Chapter 46

As soon as that voice emerged, Eli's stomach churned with unease. His grip on the phone tightened, his tone dropping into something sharp and demanding. "Noelle, who was that speaking just now?"

"Uh, the driver," Noelle answered honestly, her voice tinged with her usual breeziness.

"The driver?" Eli's frown deepened. "No ordinary driver would address her as Miss Anderson." A troubling thought passed through his mind, and his voice dropped another octave. "Whose driver? Don't tell me it's Nicolas'."

"It is!" Noelle chirped, completely oblivious to the storm brewing on the other end. "Nick sent him to pick me up."

Eli's patience snapped. "Noelle!"

Anticipating his outburst, Noelle quickly pulled the phone away, holding it at arm's length to shield her ears. She sighed inwardly. Sure enough, the mere mention of Nick was enough to set Eli off like fireworks on New Year's Eve. But she didn't feel the need to hide anything; why should she? She hadn't done anything wrong.

"You stay right there at the school gate," Eli barked, trying to rein in his frustration. "I'm coming to get you!"

But then he realized Noelle really had a way of making his blood boil with a single sentence. To avoid another fight, Eli could only suppress his anger, planning to lecture Noelle properly when he saw her.

"Uh…" Noelle hesitated, glancing out the car window, "But I'm already in the car, and we're pretty far from school now."

"What?" Eli's voice escalated to a near shout. "You're telling me you were getting in the car this whole time!"

"Eli, I think you have a bit of a temper! Are you angry? I'll bring you back some honey later to cool you down."

"Who needs you to cool me down?" he replied, tight with anger. "Get out of the car right now!" Eli's head was pounding.

"What?"

"Eli shouted, Get out of the car!"

Noelle said, "Hello Eli, what did you say? I can't hear you!"

"You heard me. Get out!"

"Oh no, Eli, I think the signal's bad."

"What did you say?" Eli growled, his frustration bubbling over. "Don't play dumb with me!"

"Hello? Hi! You're breaking up, why aren't you saying anything? Okay, if you're not talking, I'm hanging up. Bye!" And with a decisive click, the call ended.

Eli stared at his phone in disbelief, his jaw tightening.

Noelle's car had pulled into an underground parking lot. Minutes later, Bryan escorted Noelle to the entrance of a sleek, towering skyscraper. He held the elevator door open for her, gesturing politely.

"This way, Miss Anderson," Bryan said with a professional smile.

Noelle followed him without hesitation, her eyes sparkling with curiosity. They rode the exclusive elevator to the top floor. As they approached the grand office, the muffled sound of a man's voice floated through the partially closed door.

"Adriel, isn't it enough that you're running things! I'm perfectly content being a well-dressed idler. Stop trying to rope me into more work," the voice drawled lazily.

Bryan pushed the door open a fraction and placed a finger to his lips, signaling Noelle to be quiet. Noelle nodded, wide-eyed, and pressed her lips together, her curiosity bubbling just below the surface.

Inside, Nicolas sat reclined in a leather chair, his posture effortlessly casual. His long, elegant fingers toyed with a sleek silver pen, spinning it between his knuckles with practiced ease. His entire demeanor radiated sophistication and a kind of careless allure that was, frankly, devastatingly charming. As his gaze flicked toward the door, his expression softened upon seeing Noelle. He motioned for her to come closer.

Noelle didn't need a second invitation. She practically bounced across the room, moving with the lightness of a cat. Within seconds, she was standing right in front of him. Without missing a beat, Nicolas hooked a hand around her wrist and gave a gentle tug, effortlessly pulling her into his lap.

For anyone else, the move might have been a cause for bashfulness or protest, but not Noelle. She happily curled her arms around his neck, settling into his embrace as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

Meanwhile, the voice on the phone continued, "Nicolas, I know you're still bitter about not being assigned a position in the Sawyer Group's core management, but Adriel's offering you the music production company. You could prove yourself there, and I'll talk to Father about promoting you." The speaker's tone was conciliatory, almost kindly.

"Don't bother," Nicolas replied, his smile sharp and laced with cold amusement. "I'd rather avoid the headache of actual work. I have 30% of the Sawyer Group's shares, don't I? That's more than enough to live comfortably for a lifetime. You and Adriel can handle the heavy lifting. I'll just sit back and enjoy my dividends."

A pause hung in the air, heavy with unspoken tension. Finally, the voice on the other end belonging to Nicolas's brother, Marshall let out a forced laugh. "You've got it easy, don't you? Living off your shares while the rest of us break our backs."

"Well, isn't that what you've always wanted?" Nicolas's tone turned mockingly sweet. "You're the ambitious workaholic Father adores. Meanwhile, I get to reap the rewards of your hard work. It's a win-win, isn't it?"

The jab was impossible to miss, and Marshall fell silent for several long moments before speaking again, his tone noticeably strained. "Fine. Suit yourself. But I've heard you've been spending time with the Anderson family's daughter. If things are serious, why not bring her home to meet the family?"

"She's shy," Nicolas lied smoothly, stroking Noelle's hair as he spoke. "Maybe some other time."

Noelle tilted her head, her brow furrowing in confusion. Shy? She wanted to protest—since when was she shy?—but before she could speak, Nicolas pressed a hand to the back of her head, effectively silencing her by tucking her back against his chest.

As she nestled against him, Noelle caught a faint whiff of his cologne—clean and crisp, with a subtle, enticing warmth. Her little nose twitched as she inhaled deeply. Nick smelled so good, she thought with a blissful sigh, taking another sniff for good measure.

On the phone, Marshall sighed. "Well, talk to her. She'll need to meet us eventually if she's going to join the family."

Nicolas replied with disinterest.

Marshall said his goodbyes, and Nicolas ended the call with a flick of his thumb, tossing the phone onto the desk.

Noelle peeked up at him, noting the faint tension in his jaw. "Nick, do you not get along with your family?"

"Not at all," Nicolas replied bluntly.

"Why?" His lips curved into a mischievous smirk. "Want to know?"

"Yes!"

"Then kiss me," Nicolas said. He'd meant it as a joke, but before he could react, Noelle's face lit up. Without hesitation, she leaned in and pressed her lips to his.

The gesture was bold but utterly unskilled—just a simple press of lips against lips. It lacked finesse, and Nicolas winced slightly as her teeth bumped against his. "Are you trying to kiss me or headbutt me?" he teased, rubbing his jaw.

"Isn't this how you do it?" Noelle asked innocently, tilting her head. "I've never kissed anyone before, so I just copied what I've seen."

Nicolas sighed, equal parts amused and exasperated. "You're hopeless," he muttered, his fingers threading through her hair. "Fine. I'll teach you… later."

"Why not now?" she asked, her eyes sparkling with unbridled curiosity.

Nicolas stiffened. This girl was relentless.

What kind of freak is this girl! How come you are more impatient than a man? Nicolas thought. He was afraid that Noelle would take him down right here, so he quickly held her little paw that was trying to make trouble and asked, "Didn't you want to know why my relationship with my family is not good? Do you still want to listen?"

Noelle immediately replied, "Yes!"

"Then sit still and behave."

Noelle pouted but obediently settled herself, though her eyes still gleamed with anticipation. "Nick, after you're done explaining, will you teach me how to kiss?"

Looking at the adorable girl nestled in his lap, her gaze filled with earnest curiosity, Nicolas felt his resolve weaken. His lips curved into a slow, wicked smile. She nodded enthusiastically. She was curious about everything unknown and strived to be the best!

Chuckling, Nicolas tilted her chin up with a gentle touch, his voice dropping to a husky murmur. "Alright, baby. Open your mouth."