When Beatrice finished speaking, Noelle fell silent for a moment. Then, she suddenly smiled, which made Beatrice frown involuntarily.

"So, you still love him, don't you?" Noelle asked softly.

Beatrice couldn't help but tighten her grip around her cup when she heard that question.

"I don't blame you, but I'll never forgive him, either," Noelle said as she set the coffee cup back on the

table. She then continued, "If it weren't for the pressure he exerted in business and all those underhanded tactics, I'd already be someone else's wife by now.

"Do you really think, under these circumstances, I could convince myself to love him?"

M

Her tone was calm, and so were her emotions.

Beatrice couldn't come up with a suitable reply. In truth, she would have preferred if Noelle had been more confrontational and aggressive. At least that would have meant she still felt something-anything- when it came to Hendrix.

But there was nothing.

"I know," Beatrice finally said. "His name is Dylan, right? But do you love him?"

"I do."

Noelle's reply was simple. Her calm voice carried words that cut to the core.

Hendrix stood frozen at the bottom of the staircase, suddenly unable to remember what he was supposed to do next. He stared at Noelle's back in disbelief, desperately trying to convince himself that he must have misheard. She and Dylan were only in a contractual relationship-tha was what Noelle had told him. Even the reason they got married was something she'd explained to him-Dylan's grandfather was ill. So how? How could she say she loved him now? How could the possibly love him?

"Mr. Freeman, are you alright?" Grant suddenly asked. "You don't look too good."

Hendrix didn't answer him, whereas Beatrice immediately turned her head around when she heard Grant's voice. There was a hint of panic in her eyes.

Noelle, on the other hand, was a picture of calm. She didn't even raise her head to look at him. Hendrix slowly relaxed his tight grip, and then, as if nothing had happened, he smiled and said, "I'm fine." As he spoke, he walked over to the living room. "Grandma said she's fine. She just has a little headache. She also told us to have lunch without her."

"Just as well," said Beatrice quickly. She then turned to instruct the household staff to prepare lunch. "By the way, where are the two of you stay

"We're still staying at Nivis Villa," answered Hendrix, preempting the question he knew she was about to ask. "I've already fired Mabel, but I don't plan on keeping live-in staff anymore. If there's a need, I'll just hire a part-time housekeeper."

"Sure. That works, too," replied Beatrice.

Throughout the entire conversation, Noelle had barely spoken. Even as Hendrix and Beatrice discussed various arrangements, she offered no input, as though none of it had anything to do with her. 1/2

That was until the topic shifted to the wedding. Hendrix mentioned that he had already hired a wedding planner, and the wedding would be held in early winter-on the same date as their previous wedding- Beatrice didn't voice any objections, but Noelle, who had been silent up until now, suddenly spoke up, "Let's not."

Those two words immediately brought the hard-built, lively atmosphere in the dining room to a standstill, as if a sudden chill had swept through.

Hendrix slowly turned to look at her. "What did you just say?

"I said let's forget the wedding. It's too exhausting."

"Is that so?" Hendrix let out a cold laugh. "Then, why didn't you find it exhausting when you were making grand plans to marry Dylan?"noveldrama