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?"

hand against the table, keeping his back to her.

out starkly against her skin. But her skirt was pulled a little too high. He glanced once and swerved around. "Don't lift your skirt in

"But you're a doctor."

was a man as well. Had no

treated," he said. "Why haven't

face fell as pain gripped her heart. Her third brother, Carl, said that this scar represented her parents. He

She believed him.

end, 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

the wind out of Noelle. She couldn't tell Cedric that now, so she deflected, "How

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

a smile.

lower her head, Cedric said nothing

noticed that the screen showed a gaming

banquet for this competition, but he had ultimately lost to the youngest son of the Greene family

lost. He was so enraged that he recruited her and his brothers into his team when

in the repechage. They eventually made their way to the

Noelle spent countless hours training and analyzing the Greene team's strategies just to beat

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

bliss of having no one else to interrupt them as a family. She was so entranced by the

was within reach, the Liddell brothers made

the glory of her efforts.

on the television.

This isn't some soap opera worth

of her reveries, she wiped her tears from her

held between two

and turned to Cedric

game." Cedric slouched back

turned to the screen and said

It was Lucas' team.

lips as he