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?"

empty IV bag and replied, "Yes. It was 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 slightly. "Here. Doesn't it look similar to

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

"But you're a doctor."

throat tightened. He was a man as well. Had no one taught her

can be treated," he said. "Why haven't

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

She believed him.

the 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 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

Noelle. She couldn't tell Cedric that now, so she deflected, "How about you? Why haven't you treated

man. It doesn't matter. But for a

a

her lower her head, Cedric said nothing

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

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

life, Noelle remembered how Lucas' opponents had relentlessly mocked him after he lost. He was so enraged that he recruited

eventually made their way to the finals, only to face the

then, Noelle spent countless hours training and analyzing the Greene team's

wasn't in the lineup because her gaming skills were poor. She could only be a substitute and couldn't make it onto

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 her college entrance

critical round and the championship was within reach, the Liddell brothers

brothers stood on the podium with Xenia, basking in the glory of her

the television.

crying? This isn't some soap opera worth

tears from her face.

tissue held between two slender

took the tissue and turned to Cedric shyly, "Do you

game." Cedric slouched back in his chair, paying no attention to her.

and said solemnly, "Team

It was Lucas' team.

on Cedric's lips as he said