Chapter 232
+25 BONUS
Noelle’s wound wasn’t very serious. So, after the final checkup, she was discharged from the hospital.
However, her wound hadn’t fully healed yet, and there was a bandage on the corner of her forehead. The doctor
said it would leave a scar.
Well, Noelle didn’t care.
She was in the restaurant now, and the people kept giving her second glances. She just sat there silently.
Outside the window were the busy streets of Vinton. The red taillights, the glowing lamps of the distant residential area, and the makeshift stalls selling fruits and hotdogs along the street created a city full of life and warmth.
It felt much cozier than Coppersville, a place dominated by towering skyscrapers.
As Noelle stood there lost in thought, a familiar sound of footsteps reached her ears.
That sound–no matter how bustling the restaurant lobby was, she didn’t need to turn around to know it was him.
She had known him for many years–so many years that Noelle had forgotten when she first began secretly paying attention to him.
She knew he loved black coffee, knew he disliked anything with a sweet–and–sour taste, knew he preferred wearing dark–colored clothes, and even knew the exact style of ties he liked to wear.
These small habits of his were things she had carefully observed during their two years of marriage, as well as details she had secretly noticed even before they got married.
Yet, she could never truly know what he was thinking.
It wasn’t until today that Noelle realized the person she thought she understood was merely the side of himself he allowed her to see.
The man from last night was the real him–selfish, ruthless, and unhinged.
“Have you
been waiting long?” The man’s voice broke through her thoughts, pulling her back to the present.
Noelle turned her head to look at him.
Hendrix was wearing a white shirt today. There was no jacket, and his sleeve cuffs were undone and rolled up slightly, exposing his fair yet muscular forearms.
There was a distinct bite mark on one of those forearms. The mark was deep, with faint traces of blood still
seeping out.
Noelle, of course, knew exactly how that bite mark had come to be, but she merely glanced at it before casually shifting her gaze away.
As her eyes traveled upward, she noticed that Hendrix’s handsome face bore no extra expression. It was the same calm and composed demeanor as always.
Noelle’s lips pressed into a tight line.
After a moment, she finally replied, “Not for very long.”
“Apologies. There were some issues at the office.”
The waiter came to serve them the food.
-1/2
Chapter 232
+25 BONUS
From the surface, they looked like couples who came to have a meal here. Moreover, with their strikingly matching appearances, onlookers might even mistake them for a couple on a date.
That was if not for the bandage on Noelle’s temple, which slightly broke the illusion.
Noelle took a sip of coffee before handing over the document in her hand. “Take a look.”
Hendrix promptly accepted it.
Without sparing him another glance, Noelle picked up her gutleries and started eating.
Hendrix pulled the document out, and the first thing he saw was a surveillance photo from the hotel last night. His fingers paused slightly, and then he lifted his gaze to peek at Noelle.
Noelle continued eating quietly. Her demeanor was no different from usual, except for her slightly pale hand gripping the fork and the noticeably quicker pace of her meal.
Hendrix chuckled softly. Without reading further, he placed the document directly on the table.
Noelle, with her gaze lowered the whole time, naturally noticed his action.
Perhaps because his reaction didn’t align with her expectations, Hendrix observed her movements falter for a brief moment.
