No longer a pushover (Noelle and Cedric)

"Didn't you just demand evidence and accountability?" she said, crossing her arms. "Now we have the footage-why are you running? Xenia, are you feeling guilty?"

Donovan snorted. "Guilty? Xenia's just injured and needs to go to the hospital," he replied.

"Well, let's wait for the footage, then. It won't take long, and she won't die from it," Noelle added.

Noelle glanced at Xenia, who was nervously shifting her eyes. Xenia suddenly pretended to faint in Donovan's arms. "Donovan, I feel terrible. I can't take it anymore," she said weakly.

"Hang in there, Xenia," Donovan said. "Once the footage is out, I'll make sure Noelle pays."

Panic engulfed her. Xenia couldn't afford to let the footage be reviewed. If it came to light, it would all be over for her. She rolled her eyes dramatically, then pretended to faint.

"Xenia, are you okay?" Donovan asked. He looked at Noelle, then added, "I'm taking her to the hospital. Once we get the footage, I'll make sure Xenia gets justice."

Xenia was so frightened that she couldn't control her trembling eyelids, but she dared not wake up.

Noelle saw right through Xenia's act and called out, "Xenia, you can dodge the first strike, but you can't avoid the second. The footage is right here!"

"Xenia's right. She shouldn't have to avoid it," Donovan growled. "Just wait, Noelle."

Donovan stormed off, carrying Xenia in his arms.

Noelle couldn't help but laugh at Xenia's fearful expression. "I thought she was tough, but now she's the one running scared," she said.

Cedric whispered, "I can stop them."

Without his permission, the police couldn't even come upstairs.

"There's no need," Noelle said, waving him off. "Let them go."

Cedric raised an eyebrow and asked, "Aren't you going to take this golden opportunity to put them in their place?"

"It's not that," she replied. "The security camera is broken."

Noelle had already noticed that the camera wasn't working. It had no infrared, so it was useless. She had wanted to use it to expose Xenia's lie and humiliate Donovan, but Xenia's luck had held out this time.

Even so, Noelle wasn't letting her off the hook. She pretended not to know about the camera's failure so she could toy with Xenia. The sight of Xenia panicking at the mention of it was too amusing.

Cedric took a careful look at the camera, too, and could confirm it was broken. He hadn't expected her to be so observant.

He turned to the police officers and added, "Although the camera is broken, it doesn't stop you from defending your rights."

Noelle sighed and replied, "How can I defend myself without evidence? Forget it.

I'm already more than happy to see Xenia panicking."

In the end, Xenia didn't manage to hurt her, and Noelle wasn't at a loss either.

Cedric put his arm around her shoulders. "Let's go."

"By the way, how did you end up in Yasnia?" Noelle asked. She'd wanted to ask earlier but hadn't had the

chance, especially with Xenia still around.

Cedric's expression shifted slightly at the question. "I came to check things out."

Noelle nodded. "Oh, right. It's still before the semester starts, so you have some freedom. But what made you come all the way here?"

He smirked. "Alfred called me." Otherwise, he wouldn't have known she was there

and would've been stopped by his bodyguards. It was a close call.

Realization dawned upon Noelle. "That makes sense. By the way, I still have something important to take care of."noveldrama