Chapter 286
Only after Noelle and Ansell had walked out of sight did Maxton finally shake off his confusion, his gaze lingering where they had disappeared.
All that effort to impress Ansell, and it turned out the man only had eyes for Noelle.
It made no sense. How did she ever cross paths with someone like Ansell? All the while, photos of Noelle and Ansell at the airport exploded across the internet, stirring wild theories among curious onlookers.
Some even guessed that Noelle might have worked for Girood, and that was how the two got to know each other.
Noelle soon drove Ansell and his assistant to a secluded villa.
As soon as they stepped inside, she turned to Ansell. “A hotel won’t work. It’d make it nearly impossible for me to visit, and if the press caught on, explaining would be a nightmare. No one’s using this villa at the moment. It’s yours as long as you need it.”
It didn’t take Ansell long to catch on. “Wait, this place is yours?”
She confirmed it with a simple nod. “I made sure everything was cleaned up before you arrived. If you need anything, just say the word.”
Grinning, Ansell tried to rush over and hug her again. “It feels like ages since I last saw you. Let me give you a hug—”
Before he could get close, she shot her arm out to stop him, wearing a look that meant business. “Stay right where you are. Don’t even try it.”
𝗧𝘩𝗲 𝖻𝘦𝗌t 𝗋𝖾𝖺dіn𝘨 𝖾𝘹𝗉𝖾𝘳𝗂𝖾𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗼n 𝗴𝗮ln𝗈𝘷𝗲𝗅𝘀.𝗰о𝘮
Ansell could only stare at her, looking completely crestfallen.
The plan was to take Ansell out to eat, but her phone buzzed with a new email notification just then. She unlocked it without much thought, and a sly smile crept onto her face.
That grin made Ansell uneasy. He couldn’t help but ask, “What’s in that email?”
Raising her phone for him to see, Noelle replied in a breezy, almost teasing voice, “Looks like someone who doesn’t know when to quit wants to meet with Rhoda.”
Ansell glanced at Noelle’s phone, immediately noticing Maxton’s name pop up in her inbox. The message read, “Ms. Sugden, good day! Forgive me for reaching out so suddenly and without warning. I’d hoped for a proper introduction through Mr. White, but the opportunity never came. Last year, you personally welcomed Moss Corporation’s fashion label into the Fashion Innovators Alliance as its president—maybe you remember. Just recently, though, our brand was abruptly removed from the organization without any explanation. I also heard you’ve stepped down from Girood. Would you consider joining Moss Corporation as our chief designer? I’m willing to offer a very generous compensation package. I realize that, with the Moss family’s troubles and our battered reputation, it’s bold of me to ask someone of your stature. Still, I sincerely hope we can meet in person.”
After reading, Ansell just stared at the screen, momentarily at a loss for words before a dry laugh escaped him.
.