No longer a pushover

Chapter 16

Noelle noticed how Lucas was looking at her and frowned slightly. At that moment, her phone buzzed with a call from Frank. "Noelle, you're at the venue, right?"

An ominous feeling crept over her. She wanted to deny it, but the screams of the fans all around her gave Frank his answer before she could.

"Noelle, something urgent just came up at the company, so Blake and I can't make it to the match. This competition is significant for Lucas. You should step in and join the team. "Whatever issues you and Lucas had before, we need to stick together and stand united when facing challenges, right?"

The moment Frank's words hit her, the noise of the screaming fans faded into the background, swallowed by her silence. It was the kind of silence that spoke volumes.

Without saying a single word, Noelle ended the call. She didn't feel like explaining herself. She hadn't gone there that day to compete. She was there to watch the drama unfold.

On stage, Lucas glanced toward the audience, waiting. His irritation began to show when Noelle didn't move from her seat or head backstage.

"What's Noelle's deal? Does she expect me to go down there and ask her personally?" he muttered, his jaw tightening.

A flicker of amusement flashed across Xenia's eyes. "Lucas, let me message Noelle and check in with her. But honestly, seeing her just sitting there in the audience, I guess that she'd still be upset. If she wasn't, you know as well as I do that she'd already be backstage by now."

Lucas thought back to how Noelle used to be. She never needed him to say anything; she simply understood. He'd grown used to her always being there for him. But now, it was like she'd turned into someone completely different.

Lucas' tone was stiff as he said, "Call her. I'll let bygones be bygones if she's willing to join the match. I'll continue treating her like a sister, just like before."

The memory of what had happened at school flickered in his mind. He knew that he'd been too impulsive. He'd let it go as long as Noelle was willing to let it go, too. They could all go back to the way things used to be.

Xenia's expression froze for a split second, but she recovered quickly. "Alright. I'll call her now. I'm sure she'll join for your sake."

Lucas' expression softened at her words, his frustration easing slightly.

Xenia stepped off to the side, pulling out her phone. Her eyes found Noelle in the audience, her gaze darkening.

on her screen. She didn't need to think

Noelle declined the call,

surprise flickering across her face. But it didn't take long for a smug smile to replace

accepted the information. There was no need to waste

Noelle to join the match anyway. She didn't

eyes how she and Lucas

expression pitifully remorseful. "Lucas, it's my fault. I'm terrible with words, and Noelle probably hates me now. That must be why she

up on him. It's clear that Noelle never planned to join the team or

don't think Noelle's that kind of person. She wouldn't come here just to

to win this match. There's no way we're letting Noelle get

Lucas slid on

of satisfaction flickered in Xenia's eyes. "Noelle, this time, I'm going to win

began between Team Luminark and

to the massive screen displaying the live commentary. Right from the start, Lucas, playing as the assassin, led his team into position

done their homework. They'd studied Lucas' tendencies and set up a bait maneuver

exact suspicious enemy positioning. At that time, she warned Lucas to be cautious and not rush in blindly. But

and taken one other player to scout

It turned out to be a well-executed trap

the game around by sneaking into the enemy's base

he did before. He led his entire team straight into the enemy's trap. A faint smile tugged at Noelle's lips as the predictable

already too late. His team's rhythm shattered under

almost instantly. She fumbled repeatedly, making critical mistakes that nearly killed

them into the safety of a nearby

is your brain? I told everyone to fall back. What were you doing fighting? Are you trying to prove how great you are or something?" Xenia's composure was starting to crack. "Lucas, I just couldn't let it go. When I saw that enemy with low

handed them a free kill! If you were so confident in your skills, maybe you wouldn't have gotten caught in their trap earlier and dragged

unbearable. She lashed out, "If it weren't