No longer a pushover

Chapter 5

The infirmary was silent.

Noelle opened her mouth to speak but ultimately said nothing. Words seemed powerless at this moment. She had explained herself countless times before, but her brothers never believed her.

Frank swallowed hard and eventually released his hand. Looking disappointed, he glanced at Noelle and said, "If you keep being stubborn, I won't be able to defend you once Donovan returns. Think about it."

As soon as he left, Noelle breathed a sigh of relief and leaned back against the headboard. A hint of self-deprecation crossed her eyes as she wondered what she should think about.

Should she bend the knee and tiptoe around them like in her past life, only to end up being driven out of the family and dying a miserable death after being locked in a mental hospital?

She wouldn't do that again.

"Here."

A cold compress wrapped in gauze appeared before her.

Noelle took it and pressed it against her swollen cheek. Glancing at the man beside her, she whispered, "Thanks for what you did earlier."

"Why didn't you defend yourself?" Cedric asked icily.

A wry smile crossed Noelle's face as she lowered her head and said, "Believe it or not, but I've explained countless times in the past and even showed them the evidence. However, they never believed me. They just thought I was lying." The room fell into a brief silence.

Noelle had no intention of explaining further, as most people who heard her story thought she was simply being disobedient.

"It's hard not to believe you."

Noelle's heart skipped a beat. She questioned if he really believed what she said.

Cedric stepped forward and felt her forehead. "The fever's gone down."

Amidst her daze, Noelle realized how cool and soothing his hand was. She felt much better now. She glanced at his wrist and asked, "Did you get that scar from a car accident?"

from a car accident." He propped his hand against the table, keeping his back to her. His expression was indiscernible against the light. "I have one on my leg, too," Noelle said, pulling up her skirt

starkly against her skin. But her skirt

"But you're a doctor."

man as well. Had no

he said. "Why

her heart. Her third brother, Carl, said that this scar represented her parents. He promised to personally help her remove it one

She believed him.

he looked at the scar disgustedly, saying that he hated it and would never treat it. He blamed her for their parents' death and told her that the scar was the mark of her bringing doom upon them. He said that she should remember it for the rest of her life. She was devastated back then, believing that she was indeed responsible for her parents'

wind out of Noelle. She couldn't tell Cedric that now,

doesn't matter. But for a woman, it's better to get

forced a smile.

Cedric said

turned on the television, and Noelle noticed that the screen showed a gaming live

had skipped Xenia's banquet for this competition, but he had ultimately lost to the youngest son of the

past life, Noelle remembered how Lucas' opponents had relentlessly mocked him after he lost. He was so enraged that he recruited her and his brothers into

comeback in the repechage. They eventually made their way to the finals, only to face the Greene family's

training and analyzing the

because her gaming skills were poor. She could only be a substitute

her brothers. She relished the bliss of having no one else to interrupt them as a family. She was so entranced by the competition that she even neglected

a critical round and the championship was within reach, the Liddell brothers made Noelle step down and had

national championship. Her brothers stood on the podium with Xenia, basking in the glory of her efforts. Xenia held the trophy that should've been hers, smiling happily in the center of the

shatter into pieces as she watched the game on the television. It seemed as though the hole in her heart could

isn't some soap opera

tears from her face. Her emotions had overwhelmed her

two slender

the tissue and turned to Cedric shyly, "Do you

back in his chair, paying no attention to her. He was focused on the

also turned to the screen and said solemnly, "Team Luminark

It was Lucas' team.

he