Chapter 650 Cracks Forming From Hatred
Stephanie and Noah spent nearly two months on the island before returning straight to the Clinton residence.
Olivia was happy to see her daughter return home, but now that the latter was married, coming back too often might upset Noah’s parents.
“Have you gone home before coming here, Stephanie?” asked Olivia.
Stephanie glanced at the older woman. “Isn’t this my home, Mom? I came right over after leaving the airport,” she answered matter-of-factly.
Olivia rubbed her temples as she heard that. This young lady just can’t stop making me worry! She’s already married, but she doesn’t think about her husband at all.
“Stephanie, you’re married now, so you should be heading back to the Walker residence after your honeymoon. You’ll be staying there, after all,” she advised.
“Why? Noah says it’s okay. It’s totally fine if I send you your gifts first before heading over there. Besides, I’ll still want to stay here. I can’t get used to living at the Walker residence.”
Olivia felt her head throb even more. I’ve spoilt this child too much. Look at her doing whatever she pleases now!
“How could you say that, Stephanie? It’s true that Noah dotes on you, but you shouldn’t be treating marriage like a game. Now that you’re married, you should learn how to get along with your in-laws and respect them!” she scolded.
In response, Stephanie turned to Noah meekly. “Look, Noah, my mom’s lecturing me again. Did I say anything wrong? You’re the one who said I can continue living here or wherever I want. You’re not going back on your word, are you?”
“If you want to come back here, I’ll come with you. It’s okay,” Noah assured gently, concealing a look of frostiness that flashed briefly in his eyes.
Stephanie was delighted to hear that.
“See, Mom? Noah’s the one who agreed to it. I didn’t force him to come over,” she remarked smugly.
“You can’t spoil her like that, Noah,” Olivia said helplessly. Still, she was silently overjoyed to see a man love Stephanie so unconditionally and felt that her daughter had married the right man.
The Clintons didn’t lack money; all they wanted was for someone to truly love and tolerate their daughter.
“It’s okay, Mom. I’ll be pretty busy with work soon, so I won’t have much time with Stephanie. It’d be good if she could come home and spend time with you and Dad, anyway. At least she wouldn’t be bored on her own,” Noah said magnanimously, playing the role of a perfect husband all too well.
Olivia became increasingly pleased with him.
“You’ll be the one suffering the consequences if you keep spoiling her, Noah.”
“It’s fine, Mom. That way, no one else will be able to put up with her, and she’ll love only me.” Noah grinned while gazing at Stephanie dotingly, which caused the latter to turn red.
“Stop saying such cheesy things in front of my mom, Noah. I’m getting goosebumps!”
The man merely caressed her head affectionately.
“You can stay here and chat with your mother, Stephanie. I have to take care of some work now. Let’s head back to my place tonight.”
Hearing that, the woman glared at him. “We just came back from our honeymoon, and you’re already heading to work? Aren’t you going to keep me company?”
“Our honeymoon went on for too long. There are piles of documents waiting for my signature. I’ll come back as soon as I can, okay?”
Stephanie was still upset.
“Come on, now, Stephanie. Noah spent two whole months with you. Is that not enough? He still has a job, you know? Don’t be unreasonable,” Olivia chided.
Stephanie pouted and said nothing more.
With that, Noah rose to his feet, left the house, and entered his car. It was only after driving out of the Clinton residence that his gaze darkened.
Stephanie was more spoilt than he had ever imagined, and his patience drained at each passing moment. He wouldn’t have even wanted to touch her if he didn’t have to butter up the Clintons; she was so self-centered that it made his stomach churn.
Noah headed downtown as quickly as he could before whipping out his phone to give Emma a call. Finally, the woman answered.
“Where are you, Emma?” he asked, sounding slightly irritated.
“I’m at home. Are you back from your honeymoon?” Emma responded, her voice laced with a tinge of coquettishness. “I miss you, Noah. I called you so many times, but you never picked up. I thought you’d forgotten about me now that you have a wife.”
Noah’s expression softened a little as he heard that.
“Wait for me at home. I’m coming over right now.”
After hanging up, Noah headed straight for the apartment he had bought Emma.
A slender figure lunged toward him as soon as he stepped into the building, looping her arms around him and kissing him on the neck.
Yet, as soon as she did that, the man shoved her away and slapped her across the face.
Emma clutched her face and stared at Noah in disbelief. “Noah, did you just slap me?”
“You went to the wedding and got sent out?” Noah questioned, gritting his teeth.
The woman began to cry. “I just love you too much, Noah. That’s why I wanted to take a look at the woman you married. I didn’t mean anything by it. I know a nobody like me doesn’t deserve to be your wife. I just wanted to see if that woman really loves you.”
Noah calmed down and walked over. “Does it hurt?” he asked tenderly, placing a hand on her back.
“No, but my heart hurts,” the woman replied, bursting into tears as she threw herself into his arms. Despite the flood of tears gushing down her cheeks, her eyes appeared utterly cold.
She would have still harbored the slightest bit of love for him had he not struck her.
Noah ran his fingers through her hair intimately. “It’s okay, Emma. Tell me, what did Oscar ask you when he took you away?”
“Nothing much. He just asked how you and I are connected,” Emma answered, trying to sound as convincing as she could.
“And what did you tell him?” the man prompted, stroking her neck.
Emma suddenly felt a chill run down her spine. She had a feeling that one slip of the tongue would lead to this man wringing her by the neck. Perhaps she could even…
Fearing for her life, the woman wrapped herself around him seductively and responded in an airy voice, “You said I can never reveal our relationship to anyone, so I told him I’m your ex-girlfriend, and he let me go after that. I guess he fell for it.”
“Really?” Noah asked, his voice deepening.
Emma cupped his face with her hands. “What’s wrong, Noah? Why do you seem so wary about Oscar? Is he that terrifying? Aren’t you on par with him? Why do you have to be afraid?”
With a smile, Noah held her hand and kissed the back of it. “I was just worried that he might’ve taken advantage of you, Emma.”
“I’m just a regular girl who has nothing else. He probably thinks I’m not even worthy of his time.”
With that, Noah lowered his head to kiss her before pinning her against the wall.
After they had done the deed, Emma lay on top of his chest. “Can you stay here tonight, Noah? We hadn’t seen each other for two months. I’ve missed you so much.”
Before Noah could answer, his phone suddenly rang. Upon glancing at the screen, he realized the call came from Oscar.
Emma watched as the man’s hand quivered. “Who’s calling, Noah? Why aren’t you picking up?” she asked in concern.
Noah gave her forehead a peck before hopping out of bed and walking to the balcony to answer the call.
“Hey, Oscar.”
“Noah, I just had a business negotiation in the area your ex-girlfriend lives and saw a familiar car enter the neighborhood. It turns out the car belongs to you. Are you with her now?” Oscar asked gracefully.
Noah felt a headache coming as he pursed his lips.
Looks like he’s on to her.
“I just returned from my honeymoon, Oscar. I was about to head to my office, but I got a call from Emma telling me that she left the title deed of the apartment inside the safe here, so I dropped by to get it,” Noah explained calmly. “You can come on over if you don’t believe me, but I love Stephanie and will never betray her.”
“There’s no need to panic. I was just asking.” Oscar chuckled. “You’re Stephanie’s husband, so it’s only natural that I’m on your side.”
“Thank you, Oscar.”
“Well, carry on. I have to get back to business.”
“Okay. See you.”
After hanging up, Noah felt the pain in his head intensify. He had no idea what Oscar had up his sleeve.
Now, the man felt as though he was a lab rat being monitored, and the person watching him closely like a cat was Oscar. But instead of killing him instantly, the latter was taking his time to drive Noah to the edge psychologically.
Noah knew he was no match for Oscar when it came to playing mind games.
“What’s wrong, Noah?” Emma hugged him from behind.
Noah quickly shoved her aside and glanced downstairs, as though trying to spot a familiar car in the area.
“What’s up with you, Noah? You’re acting like you’ve done something wrong and you’re trying not to get caught,” Emma commented unhappily.
Noah came to his senses and turned around with a smile. “Not at all. Let’s head back in.”
The man began putting his clothes back on after returning inside. “You should move, Emma. I’ll sell this apartment and find you another neighborhood to live in.”
Emma was puzzled. “But why? I like this place, Noah. It’s full of our memories together. I don’t want to sell it.”
“Be a good girl. I’ll get you a better apartment and add another ten thousand to your monthly allowance, okay? But you can’t call me from now on. I’ll come looking for you when I miss you,” Noah insisted.
Emma’s gaze turned icy, and she threw her hands up. “What do you treat me as, Noah? Do you really not love me anymore?”
“Emma, you know I don’t like difficult women. We can still live like we always have as long as you listen to me, and I’ll keep loving you.”
Hearing that, Emma took a deep breath. “Okay. Don’t be mad, Noah. I’ll do whatever you say and keep being the woman who has your back. I just hope you won’t forget me now that you have a wife.”
Noah’s gaze softened. “Take this card. There’s thirty grand inside it. Get whatever you want with this money and call me if it’s not enough.”
Emma took the card from him. “Be sure to eat your meals, Noah, and think of me even when you’re with your wife,” she said docilely.
“I’ll be off now.”
The man left the apartment without the slightest bit of warmth that he initially had.
Emma’s face clouded over, and all the submissiveness she once showed disappeared in an instant. She was especially disgusted by the way Noah treated her like a mere plaything.
“You made me do this, Noah. It’s not my fault that I don’t give a d*mn about what we used to be anymore. You never loved me anyway,” she murmured insidiously.
A woman with money was always better off than one who depended on a man.
