No longer a pushover (Noelle and Cedric)

Noelle pressed her lips into a thin line. "If you knew getting exposed would be

humiliating, then why lie in the first place?"

"I didn't lie! Ask anyone here—do you really think you deserve Cedric?" Laura

snapped. She was clearly losing her usual composure, her voice sharp and high.

Cedric's jaw tightened as he finally said, "Laura, I was the one who pursued her."

At that moment, Laura looked like someone had just cut off her oxygen. She

looked completely frozen and speechless.

She could not believe that he was the one who pursued Noelle. But why her?

What did Noelle have that she didn't?

Noelle watched Laura's crumbling expression and, for a second, was reminded of

herself back at the café—not so long ago. Maybe she had looked just as wrecked

that day, all because of the same man.

She stood up, ready to leave. She felt things had gotten so messy that discussing

work now seemed pointless.

Cedric noticed her movement right away and stepped in her path. Noelle's

expression tightened. "What are you doing?"

"There's broken glass on the floor," he replied. Then, he gently lifted her up, spun

her around to avoid the shards, and set her down safely. His lips were pressed

into a thin line. "We'll talk business tomorrow at the office."

"Got it." She glanced at the shattered glass on the floor, her cheeks suddenly

flushing for a reason she couldn't explain. After that, she turned and quickly left

the room.

Laura watched the scene unfold, her voice hoarse. "Cedric, did you really have to

humiliate me like this? In front of everyone?"

"I told you long ago to clear up the engagement rumor yourself. If it were anyone

else, she wouldn't have stood by me after hearing it."

His expression was stern, and it was obvious that there was no room for

negotiation.

Laura opened her mouth, but no words came out. She just watched as Cedric

walked away, feeling like her entire world had shattered.

Outside, Noelle returned to the team's dinner gathering. Since most of her friends

had finished eating, she went to pay the bill.

The server smiled and said, "It's already been taken care of."

She did not have to ask—she knew exactly who paid. As the group headed out

and walked down the stairs, she spotted Cedric standing near the entrance.

His figure was tall and steady, his presence unmistakable. He turned and looked

straight at her, locking eyes for a moment.

Her teammates began whispering behind her. "Isn't that Noelle's boyfriend? He's

the same guy who waited outside campus all night last month."

"Damn, he's even hotter in person. Way better than the pics we saw."

Noelle's ears burned with heat. She turned and looked at her teammates and

said, "I've got a car on the way. Let's head back to campus together."

She followed the group toward the door, and as she passed Cedric, her heartbeat

suddenly skipped.

Noelle acted like she did not see him, but she could feel his eyes following her

every step. Outside the building, her teammates started piling into the cabs in

small groups.

Raymond appeared beside her. "Come on, let's go."

Noelle nodded and slid into the back seat with Grace while Raymond took the

front seat. Before shutting the door, he glanced back at the man standing by the

entrance.

However, Cedric did not even look

his way—his eyes stayed fixed on

Noelle the entire time, and Raymond

was completely ignored. That small

dismissal made something sour stir

in Raymond's chest.

He turned and started making small

talk with Noelle, but she only

responded half-heartedly, distracted

and distant. As the car pulled away

from the curb, she found herself

glancing out the window.

There stood Cedric, head lowered, looking at his phone. But from the corner of

her eye, she saw someone else appear—Laura, tears streaking her face as shenoveldrama

chased after him.

Noelle quickly looked away, her

heart pounding. She fumbled for her

phone, hoping to distract herself.

Then, she saw Cedric's message.

The moment her eyes landed on

that single line, her heart went into

complete chaos.