The Sway and Slide of Love

Chapter 298

Noelle's slap was purely reflexive, as Hendrix was far too close to her. In truth, she knew that with his reflexes, he could have easily caught her hand and stopped her if he wanted to. But he didn't.

The handprint from last night still lingered on his face, and now, it had been joined by a fresh one. A darkly ironic thought crossed Noelle's mind-at least his face was symmetrical now.

"Did you have a nightmare?" Hendrix asked, seemingly unfazed by the pain.

Noelle didn't answer.

"Everything's okay. It's just a dream," Hendrix said, as if to himself. He continued getting dressed.

"I'll be very busy today, so I won't join you for breakfast. You can go visit Craig at the hospital later. Oh,

and while you're there, let him know the wedding with Dylan has been called off. As for the company, once I've taken care of things, I'll explain it to him myself."

His words were succinct, leaving no room for discussion.

"What are you planning to do?" Noelle asked.

Hendrix's hand paused slightly as he fastened his cufflinks then he turned to look at her.

"No matter what, Elm Group will never return to its former state. You saw how the shareholders reacted.

The problems in Elm Group weren't created overnight, as the rot has been there for a long time.

"I'll have the company undergo liquidation and evaluation. But don't worry. I won't withhold a single penny

of what rightfully belongs to your family."

As soon as he finished speaking, Noelle grabbed the pillow beside her and hurled it at him.

"How is this any different from outright taking over Elm Group? That's not what you promised me yesterday!"

"This is already the best outcome," Hendrix replied, catching the pillow firmly before fixing his gaze on Noelle. The market isn't in a good place right now, and with Elm Group's massive deficits, even selling it off wouldn't be easy. You should be grateful that I'm solving this problem for you.

"Also, yesterday, I only promised not to hold you accountable for the damages caused to Amity Group and to let Dylan off the hook. I never said I'd bring Elm Group back to life. Besides, what I'm doing is ultimately for your benefit.

"You know just as well as I do that as long as you remain tied to Elm Group, and as long as Craig knows about us, he'll keep pressuring you to use me. I know you don't want to do that, right? So, let me help you. With Elm Group gone, you won't have to endure Craig's manipulations anymore.

"And isn't painting what you truly love? Now, you'll be free to pursue it without any burdens. Isn't this the best outcome?"

As Hendrix spoke, he placed the pillow back in front of Nocle. She didn't respond, but her shoulders were trembling violently.

Hendrix seemed to find her reaction puzzling. With a touch of mockery disguised as concern, he added, "Or, you can take another path. You can leave right now, keep negotiating with the shareholders and the banks, and go ahead with marrying Dylan. As long as you can handle the consequences, I'm fine with it." He reached out to gently touch her cheek, and without a second thought, Noelle slapped his hand away. The crisp sound of the slap echoed in

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Chapter 298

#25 BONUS

Hendrix pulled his hand back, his gaze lingering on her, as if he were trying to confirm her decision. Once he seemed convinced that she wouldn't change her mind, he turned and headed for the door.

Just as he reached the doorway, Noelle grabbed the pillow and hurled it at his back with all her might.