Wife 78
The Cherished Wife
Chapter 78
Noelle was truly taken aback by Xavierâs behavior. It was obviously him and Winter who wronged
her, but somehow, she had been twisted into the one to blame.
Noelle shot Xavier a withering look. âIâm going to act like today never happened. I wonât tell a soul,
but donât pull this again, okay?â She tossed these words over her shoulder as she breezed past him
and out
the door.
Xavierâs gaze lingered on Noelleâs fading silhouette. The sweet scent that lingered when he had
held her earlier left him momentarily lost in thought. Noelle always smelled amazing. Back when
things were good between them, he would hold her hand, and they would walk for hours on end
together.
His hands balled into fists, his eyes reddening with intensity.
Noelle was his. She had to be his. Even if his feelings had changed, she was meant to be with him
and only him!
Noelle rushed upstairs, feeling a wave of nausea at the memory of Xavierâs embrace. She dropped
her bag and made a beeline for the bathroom, scrubbing her hands until they were raw and pale.
Only after that did she let out a heavy sigh.
She had convinced herself she was over Xavier, but memories of their time together still had the
power to wound her.
Xavier was her teenage dream. Even before they dated, she would always be running around with
him. He was a few years older, and she would often see him as the boy in white, strolling past her
junior high building after class.
Back then, she did not even know what it meant to have a crush, but just seeing him was enough to
fill her with joy.
Then, out of the blue, he saved her one day, and they struck up a friendship. That was before
Winter came along and turned everything upside down, back when everything seemed perfect.
THE
Even though the Shaw family had given her the cold shoulder, Xavier was her beacon of warmth.
On her eighteenth birthday, he was the one who stuck by her side and the first to celebrate with
her.
Noelle felt a sting in her eyes as memories flashed by in a blur. She clung to the past, but the boy
she remembered had transformed with time. Time, she realized, was the ultimate gameâchanger.
Stepping out of the restroom, Noelle caught snippets of a conversation. âDid you hear? Someone
spotted Noelle rolling up to work in a highâend car in the parking lot today!â
âA highâend car? Itâs just a Ferrari. Youâre all making a mountain out of a molehill!â The first
personâs voice dripped with envy. âYouâre all hung up on Ferraris. Real tycoons wouldnât even waste
their time with those.â
âReally?â The second person chuckled. âSounds like someoneâs jealous! That Ferrariâs the newest
model, you know, and word is that itâs tricked out. Who else but someone loaded would have that
on hand?â The second personâs voice was tinged with admiration. âMs. Shawâs got some secrets,
huh?â
âYou think thatâs Noelleâs? It could be some guyâsâ¦â
âShh!â A third person cut them off. âYouâve got some nerve, gossiping out in the open like this.â
âWhatâs the big deal? Itâs not like sheâs offâlimits!â
+15 BONUS
The chatter faded as the group dispersed. Noelle emerged from the stall, a wry smile tugging at her
lips. She had not expected to stumble upon a gossip fest about herself first thing in the morning.
She tidied herself up and headed back to her office. The early birds had already clocked in, and the
buzz of earlier conversations died down as she entered. âMs. Shaw,â they greeted.
Comments