The Sway and Slide of Love

Chapter 206

Noelle nodded, showing no doubt about Dan's explanation, and then pressed the button for her floor. Dan glanced at the two lit-up numbers and asked, "Ms. Swanson, how are you"

Before he could finish his question, Noelle's phone rang. She gave Dan an apologetic smile before answering the call.

"Mr. Russon? Yes, it's me. Oh, you were there at the restaurant, too? Sorry. If I'd known, I would have come over to offer you a drink," Noelle said with a smile. "I'll make it up to you by treating you to a meal next time. Of course, you can pick the place."

There were only two of them in the spacious elevator, and while Noelle was speaking softly, Dan could still hear each and every one of her words clearly. In the end, he swallowed back the question he was going to ask her.

It wasn't until the elevator reached Noelle's floor that she ended her call. Then, she turned to Dan. "Mr. Hurley, what were you about to say?"

"It's nothing, just... My girlfriend lives here by herself. If it's okay with you, I could introduce you two. That way, you could look out for each other," said Dan, coming up with an excuse.

"Yeah, no. I don't think that's necessary. The security here is pretty good, and the housekeeping service is very attentive," replied Noelle, her attitude crystal clear.

Dan could only force a smile. "Alright, then. I won't keep you any longer."

Noelle nodded at him, not even bothering to say goodbye.

Dan sighed helplessly.

Before long, he arrived at his floor. If Noelle had followed him inside at that moment, she would have found the place completely dark and no sign of any girlfriend.

Noelle realized that her immune system seemed much weaker than before. After just that one night in the rain, she caught a cold. By the next day, she was constantly blowing her nose, followed by an incessant cough.

She went to the doctor and got some medication, but it didn't seem to help. The doctor said her previous cough had lasted too long, causing damage to her lungs. Noelle couldn't argue with that.

At night, with each coughing fit that kept her from sleeping, it felt as though the memories dragged her back into that lonely and empty winter. Noelle tried to suppress the memories, hugging the blanket tightly around herself and forcing herself to sleep.

The next day, Oliver looked at her with concern. "Ms. Swanson, are you sure you still want to go to the wine party like this?"

"Yup."

"How about I go with you? At least that way I can help you fend off a couple of drinks."

Noelle glanced at them. "It's a business wine party, not a drinking contest at a bar."

"But-"

"Alright. I know what I'm doing," Noelle said, waving them off. She grabbed her coat from the side and walked

OUL

Chapter 206

Tonight's wine party was attended mostly by prominent figures in Vinton City. Although Noelle was now the vice. general manager of a subsidiary, securing an invitation had taken considerable effort. She certainly wasn't going to miss this opportunity.

The gown had been chosen the previous week-a sea-green spaghetti-strap evening dress with a hem studded with sequins and tiny crystals. Her long hair was swept up, revealing her slender neck and perfect collarbones,

Due to her cold, her complexion appeared slightly pale, so she opted for a bolder makeup look tonight. The elongated, upward-tilting eyeliner paired with reddish-tone eyeshadow added an ethereal allure to her gaze, making Noelle hauntingly captivating.

Over the past few months, Noelle had grown well-acquainted with the elite circle of Vinton City and was now navigating it effortlessly.

"Ms. Swanson, didn't you say you'd treat me to dinner last time? How long has it been? It feels like I've been waiting for an eternity."

Chapter 207