No longer a pushover (Noelle and Cedric)

Noelle was stunned for a moment after hearing Cedric's words. Then, she lowered her head.

Cedric noticed her reaction and cautiously asked, "What's wrong?"

"I think you're right. Given your status, no one would dare offend you." Noelle smiled.

Seeing her smile, Cedric licked his lips and felt his heart throbbing. He'd always be in the wrong when it came to this matter.

Then, he couldn't help but pinch her cheek and say, "Don't smile like that."

Noelle was about to dodge when the office door swung open. Alfred stood at the entrance and took in the scene before him.

He immediately took a step back. "I'll come back later."

Cedric dropped his hand and pressed his lips into a thin line. Then, he shot Alfred a cold look. "Can't you knock?"

"This is my office. Why would I knock?" Alfred looked utterly confused.

Noelle turned around and ran. This was way too awkward.

Cedric's expression darkened as he looked at Alfred. "I remember locking the door."

"Oh, I forgot to tell you the lock broke down two days ago."noveldrama

"... Fix it."

Cedric picked up the documents Noelle had handed him earlier. He had to admit she was quite talented.

Alfred leaned in with a gossipy smile. "I heard that last night at L Bistro. You publicly clarified you had no engagement with Laura just to defend Nelly."

Words spread faster than anything else. Everyone now knew that Cedric was protecting a gaming live-streamer who'd once pulled off his signature 12-hit combo. There was widespread speculation that the two had been together secretly for a long time.

Cedric calmly asked, "What else was I supposed to do? It was a good chance to clear things up."

He hadn't expected Laura to show up at the private room last night, and her attitude made him uncomfortable, so he had to clarify on the spot.

"True. You told Laura to clear up the rumors herself, and it could've saved her some face. But she refused to listen, and that's why she got publicly humiliated last night. She has no one to blame but herself."

Alfred also thought Laura was being too stubborn. That engagement was nothing more than just a rumor, yet she'd allowed things to escalate to such an embarrassing level.

Then, Alfred added, "Ruth will probably hear about this soon. She's your mom's best friend, right? She might come after Noelle."

Ruth was not someone to be taken lightly.

Cedric's eyes turned cold. "She wouldn't dare unless she wants the Merlock family to go bankrupt."

"The Merlock family has been

struggling for the past two years They're only staying afloat because your mother gave them a long-term contract. They might actually go bankrupt if you pull the plug."

Alfred was quite familiar with the Merlock family's situation. That was exactly why they were so desperate to marry their daughter into the Greene family.

Cedric finished reviewing the document and handed it back to Alfred. "I'm heading to the afternoon summit."

"Make sense. Now that Nelly knows your real identity, there's no need to keep it from her.

"But does Donovan still think you're some country bumpkin? Once he finds out who you really are, that's going to be a real slap in the face."

To be honest, even Alfred was looking forward to that moment.

Cedric's expression grew colder at the mention of the Liddell family. "He thinks having the Cantrell family as a backer makes him untouchable, huh?"

Alfred suggested, "Shall we use today's summit to teach him a lesson?"

It was time to leave a lasting impression after holding back for so long. The two

men exchanged a glance in perfect understanding.

After the meeting, Noelle gathered her files and prepared to head to the summit with the rest of the group. Just as she was about to leave, Cedric's car pulled up in front of her. "Get in."