astian couldn’t exactly admit he was stonewalling them on purpose, so he simply shook his head. “No. ouldn’t make much difference who we work with.”
elle caught a glimmer of hope, her eyes lighting up.
vever, to Sebastian, that spark felt like a stab. It got him wondering why she was so eager to help the
fords.
she could think about, though, was the oil paintings she had left behind. She didn’t notice the shadow
s expression.
asked directly, “Then, could the Cole Group consider working with the Novara Corporation again?”
expression fell, and after a beat, he met her gaze. “If that’s what you want, then the Cole Group will <with the Novara Corporation.”
lle froze for a moment. She hadn’t expected Sebastian to agree so easily.
had been bracing herself for a hard “no“, so having it settled just like that felt almost unreal. It meant
could finally get her oil paintings back.
once she got her paintings out of the Ashford residence, she would be done with them for good.
thought alone had her so excited she could barely sit still. She was practically bouncing with
tement.
I though it made something twist inside him, he still smiled, watching her beam like a kid with a
- et.
n she smiled to herself, a faint dimple appeared on her cheek, making her look even more adorable.
could anyone look that happy?
ght up in the moment, Noelle grabbed Sebastian’s hand. “Really? That’s amazing!”
hands were soft, and even when she squeezed his hand, it didn’t cause the slightest discomfort.
you really that happy?” he asked, a trace of sadness flickering in his eyes.
couldn’t understand it. After everything the Ashfords had done, after the constant harassment, even iging Mary into it, why would she still go out of her way to help them? The thought twisted in his chest.
inwhile, Noelle was already working out how to get her oil paintings out of the Ashford residence. She
completely oblivious to the shift in his mood.
! then, Conner’s name lit up on her phone. Sebastian’s eyes narrowed at the sight of the caller ID.
glanced at the screen, muttered a quick word to Sebastian before stepping out of the room to take call. She had actually blocked his number before and had only unblocked him for this
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Once she got her things back, that number would be right back where it belonged. It will be blocked for good. The thought put a little bounce in her step, and she even hummed a tune as she pushed open the
door.
But the happier she was, the more it weighed on him. He couldn’t help wondering if Conner had told
Noelle the truth.
Sebastian’s thoughts tangled into a mess.
Two minutes later, Noelle was back. She was still wearing a faint smile when she said, “Sebastian, I need to swing by the Ashford residence to grab a few things, so I’ll head out now.”
He didn’t lift his gaze. He only nodded and said, “Alright.”
She had just turned to leave when Sebastian called out to her. “Noelle.”
She turned around with curiosity in her eyes.
It took Sebastian a long moment before he finally spoke softly, “I like it when you call me Sebastian.”
The air between them shifted, carrying a faint spark.
Her cheeks flushed faintly, but enough to give her away. She thought Mary was right, after all.
Her gaze wavered, and she simply responded with, “I’m happy you like it,” before making a hasty exit, as if she were afraid anyone would catch the shift in her expression.
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