared to the others, Eli's actually not that bad."

Harley stared at her in disbelief. "Not that bad? Eli's attitude alone is unacceptable! If this is what you call 'not bad,' then—" He stopped himself, his anger boiling over. Without thinking, he grabbed Noelle's hand. "Noelle, leave the Anderson family."

"What?" Noelle looked at him, bewildered.

Harley's grip tightened as he met her gaze. "Come to my place. I'll protect you. I won't let anyone yell at you or treat you like this ever again."

"No." Noelle pulled her hand away. Her tone was firm. "I'm staying with the Andersons."

"Why?" Harley demanded, unable to fathom her decision. "They've been with Leia for years and don't care about you. Why put yourself through—"

Noelle was stubborn, speaking each word carefully. "Then I'll stay in the Anderson family."

"Why?" Harley didn't understand why someone as brilliant and capable as Noelle was so determined to stay with the Anderson family. Even without them, she could thrive—might even do better without them.

"You wouldn't understand." Noelle pouted, her gaze drifting away.

But Harley was persistent. "Then just tell me why?"

Noelle, clearly irritated, frowned at Harley and snapped, "You're so annoying. This doesn't concern you, and I won't tell you." She stuck her tongue out at him like a mischievous child and darted away, leaving Harley standing there, dumbfounded.

Noelle had her reasons. The Anderson family might not treat her well now, but she had a mission to build a strong bond with them. Once she succeeded, she could move on to her next goal and leave the Andersons behind.

Harley didn't need to know any of this, though. When the time came, she would naturally carry out the new mission. And then, she would say a final goodbye to the Anderson family. But none of this had anything to do with Harley.

Noelle hated anyone prying into her mission or asking about things related to it. Besides, Noelle thought, Nick never pressed her with questions. Nick trusted her and let her keep her secret. As she walked, Noelle found herself thinking about Nick. If she ever had to leave for her next mission, she realized, she might actually miss him.

Meanwhile, Eli had taken Leia to his lounge. On the way, he began to regret how he had acted. Have I been too harsh on Noelle earlier? he thought. And hearing Leia say that she wasn't crying because of Noelle, he realized he hadn't apologized to Noelle, nor did he know if she was feeling hurt. The thought of Noelle's always sunny face, possibly crying somewhere out of his sight, made Eli uneasy.

Leia noticed Eli's distraction, and her gaze darkened. She suddenly stopped. "Eli, are you thinking about Noelle! I'm fine now; if you want to go find her, go ahead." As she spoke, tears still clung to her lashes, her face a picture of vulnerability and forced strength.

Seeing her like that, Eli couldn't bring himself to mention going to find Noelle. "No. Leia, you're the most important right now. Tell me, what really happened? Why were you—"

"It's nothing, really." Leia bit her lip.

"Nothing?" Eli frowned. "Then why were you crying?"

Seeing Eli's displeasure, Leia quickly added, "It's just that I'm too sensitive. I saw Harley getting close to Noelle, and it hurt. Then, when I saw you, I couldn't hold it in and cried."

When Leia mentioned Harley, Eli recalled how Harley had defended Noelle. He asked, "By the way, isn't Harley your high school classmate? But I saw Harley getting closer to Noelle than to you. What's going on?"

"I don't know either." Leia sniffed, looking sad. "I asked Harley and Noelle, but neither of them would tell me."

"Why wouldn't they tell you?" Eli furrowed his brow.

Leia's voice was full of melancholy. "Maybe to them, I'm just an outsider, so they didn't feel like sharing."

"That's ridiculous," Eli's expression darkened as he said. "You're Noelle's sister, her family. Why would she hide anything from you? I thought Noelle considered us her family too."

Leia lowered her gaze, her voice tinged with both sadness and self-mockery. "But now, it seems like I was just fooling myself."

Eli's expression shifted at her words. Clenching his fists, he muttered, "If Noelle really sees us as outsiders, then I've been mistaken about her."

Leia noticed Eli's stormy expression and, feigning sympathy, said, "Eli, maybe Noelle is just like that with me, but with you, she's genuine. Don't take it out on her because of me. We're her family, so are you. If she can't accept you, I won't accept her either."

"Enough. Let me take you to rest. Alright?"

Leia sighed, but a flicker of satisfaction crossed her eyes.

After thinking it through, Eli decided he should apologize to Noelle and find out what was going on with her and Harley. But with all the student council duties, Eli got caught up in work, and by the time he was done, it was too late to go home. So, he ended up staying at the school dorm for the night.

By the next day, the first-year students were starting military training. And so, Eli missed the chance to meet Noelle. Whether it was to apologize or to clear things up, everything had to be postponed.