No longer a pushover (Noelle and Cedric)

Noelle's response was downright brutal—and she did not even try to hide it.

Tommy immediately snapped, "What's wrong with you? Ms. Merlock is being

generous and asking you to give her some grace, and you actually have the nerve

to refuse?"

Noelle retorted, "You wanna kiss up to her, go ahead. But don't assume everyone

else is that desperate."

Tommy's face turned red with rage. "Who the hell do you think you are? Just

because you slept with Mr. Greene a few times, you think you're some kind of

queen? Ms. Merlock is the one he's actually engaged to. You're nothing more than

a side chick!"

"Shut up!" Cedric's punch landed hard, with zero hesitation and even less mercy.

His voice was icy as he stared Tommy down. "Let me make this perfectly clear:

I've never had any engagement with the Merlocks. The ones who keep spreading

that rumor better get ready to face the consequences."

The room went dead quiet.

Laura could barely hold her composure. She had genuinely believed Cedric would

protect her dignity—after all, they had known each other since they were kids.

Yet, he just publicly shut down the engagement rumor as if it meant nothing. Did

he not care that she would become the joke of their entire social circle? Why

would he humiliate her like this?

Her eyes filled with tears as she looked at him. "Ced—"

Cedric did not even flinch. "I warned you a long time ago to clear things up

yourself. I didn't want my girlfriend to get the wrong idea."

Noelle stood quietly next to him, her ears still ringing from his last words. She

looked up just in time to see Laura's tear-streaked face—so different from the

woman who had once strutted into a café acting like the legal wife confronting the

mistress. When it came to playing a part, Laura definitely took the crown.

Laura noticed Noelle's look and snapped bitterly, "Happy now?"

"Seriously? You and Cedric were never engaged. I didn't start the rumor, and I

never denied it either. So what does any of this have to do with me?" Noelle

replied.noveldrama

Laura reasoned, "If you hadn't shown up, he and I might've become something

real."

Maybe the rumor could have turned into a reality. But now that Noelle was here,

all of Laura's wishful thinking had crumbled.

Noelle did not appreciate being blamed. "Cedric doesn't like you. How's that my

fault? Maybe ask him instead of coming after me—unless you've completely lost

your mind."

Tommy stormed toward her again. "Watch your mouth!"

But Cedric stepped in front of her

instantly, shielding her. He shot

Tommy a warning glare and

growled, "Noelle's not wrong. Even if

she never existed, I still wouldn't

have gotten engaged to Laura."

The glass slipped from Laura's fingers and shattered on the floor. Her once-

elegant poise collapsed into complete disarray.

Noelle glanced around. Everyone in

the room looked completely

stunned, their faces a mix of

disbelief and awkward curiosity. But

all she could feel was her heart

racing louder than anything else

around her.

Cedric stood in front of her like a

shield, blocking all the stares being

thrown her way. She lowered her

gaze slightly, tuning out the rest of

the room. The only thing echoing in

her head was what he had just said.

"Ced..." Laura whimpered, her voice cracking with emotion.

Cedric did not even look at her. "I have a name."

"So now that Noelle's here, you're cutting ties with me?" Laura asked, her voice

shaking. She had always been used to getting her way and could not believe this

was happening.

Cedric said coldly, "A while back, when my grandmother was hospitalized, I lost

my phone. You were the one who picked it up.

"But you had no business answering my calls—especially that one, the one that

made my girlfriend think I was cheating."

He did not have the energy to confront her before because all his attention had

been on Noelle. But now that everything was out in the open, it was time to settle

it.

Noelle looked up, startled. All the eyes watching them were starting to make her

uncomfortable. She leaned in slightly and whispered, "Alright, enough. There are

too many people here."

Laura completely broke down and yelled, "Noelle! I don't need your pity!"

Noelle looked back at her calmly. Laura's face was soaked in tears now—looking

nothing like the proud, condescending woman from the café back then.