As a powerful man, Hendrix was no stranger to temptation

However, the woman standing in front of him was the crudest kind,

He didn't even spare her a glance. Instead, he pulled out his phone and called Noelle.

The line connected, but no one answered. His expression diakened.

The woman, still lingering behind him, felt the sting of being ignored. But her gaze kept flicking to his car parked outside and the clearly expensive clothes he wore. Summoning her courage, she stepped closer. "What's your relationship with Noelle? Are you friends?" she asked with a coy sanile..

"She's probably too busy to answer, you know. At this hour she's probably on a date with some guy," she added, her voice laced with faux concem. "Let me tell you. She's tit as innocent as she seems. Behind closed doors, she's pretty wild. Just this morning, I saw

Before she could finish, Hendrix's cold, piercing gaze snapped to her. His look was sharp enough to feel like a physical chokehold, cutting off her words entirely.

She prided herself on being tough, and she had dealt with all sorts of people, including thugs. For the first time, the intensity in his eyes sent a shiver down her spine. She genuinely believed that if she pushed any further, he might actually kill her.

Without a word, Hendrix shifted his attention away from her and called a locksmith.

When the locksmith arrived, the man began to ask for proof of residence, as was protocol. But Hendrix didn't bother with explanations. He simply handed over a thick stack of cash and lit a cigarette. "Open it," he said calmly.

The locksmith hesitated for a moment, his gaze drifting to the luxury watch on Hendrix's wrist, which was worth more than most of the apartments in the area. Without another word, the man pocketed the cash and got to work.

Noelle obviously didn't heed his advice to change the locks. It barely put up any resistance as the

locksmith cracked it open. To ensure Hendrix felt he got his money's worth, the locksmith even installed a brand-new digital lock before leaving

Throughout the entire process, Hendrix remained silent. Once the door was unlocked, he stepped inside without

much as a thank-you, slamming it shut behind him.

Outside, the locksmith and the lady exchanged uneasy glances.

The apartment looked much the same as it had the last time he was here. The only difference was the the signed books Noelle had been working on. Her laptop sat on the dining table, next to a plate of half- fruit. It didn't seem like her usual tidy, meticulous style.

Hendrix scanned the room once more before calling her again. Still, there was no answer.

His patience wore thin. With nothing else to do, he dropped onto her small, slightly uncomfortable couch and closed his eyes.

Not long after, he was awakened by voices outside the door.

Noelle was on the phone, and she sounded frantic.

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Hendrix rose from the couch and walked to the door, opening it without hesitation.

"I don't know if anyone's inside, but when can you" Noelle paused when she saw him.

Hendrix's presence took her by surprise, and she staggered backward.

"Ma'am, are you

Still there? Ma'am?" the voice on the other end of her call asked.

Noelle blinked, seemingly shaken out of her shock. She stammered into the phone, "L... No, it's fine. I made a mistake. My friend changed the lock. Everything's fine now."

"Are you sure you're okay?"noveldrama

"Yes. I'm so sorry," she said quickly.

After apologizing again, she hung up, her gaze locking on Hendrix. "What are you doing here?"