Noelle left the restaurant soon after.

Earlier, she had actually taken Julio's advice to heart to treat Hendrix as just another client or business partner, like before.

She'd use the faint, ambiguous connection between them to achieve her goals.

Although Noelle had always loathed gender discrimination and preferential treatment in the workplace, she realized after stepping into this complicated world that her ideals couldn't change anything. She even found herself skillfully leveraging those very dynamics to her advantage.

But when the person involved was Hendrix, she discovered she couldn't handle it as calmly as she

thought.

She had once loved him sincerely for many years, after all. There was even a time when her feelings were reciprocated. She had felt, however fleeting, a genuine warmth in him.noveldrama

Even though all of it eventually turned out to be nothing but an illusion, she still couldn't treat him like a stranger. Not even when Julio bluntly reminded her that this was just business.

But she still couldn't do it.

Noelle thought that perhaps it was because she hadn't yet become a truly competent businesswoman. Leaving the restaurant, Noelle received a message from Dylan.

It contained only a flight time. "Landing tomorrow at 8:00 pm."

Noelle immediately understood his meaning and replied, "Got it. I'll pick you up."

Dylan didn't send any further messages, but Noelle was already used to this way of interacting with him.

Without giving it another thought, she tossed her phone aside and calmly started the car.

When Noelle arrived at the company the next day, Oliver came over, looking rather gossipy. "Ms.

Swanson, did you go to the stadium yesterday?"

Noelle turned to look at him. "What are you hinting at?"

"Nothing. Just wanted to know if you and Mr. Freeman...."

Before he could finish speaking, Noelle suddenly interrupted, "How did you know about this?" "Huh?"

Noelle then squinted her eyes.

Oliver had been working for Noelle for some time now, so he knew she was going to be angry. He quickly explained, "Mr. Garcia's secretary told me about it."

Noelle laughed coldly when she heard that.

"He doesn't really think that spreading a few rumors will actually make Hendrix soften up, does he?" She turned around. "Tell him this. Hendrix hates being pressured by public opinion more than anything. There's no way he'll compromise because of it.

"If he wants Hendrix to completely despise him, he can keep at it."

Noelle finished her words in one breath.

Oliver stood there, dumbfounded. After a moment, he finally reacted. "Wait. Me? I'm supposed to say this?"

"Aren't you the one who loves gossip the most? You do it."

Leaving that remark behind, Noelle went straight back to her office.

Whether Oliver passed the message to Julio or not, she didn't know. But during the afternoon meeting, Julio's expression was anything but pleasant.

Noelle didn't care. She had already done her part, and she wasn't interested in meddling further.

At 6:00 pm sharp, she clocked out, left the company, and headed for the airport.

It was rush hour, and the roads were packed with a steady stream of vehicles, so she didn't notice the car that had been tailing her.

Noelle's timing was impeccable. By the time she reached the arrival gate, she hadn't even replied to the messages on her phone when Dylan walked out.

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