"I've told you. This isn't your fault," Henu... interrupted her again.

This time, Noelle fell completely silent.

"It wasn't your fault then, and it's not your fault today," Hendrix continued, his jaw tightening with every word." Don't worry. I won't let anyone who's hurt you off the hook Not a single one of them."

"Oh, really? But isn't Erwin your partner? Won't it be difficult for you if you turn against him?"

That shut Hendrix up real quick.

Noelle thought he had finally realized the weight of the situation-proving, once again, that profit always came first to him. The thought made her lips twitch slightly.

She was about to speak again when Hendrix said, "He's not my partner. Even if he was before, he's not anymore."

"But don't you still share mutual interests?" Noelle pressed. "If you offend him, aren't you afraid that-" "This is Mondivera, not Coppersville," Hendrix replied. The foundation of Amity Group is in Coppersville, so I can give up everything here."

Noelle said nothing.

Hendrix, however, looked at her intently. "So, are you worried about me?"

Noelle lifted her head, still not responding

But to Hendrix, her silence was as good as an admission. He suddenly felt an urge to laugh.

Despite everything that had happened tonight and knowing that now wasn't the time to feel any sort of joy, an indescribable sense of happiness still rose in his chest.

He tightened his grip on Noelle's hand. "Don't worry. I won't let him get away with this. But he holds quite a significant influence here, so for your safety, I'll have someone escort you back first. And then-" "There's no need for you to do that," Noelle interrupted him.noveldrama

Hendrix frowned, about to insist, when she added, "Nothing happened between me and him tonight." Hendrix's expression changed subtly. It was clear he was struggling to process the meaning behind Noelle's

statement.

After biting her lips, Noelle continued, "We only had dinner together. Nothing else happened"

Hendrix didn't respond immediately, but his gaze slowly settled on her.

Noelle, fully aware of what he was likely thinking, turned her face away. "Didn't you want to check? Then, just-"

"There's no need," Hendrix interrupted hastily. "I believe you, Penny."

The moment his words landed, a shiver ran through Noelle

This wasn't the first time Hendrix had called her by that nickname. But in the past, it had always been in certain moments-when they were at their closest, their most intimate.

Hearing that one word now, so casually uttered, left Noelle feeling unexpectedly at a loss on how to react. She lowered her gaze and, in a calm voice, said, "Leave. I need to take a shower."

Hendrix, however, didn't move.

Frowning, Noelle lifted her head to glare at him. "Didn't you hear me? I told you to get out!"

The sharp tone in the words was the same as always, but Hendrix suddenly chuckled. The corners of his

lips curled upward, and his whole demeanor seemed to relax all at once, his eyes brimming with an unmistakable laughter.

"Alright," he said. Then, he raised his hand to gently ruffle her hair. "I'll go."

Noelle instinctively wanted to swat his hand away, but before she could react, Hendrix had already turned and walked out.

She stood there, unmoving.

The crown of her head still seemed to carry the warmth he had left behind.

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