Chapter 203
Noelle didn’t respond to his words. Instead, she simply glanced at this retreating figure before slowly turning her gaze back to the portrait of the deceased. The woman in the photo was Matilda in her younger years. Ironically, she looked almost exactly like Noelle,
On the day of the funeral, rain suddenly began to fall in Coppersville, and the temperature seemed even lower than it had been during last year’s winter.
Noelle had already put on her coat, but as she stood in the cemetery, she could still feel the cold wind seeping deep into her bones.
The urn containing Matilda’s ashes had already been laid to rest. It was only when the sound of the pastor’s voice echoed through the cemetery that Noelle, almost as if waking from a daze, fully realized that Matilda was truly
gone.
Whether it was love or hate, it all seemed to vanish with Matilda’s death. Noelle suddenly recalled the day Matilda closed her eyes for the last time. She wasn’t sure whether it was guilt or something else, but in her final moments, Matilda had called for Noelle to stand before her
The look in her eyes brought a rush of distant memories to the surface for Noelle. It was before she got lost. Back then, Matilda’s tenderness toward her had been genuine. She would hold her while she slept, gently take her hand, and kneel down to carefully wipe away her sweat.
Those memories suddenly came alive again. At that moment, Matilda didn’t say anything. She simply gave a long, deep look before closing her eyes.
Noelle
Raindrops fell onto Noelle, and her shoulder began to tremble slightly, but there was no one by her side to hold her hand. In the end, she could only clench her fists, letting her nails dig into her skin.
Soon, the funeral came to an end.
Once the guests had left, Craig walked up to Noelle’s side. Do you want to go home together?”
His words made Sandra’s face change immediately. However, she didn’t dare to say anything. She could only glare at Noelle in anger.
Noelle, on the other hand, quickly replied; “Sure.”
The matters with William were quickly resolved, and the letter of appointment for the Vinton City subsidiary was officially issued. It hadn’t even been a month since Christmas Day, and Noelle was already on a plane heading to Vinton City.
She never saw Hendrix again. Coppersville was a vast city, so expansive that even though they were moved in the same circles, they could continue their lives without crossing paths.
After that, Noelle threw herself into an incredibly busy work routine. This was her first time working at a company, but she adapted quickly. Even the social intricacies she had once despised were now something she handled with ease.
By the time Noelle heard news of Hendrix again, it was already early summer. His relationship with a young actress had made front–page headlines. In the accompanying photo, the two stood in front of a villa, the actress‘ delicate, striking beauty perfectly complementing his.
Noelle glanced at the news before briefly closing it. A notification popped up at the top of the screen–it was a call from Ethan Carter from Skyweb, asking if she was free to join him for dinner that evening.
Chapter 203
+25 BONUS
Noelle pressed her lips together before answering with a hint of a smile in her voice, “Of course I am, but only if you let me pay for the dinner.”
Ethan chuckled. “How could I possibly let you do that?”
“I’m new here, Mr. Carter. And with how much you’ve helped me, it’s only right that I treat you to dinner. I’ll have my assistant-”
“Ms. Swanson, you must know by now that I’m not a fan of fake pleasantries. Tonight, I just want to have dinner with someone, like ordinary friends would.”
His implication was more than clear.
Noelle felt her expression freeze for a moment, but then, she quickly responded with ease, “Alright. I’ll send you the details after booking the restaurant.”
