No longer a pushover (Noelle and Cedric)

Regardless of what Noelle said, Cedric was determined to protect her. When he ended the call and returned to the room, Noelle had nearly finished eating. She looked up at Cedric, her gaze flickering with uncertainty as she searched for something to say.

Cedric glanced at the time and asked, "Do you have class today?"

Noelle thought for a moment before replying, "Yes, in the afternoon."

"If you're not feeling well, you can take the day off."

"I'm fine," Noelle said quickly. "Besides, all I do is sit and listen to lectures-it's not tiring." She felt a bit awkward facing him, unsure of how to navigate their current relationship.

Cedric noticed her discomfort and teased her with a smirk, "Are you really that scared of being alone with me?"

Noelle's breath hitched. "N-no, I'm not! I-I just don't want to skip class, that's all."

"A university life isn't complete without skipping a few classes," Cedric quipped, amused by her flustered reaction.

But seeing her struggling to maintain her composure, he decided to ease up. "I'II take you to school."

As Cedric turned around, Noelle finally let out a sigh of relief. After quickly freshening up, she followed him out of the hotel. She noticed that the hotel seemed incredibly upscale, yet upon looking around, she found that there wasn't a single guest in sight.

"What's the matter?" Cedric asked, catching her curious gaze.

"This hotel seems so luxurious, but I don't see any other guests. Is the business not doing well?" Noelle replied.

A flicker of uneasiness crossed Cedric's eyes, but he quickly answered, "Maybe it's just a slow time of day."

They headed to the underground parking lot together. Cedric got into the driver's seat while Noelle settled into the passenger seat. As she tried to buckle her seatbelt, it got stuck.

Cedric leaned over to help, adjusting the belt for her. When Noelle looked up, she realized his face was just inches away from hers. She could feel his breath.

A sudden image flashed in her mind a sense of déjà vu. Had Cedric helped her with a seatbelt before?

While Noelle was lost in thought, Cedric met her gaze, his heart racing uncontrollably. Panicked, he quickly averted his eyes, secured the belt, and sat back in his seat.

As the car started, Noelle stole a glance at Cedric. The sense of déjà vu lingered. Had she dreamt about this moment before?

The two remained silent for the rest of the ride. When the car stopped outside the school, Noelle hesitated before asking, "When are you heading back to Aldoria?"

"I'll be here for a few days," Cedric replied.

"Oh... I'll head to class now. Before

you leave, let's have a meal together. I want to thank you for saving me

this time, Noelle said, her tone. nervous as her gaze flickered. She worried he might refuse or make an

excuse.

en

Kon?

Cedric found it hard to meet her eyes. He responded lightly, "Sure. If you run into any trouble at school, make sure to let me know."

He suspected Samantha might still try to cause her trouble.

"I can handle things myself at school. See you in a few days, then." Noelle

stepped out of the car and walked toward the campus.

Watching her departing figure, Cedric tugged at his collar irritably. "What should I do with you, Noelle?" he thought to himself.

Noelle went straight to her classroom. As she entered, the once-noisy room fell

quiet, and strange gazes followed her every step.

Ignoring the stares, she chose a seat in the front row, deliberately isolating herself from the crowd.

Suddenly, her phone buzzed with a message from Grace: "You didn't come back last night, and now there are rumors about you being involved in shady stuff. Be careful!"

Attached was a photo of her getting out of Cedric's car earlier.noveldrama