"Help him? You mean by using herself to curry favor with Javier?" asked Noelle.

"Whether that's true or not, I don't know, and it has nothing to do with me," replied Hendrix.

"Didn't you say you see Sandra as a sister? Doesn't it hurt you to see your 'sister' fall to this level?"

Hendrix suddenly chuckled and raised his head to look at her. "I thought I was the one being unnecessarily jealous, but it turns out a certain someone might be the jealous one."

"Who are you talking about?" Noelle shot back, her tone can and steady, as if their conversation had nothing to

do with her.

Hendrix didn't continue teasing her and instead said, "What you're really worried about is whether Sandra will try to interfere on Javier's side, isn't it?"

Noelle didn't respond, but her silence was as good as confirmation.

Hendrix discarded the cotton swab and added, "It's not impossible."

Noelle pressed her lips together. "But judging by Javier's attitude toward her tonight, it doesn't seem like he'd listen to her, does it?"

"The fact that he brought her along to dinner is already a statement in itself."

Noelle fell silent again. If that were the case, the situation didn't look good for her.

While Vinton City had more than one bank, Javier's influence was far too significant. If Sandra truly managed to sway his stance, all of Noelle's subsequent plans would become exceptionally difficult to execute.

This was a scenario Noelle absolutely couldn't afford to see unfold.

"Are you worried?" Hendrix suddenly asked, breaking her train of thought.

Noelle frowned at him, as if blaming him for asking the obvious.

"Sandra knows how to please others to secure her way forward. Why don't you follow her example?"

As Hendrix spoke, his hand calmly slid upward from her foot. Very soon, his dry palm was resting against her calf. His eyes locked onto hers, carrying a mix of instruction and subtle temptation.

Noelle met his gaze for a moment before chuckling. "Mr. Freeman, are you offering yourself up for me to use?"

"Isn't it true that familiarity grows with practice?"noveldrama

For a second, Noelle found herself at a loss for words.

"Or... is it that you can't bear to use me?"

As Hendrix's words fell, the faint smile on Noelle's face vanished instantly. Without hesitation, she

grabbed his tie and yanked him toward her with a force that was both swift and unrelenting

The sudden move caught Hendrix off guard. Reflexively, his hand shot out to grip the armrest of the

couch beside her, just barely preventing himself from falling ungracefully. But in doing so, the distance between them was reduced to an alarmingly close and undeniably charged proximity.

Their noses were mere inches apart, their gazes perfectly aligned. They were so close that even the smallest details

-their breaths, the delicate flutter of their eyelashes-were crystal clear to each other.