Chapter 14

Noelle was instantly intrigued after hearing Cedric's plan. They quietly followed behind, watching Lucas lead his team to fight the game's boss. The boss was notoriously difficult to defeat, requiring coordinated teamwork. When it was close to defeat, the team was usually left with low health. Usually, no one dared steal the last kill from such a famous team, but there were always exceptions. Noelle had done a strategy guide for this boss before, so she knew exactly when to strike. She and Cedric worked together seamlessly, landing the final blow just as the boss was about to be defeated. They successfully took the last hit. The world chat immediately posted—"Congratulations to HeartbreakCrunch for killing the Everbloom Haven boss." When Lucas saw this, he was furious and began cursing over his headset. "What are you all doing? How could you let someone steal the last kill?" Xenia added, "Those two must be newbies. Do they not know who we are? How dare they steal our kill!" Lucas shouted, "Get them!" But quickly, his screen turned black and white, and the rest of his team fell to the ground. Lucas stared at the character named "HeartbreakCrunch" and felt something familiar about that person's gameplay. It reminded him of Noelle. He wondered if she had intentionally made a new account to steal his boss kill. However, she shouldn't be that good yet. Meanwhile, Noelle and Cedric celebrated their victory, claiming the loot dropped by the boss. But it wasn't as satisfying as defeating Lucas and Xenia. After they played for a while, the food arrived. Cedric paused the game. "Let's eat first." Noelle noticed a small cake that looked like the one Xenia had received earlier. She glanced at him. "Why did you buy a cake?" "Don't women like this sort of thing? It's a reward for your good grades since you didn't embarrass me." She was unexpectedly touched. He looked awkward and added coldly, "Anyway, it came with the takeaway order." She picked up the small cake, sensing that it was ordered just for her. She took a bite, her mood lifting slightly. He watched her lower her head, staying silent for a long moment, before asking, "Does the cake taste bad?" Inwardly, he thought that the cake shouldn't taste bad as it was the most popular one. Noelle shook her head. "No, it's delicious. It's been a long time since anyone bought me a cake." Since her parents died, she hadn't had a birthday. Her brothers never remembered her love for this cake, and she was always left out. Cedric looked at her. "You don't celebrate your birthday?" Noelle paused, then answered, "My parents died in a car accident on my birthday, so I haven't celebrated it since." That day was the anniversary of their death, and the atmosphere at home was always somber. She felt that she had no right to celebrate. Cedric felt as if something had fiercely stung his heart, leaving him momentarily breathless. He turned his head away, his thin lips pressed together, and his face mixed with stern anger and deep guilt. His hand instinctively tightened, veins bulging across the back of it. She sensed the shift in atmosphere and tried to brush it off. "I don't mind it at all. I'm not in the mood for celebrations anyway." After all, that day marked the anniversary of her parents' death. What right did she have to celebrate her birthday? Cedric suppressed his emotions as he looked at her pale, quiet face. She appeared so docile, like a small animal. She stayed quietly in place, silent and almost invisible. Her well-behaved demeanor only stirred a mix of anger and helplessness in him. He spoke hoarsely. "It's getting late. Go back. Don't linger outside." "Okay. Can I still look for you here in the future?" She looked at him uncertainly. His eyes darkened. "Aren't you afraid that I'll deceive you?" "I have nothing you can use to deceive me." Noelle said calmly, "Dr. Greene, you're my only friend right now." Cedric paused, his thoughts lingering on the word "friend". He smiled and said sternly, "Don't trust others too easily, especially men." "Got it. I'm leaving now." She waved and left the infirmary. After she left, he remained seated, staring at the cake on the table, thinking about the car accident years ago when a similar cake had been smashed. His head began to ache. Since that accident, he hadn't eaten cake either. After a long time, he received a call. "Mr. Greene, Ms. Liddell has safely arrived home." He hung up the phone and stood, his figure stretching long in the sunset. ... When Noelle returned to the Liddell residence, she found Frank in the living room waiting for her. With an unreadable expression, she greeted him. "Frank." Frank looked up at his distant, defiant sister, unsure how to react. When her grades improved so suddenly, he had suspected her of cheating, but he hadn't expected her grades to be the result of her genuine hard work. She had always been average, so how had her grades improved so much? He realized that she wasn't just rebelling against them. Something real had changed. He felt both happy and a little sad. The younger sister who had always clung to him seemed to be gone. Her success was the result of hard work, not just rebellion. He began to reflect, realizing that he had also been biased against her. Coupled with Lucas' actions at school, he felt like he had neglected her feelings far too much. Was that why she had changed so much? His tone conveyed his complex emotions as he remarked, "You're back home late. Did you study in the school's study room again?" "Yes." Frank let out a soft sigh. "Isn't the environment at home better than the study room outside? The outside world is complicated, with all sorts of people. Don't do your homework in those places anymore. It's not safe." Noelle pursed her lips, feeling like the Liddell brothers constantly made decisions for her. He continued, "Xenia's grades have dropped significantly, so I've hired a tutor for her. You should join as well. Since you're in the same class, you can help her with notes and assist her when she's absent." Noelle's eyes narrowed with sarcasm. It turned out that it was all about Xenia. That was why she was being forced to study at home. Straightening her back, she said firmly, "No." "Noelle, I know that Lucas made a mistake at school today, and you've proven your abilities. But we're ultimately still a family. Xenia's grades dropped because she was focused on preparing for the team competition. Since you're not participating in the competition, you should still put in some effort to help improve her grades. After all, you have the experience." Noelle found it utterly ridiculous. "No!" It was just one word. She didn't even need to explain as it seemed like a waste of breath. Lucas stormed out, pointing while cursing, "Noelle, do you have any conscience? You've been living off the Liddell family all these years without contributing. Are you ashamed?" Noelle only felt the irony in his words. In her past life, she worked herself to the bone for the Liddell family, desperately training her gaming skills to help the team win the championship. But what did she get in return? Xenia cried for a bit and effortlessly took her place, stealing the championship spot. She wouldn't repeat the same mistake this time. With a calm resolve, she replied, "Fine. Starting today, I'll move out of the Liddell residence. I won't take a single cent from you." She would sever their relationship now.