Noelle's shoulders stiffened and she looked derisively at the Valet, annoyed at the fact that she was going to have to deal with him and his nasty attitude again.
As he came closer to her and Noelle felt a shiver of awareness. She scolded herself inwardly for having such a reaction to this smug valet. It did not matter that he looked like he was carved by angels, she did not have time to be lusting over rude staff that were beneath her.
"While it is cute that you have a crush and have been stalking me for an autograph, I'm sorry but you can't have one." She said rudely.
To her surprise and further annoyance, the valet chuckled softly.
"Do you know that you could do better than Caine Weston as a husband." He said and Noelle gasped.
Her eyes narrowed and she pointed an accusing finger at him and screeched. "You!!" She said, "I knew you had been eavesdropping."
"An an.. and i don't need to explain anything to someone like you," she stammered angrily then swept a derisive look at him. "Who is a better choice, you?" She asked with a raised eyebrow, her voice mocking.
He simply shrugged and smirked at the annoyance in her eyes. "Absolutely." He said, that one word conveying all the confidence in the world.
Noelle was stunned for a moment then she started to laugh uproariously, holding her belly as she bent over. When she straightened up, she had tears in her eyes. The valet however did not look insulted by her reaction.
"Good one." She said, still laughing. "Maybe you should focus on your minimum wage job and keep dreaming."
She snatched the keys from him and gracefully got into her car while the waiter kept on looking in amusement until she drove out of sight.
"I don't see what you see in her." A voice from behind the valet spoke. "Sure, she is beautiful, but she is just another spoiled popstar."
The valet's face remained impassive as if he did not hear a word the newcomer had said.
A tall man in an expensive, hand tailored suit walked up and stood beside the waiter. His flawless dark skin gleamed under the lights and he glanced at the waiter, amusement in his eyes.
"I do however appreciate her power in getting you to dress like this." The man continued.
"I want you to destabilize the Weston family, Bankrupt them." The waiter said suddenly.
The other man's eyebrows rose lightly. "I imagine that is an appropriate punishment for whatever travesty they have committed." He said expectantly.
"Areum has asked Caine Weston to marry her." The waiter spat with venom in his voice, "I can't allow that."
The man in the suit sighed at the thought that his friend was willing to destroy an entire family just because Noelle was interested in marrying a member of the family.
"Are you sure that is enough punishment, Flynn?" The man asked sarcastically.
"You know, you are right." Flynn said thoughtfully, "in addition to that, break Caine Weston's legs, he won't be able to go and meet her if he can't walk."
The man in the suit groaned and shook his head. "You can't just go around breaking people's legs and ruining their family legacy because your crush likes them."
"Areum does not like him, he is just a convenient tool for her." Flynn snapped in irritation.
"Fine, she does not like him." The man in the suit said quickly, "listen, let me deal with Caine Weston. You don't have to do anything drastic."
"Fine." Flynn grumbled. He still believed that his own way was the better way, it would teach Caine to stay away from Areum. But he would let Tolu deal with that pest that dared to want what was him.
*
Noelle got back home late in the evening and as she approached the door, it was opened by the butler who bowed to her.
"Welcome back Miss Noelle." He greeted.
"Thank you Anderson." Noelle greeted him back and proceeded into the house which was filled with an unsettling silence, broken only by the soft sniffles emanating from the living room. Knowing exactly what was happening but curious about the outcome, Noelle followed the sound.
Before, she had been the one suffering. Her pictures had been splashed all over the internet, it had been so bad that her grandma had suffered a heart attack. After that, Uncle Vernon, Alice and Ma-Ri had pushed her out of the house, blaming her for all the bad luck the family faced.
Her uncle Vernon, a towering figure with a face etched with disapproval, sat on the edge of the sofa, his arms crossed over his chest. Beside him, his wife Alice, her face a mask of fury, dabbed at her eyes with a lace handkerchief. And there, on the other side of the room, was Ma-Ri, her head bowed, shoulders trembling.
But it wasn't the sight of her family that sent a jolt of irritation through Noelle. It was Evan. He stood beside Ma-Ri, his arm draped protectively around her shoulders, his face etched with concern. The sight of him comforting her cousin, the woman who had destroyed her life twisted Noelle's gut into a knot. She thought that she was over their betrayal but the sight of all of them made her angry.
"Areum," her uncle's voice boomed, "where have you been? We have been worried sick."
"When did this concern for me start?" Noelle asked with a raised eyebrow. "If you must know, I was out doing my own business."
"Your business?" her aunt scoffed. "You were out planning another way to ruin my baby's life, you nasty, evil spirit."
The air crackled with unspoken accusations. Noelle looked innocently, "What are you talking about?"
Ma-Ri finally looked up, her eyes red-rimmed.
"Areum," she whispered, her voice thick with emotion, "why did you do it?"
"Do what?" Noelle's asked patiently.
"You set me up," Ma-Ri choked out, tears pouring down her cheeks. "You lured me to that hotel room, and drugged me then invited the press. You wanted to humiliate me."
Noelle smiled inwardly at how everything was trying to be turned on her. It did not surprise her because it had always been like that. Usually she would try to protest her innocence but this time she was ready to be a villain.
"How ungrateful." Noelle sneered. "If I wanted, your shame would be plastered on every single device right now. You should be on your knees thanking me."
"Oh, so you admit it." her aunt sneered. "Why have you decided to ruin my daughter despite the fact that an outsider like you has already ruined the family with your bad luck."
"No, you are the bad luck." Noelle's voice rose as she looked at her whimpering cousin who stared at her with pure hate. Everyone was stunned by Noelle raising her voice, she was usually docile with family.
"You sure have a lot to say," her uncle thundered, his voice shaking with anger. "You have brought shame on this family."
Noelle shrugged nonchalantly. It was funny how even though circumstances had changed, she was still the one getting berated. In the past she would have tried to explain or appease them because of the acute feeling of wanting to be accepted as family, but that was done.
"You can think whatever you like, I am going to my room," she announced, turning to leave.
But her aunt was quicker. She lunged forward, her hand raised to slap Noelle across the face.
Noelle reacted instinctively. She grabbed her aunt's wrist, her grip firm. "Don't you dare," she warned, her voice low and dangerous. "Don't you even think about hitting me again."
Her aunt recoiled, taken aback by Noelle's sudden and unexpected defiance.
"You think you're so clever, don't you?" Noelle continued, her voice trembling with pent up anger. "You think you can ruin my life and get away with it?"
Evan shifted uncomfortably, his eyes fixed on the floor. "Noelle, please," he said softly. "Calm down."
"Calm down?" Noelle scoffed, her gaze turning to him. "You want me to calm down? After everything? After you obviously believe her over me?"
"I… I don't know what to believe," Even admitted, his voice laced with frustration. "But Ma-Ri is clearly upset."
"Of course she's upset," Noelle retorted, "because you are comforting her like she's some fragile flower that is about to disintegrate. You're treating her like a victim."
"Noelle," Evan began, but she cut him off.
"Don't," she said, her voice shaking. "Don't even try to defend her. I have proof. I have the video of what really happened. And I have no qualms about posting it online. Let everyone see the truth and be the judge."
Evan's eyes widened. "Noelle, don't be ridiculous."
"Ridiculous?" she echoed, her voice rising. "You think I am being ridiculous? After everything?"
She glared at her family, her chest heaving. "I'm not going to let them get away with it this time, I won't let them."
She turned to Even, her gaze hardening. "And as for you," she said, her voice dripping with contempt, "I never want to see you again."
With that, she stormed out of the room, leaving behind a stunned silence in her wake.
Evan stood up and stared as Noelle walked out on him. He could not believe his eyes, Noelle who would jump on train track without the slightest hesitation for him was walking out on him?
He felt a gentle tug on his hand and he looked down to see Ma-Ri with her red rimmed eyes and puffy face looking up at him.
"I am so sorry that I have caused problems for you and my cousin." She said pitifully as a fresh bout of tears fell. "I should never have gotten you involved."
Evan quickly sat down beside her and wrapped an arm protectively.
"Don't worry about Noelle, she will come around. She always comes around."