No longer a pushover

Donovan's expression sank. "Noelle, we can't afford to offend Mrs. Parham."

"I know, but a guest not feeling well is also just as important. I already had Xenia go get the desserts herself," Noelle replied.

Xenia spoke up. "Noelle, didn't you say that I shouldn't interfere with this event? Nobody's listening to what I have to say anyway."

She continued, deliberately adding fuel to the fire. "Donovan, I'm just thinking of our family's priorities, but Noelle is busy dealing with some random woman instead. I just don't want us to forget about what's important right now."

Donovan frowned and said, "Noelle, you're in the wrong this time. And Xenia's right, like I said, is that we can't afford to offend Mrs. Parham. Hurry and bring her the desserts."

"I understand," Noelle replied. She did not want the situation to escalate further, as her parents had established and left behind the Hopeful Hearts Foundation.

She then turned around and left.

Xenia's eyes gleamed with joy and excitement as she waited to see how Noelle would handle the situation.

Donovan hesitated for a moment and asked, "Who's in the lounge?"

"That's not important, Donovan. It's probably nothing serious anyway. Let's go, Mrs. Parham is waiting for us," Xenia replied.

the woman resting in the lounge would probably just be a

lounge, Emma was standing behind the door and had overheard their conversation. She could tell that the Liddell family

that Noelle was actually the

was picked up quickly, and she said, "Cedric, I want to ask you about

the question. After some time, he replied slowly. "She's the

composure. "Stop lying to me, Cedric.

voice sank a little in response. "That's

all the people you could have fallen in love with, why her? The two of you can never be together unless she's willing to turn her

could tell that Noelle was not a heartless person. She figured that Cedric must have never told her about

began to tremble as she continued, "Noelle's a good girl, Cedric. What you're doing will

protect her," Cedric

all." With that, Emma ended the call abruptly. She covered her face with

Even her stepson had grown into an outstanding man. But that one mistake led to everything that

Emma recalled Noelle

unfairly since she

she was so saddened that she had trouble breathing. She could not help but laugh at the