By the time dinner ended, it was nearing 10:00 pm.

Javier seemed quite satisfied with the evening's discussions. Before leaving, he told Noelle that he would review her proposal first. His tone had noticeably softened, and Noelle responded with a bright, enthusiastic smile.

As for Sandra, who had unexpectedly shown up tonight, she had been practically invisible throughout the evening

-except for the moment she glanced at Hendrix as she boarded the car.

It was a look filled with a mix of grievance, resentment, and a hint of hope. Whatever response Hendrix gave, Noelle didn't witness it, because in the hext instant, Sandra had already entered Javier's black Bentley, which swiftly drove into the night..

The smile Noelle had been forcing onto her face disappeared instantly. Without sparing a glance at the man beside her, she turned on her heel and headed straight for her own car. But Hendrix was quick to grab her arm.

"What are you doing?" Noelle immediately brushed his hand off. "Have you already forgotten what I told you this morning, Mr. Freeman?"

Hendrix pressed his lips together for a moment before responding, "I haven't forgotten. But you've had alcohol, so you can't drive."

Noelle was well aware of that, of course. She simply rolled her eyes at him and said, "I've already called for at designated driver."

With that, she got into her car. But to her surprise, Hendrix followed her inside as well.

"What are you doing? Get out!"

"It's not teasy to find a designated driver here. I just tried calling for one myself, but no one's accepting requests anymore," said Hendrix.

"What does that have to do with me? Get out of my car!!

"Are you really planning to leave me stranded here?"

"Don't be ridiculous, Mr. Freeman. You have plenty of assistants-call one of them, and I'm sure they'd be thrilled to pick you up.

"It's pretty late. Making someone work overtime isn't very considerate, don't you think?"

"I couldn't care less! Now get out!" said Noelle as she shoved him out.noveldrama

But despite his lean appearance, beneath that tailored suit was a body honed by regular exercise, all solid muscle. Noelle gave it her all, shoving him several times, yet he did 't budge at all.

Noelle was just about to kick him out, but Hendrix seemed to anticipate her move. His hand shot out and firmly caught her ankle before she could land the blow. The warmth of his dry, strong grip spread through her, and goosebumps rose unbidden on her arms.

Even her voice carried a slight tremble. "W-What are you doing? Let go!"

Noelle hadn't had much to drink tonight, but at this moment, it felt like the alcohol was suddenly kicking in. Her body tensed, her cheeks and even the tips of her ears flushing a warm red.

However, Hendrix seemed oblivious to her reaction. Without a word, he slipped off her high heel with his other hand. He then gently brushed against the faint scrape on her ankle.

"Does it hurt?" His voice was soft, yet in the stillness of the car, it carried a magnetic pull.

As his words faded, Hendrix lifted his gaze to her. Those deep, enigmatic eyes of his seemed to transform into a

image with unsettling clarity.

serene pool that reflected Noelles

Her foot was still in his palm, and his fingers were gently touching the wound on it. The wound had

already scabbed over, but his fingers felt like they carried an electric current, transmitting through her wound and spreading to every part of her body.

Noelle couldn't help but frown, yet she no longer pushed him away. Even as he leaned in closer bit by bit, she forgot to dodge.