No longer a pushover (Noelle and Cedric)

Noelle didn't need to turn around to know what that bitchy Xenia was up to the moment she heard her voice. Over the years, she had suffered at Xenia's hands more times than she could count. Noelle could predict Xenia's tricks with her eyes closed. Without a glance back, she grabbed the hem of her dress. As Xenia's foot pressed down on it, Noelle swiftly stepped aside, yanking the fabric hard. Xenia lost her balance instantly, stumbling forward along with the splash of red wine in her hand. Right in the center of the hall stood a champagne tower. Xenia fell straight into it, toppling the entire display over herself.

The sudden commotion caught everyone off guard. Noelle stood calmly in place, watching as Xenia crashed into the champagne tower, flailing and screaming in embarrassment. A trace of mockery flickered in Noelle's eyes. After all these years, Xenia's tricks hadn't changed one bit. However, Noelle had no intention of letting Xenia get her way anymore.

As the champagne tower shattered, all eyes in the banquet hall turned toward the scene.

"Xenia, are you okay?" Lucas asked, hurrying over with Frank.

Lucas stepped over the broken glass and pulled Xenia to her feet. "How did you manage to fall like that?"

Xenia was soaked, and the cuts on her arms and legs burned painfully. She could feel the blood trickling down. Resentment burned in her heart. Noelle should have been the one in this mess, not her.

She looked up at Noelle with teary eyes. After a brief hesitation, she said, "Lucas, I tripped on my own. No one pushed me."

Noelle smirked at those words. She knew what that bitchy Xenia was up to.

Frank noticed Xenia's gaze shift toward Noelle and wondered if Noelle had caused this. He frowned and said, "Xenia, if it was your own clumsiness, be more careful next time. Let Lucas take you to the hospital." Xenia stared at Frank in disbelief. That wasn't what she meant.

She glanced at Noelle on purpose to suggest it was her fault. Saying it was an accident was just to seem kind and pitiful.

In the past, they would have immediately questioned Noelle. She wondered why Frank wasn't playing along this time.noveldrama

Lucas's expression darkened. "Xenia, tell me the truth. Did Noelle do this to you?"

Xenia meekly replied, "Lucas, stop asking. It's not Noelle's fault. I tripped by myself."

Though she said that, her words carried an underlying message. Lucas snorted coldly and glared at Noelle. "Did you do this to Xenia because I brought her instead of you tonight?"

He couldn't think of any other reason for Noelle's actions.

Noelle raised her brows slightly and said, "Lucas, I have my own invitation. I don't need anyone to bring me."

Lucas felt a little uncomfortable. "I know you, Noelle. You've always hated it when Xenia steals the spotlight. That's why you humiliated her tonight." Noelle laughed. "What spotlight? What does she have that's worth stealing?"

Xenia's face darkened at those words, while Lucas found himself speechless.

Rachel sneered, "Even a blind man can see that Noelle is the center of attention tonight. As the hottest new influence on the internet, she was invited to this event. Xenia doesn't even have an invitation. What spotlight is she supposed to have?"

Michael added, "Is there something wrong with the Liddell family's logic? Isn't Noelle the star tonight? Who's really stealing the spotlight here?" Their comments made Lucas's expression shift dramatically.

Xenia felt utterly frustrated. She looked up at Lucas with tears streaming down her face. "Lucas, stopot. I tripped on my own. It had nothing to do with Noelle."

She touched the bracelet on her wrist and sighed. "What a shame... This diamond bracelet is broken. I remember it was quite expensive, wasn't it?"