Chapter

346

Hendrix had noticed the scratches while getting dressed earlier. He hadn't thought much of it-after all, during Noelle's earlier phase of slapping him, he'd often walked into the office with a bright red cheek. But for some reason, being stared at by Erwin at that moment made him feel a bit uncomfortable.

"I've heard that women from your side of the world are all about being demure, virtuous, and gentle," Erwin remarked. "But your wife doesn't seem to fit that mold. So, why did you marry her?"

As Erwin spoke, his curiosity about Noelle seemed to grow

Hendrix adjusted the collar of his shirt, and deflecting the question, he asked, "How's the negotiation with Sokay Group going?"

"Not well," Edwin replied.

Hendrix's tone was curt, but Edwin didn't mind. He quickly picked up the conversation and continued,

"That old fox David Stokes still refuses to budge. You might need to make a trip yourself."

Hendrix chuckled lightly. "Wouldn't you be a better fit for the job? Didn't he always want to marry his daughter off to you?"

"Do I look crazy to you?"

"Why not? I hear his daughter owns a few oil fields. Marry her, and you will be set for life."

Erwin scoffed coldly. "But it seems her interest in you is far from insignificant, either."

"But I'm already married," Hendrix replied, holding up his hand to show the wedding ring. "Besides, where

I come from, we value loyalty to one's spouse."

п

"That's why you're obviously the better choice. You can use this as a perfect excuse to shut that old fox up, no?

Hendrix fell silent, glancing at Erwin briefly.

Erwin, however, looked completely serious. "You know as well as I do that whether we meet our target this year depends on this deal. You've made it clear you won't relocate here, and with David refusing to budge, it's becoming difficult for me to manage things on my own.'

Then, suddenly switching topics, he asked, "Or is it that you don't trust leaving your wife here?"noveldrama

Hendrix raised an eyebrow at the unexpected question. Then, he smiled and said, "Why would I worry about her? One day will be enough for me to deal with this."

"Then, it's settled. I'll arrange a plane for you right now. The sooner you leave, the sooner you'll be back. We're running out of time," Erwin said, his tone unusually earnest for someone who had been partying all night.

Hendrix glanced at him before finally nodding

"Great. I'll get everything set up immediately," Erwin said as he turned and pulled out his phone to make the call

Hendrix took out his phone and started drafting a message to Noelle. He initially planned to inform her that he'd be busy all day and likely wouldn't return until the early hours of the next morning.

But halfway through typing, he suddenly remembered that yesterday, when he had been completely out of touch, Noelle hadn't sent him a single message. She hadn't even been curious about where he was or what he was doing.

Realizing this, his "update" felt entirely unnecessary. With that thought, he put his phone away. Chapter 346

When Noelle woke up, her entire body ached. Her mouth felt so dry that it was as though it were on fire. A glass of water had been left on the bedside table, but even atter drinking it all in one go, she still felt thirsty.

She was about to get out of bed to get more water when her legs gave out, and she collapsed to her knees on the floor. Her knees were already scraped raw, and though the floor was carpeted, the impact still sent a sharp pain shooting through her, causing her to cry out in pain.

She stayed there, kneeling on the floor, for what felt like a long time before finally steadying herself and pushing herself up to stand.