Chapter 241
Chapter 241:
Ethan held her close, his arm wrapped tenderly around her back. His eyes, filled with deep sympathy, spoke volumes. “Noey p>
She sat still for a moment, allowing herself to absorb the warmth of his touch. The soft beat of his heart rang in her ears. For once, she allowed herself to feel it—that sense of safety, of being held.
Her childhood had been far from easy. Raised in an orphanage and later adopted by Jeffery and Babette, she’d spent years daydreaming about the kind of parents other children had, even envying them.
But returning to the Moss family had shattered every illusion. She quickly learned that not all parents knew how to love.
Ethan, who had grown up alongside her, understood her better than anyone else. He knew how much hope she had once placed in the idea of family, how deeply she had longed for it. But the Moss family had crushed all of that hope, leaving nothing but broken dreams.
𝘛𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘀𝘢𝗇𝗱s оf 𝗿е𝗮𝗱𝖾r𝘴 𝘰n
A shadow passed over Ethan’s face. His jaw tightened slightly, and his grip on her became more protective.
Noelle hesitated for a moment before gently lifting her arms to return his embrace. A soft smile touched her lips. “I’m okay, Ethan p>
What she wanted now was simple—to live her life the way she chose.
Whether the Moss family stayed intact or completely fell apart was no longer her concern. She was done looking back.
Her phone buzzed. Dorothy was calling.
She picked up. “Hey, Dorothy p>
Dorothy, usually calm and collected, sounded shaken. “Noelle, have you seen what’s going on online? Maxton just posted a video… He’s accusing you of… well, pushing Jessalyn Moss p>
She chose her words carefully. The word “mother” caught in her throat—first, because Noelle had already severed all ties with the Moss family, and second, because in Dorothy’s eyes, someone like Jessalyn didn’t deserve to be called Noelle’s mother.
“I’ve seen it,” Noelle said, her voice steady.
Dorothy’s tone sharpened with certainty. “Noelle, I know you. You wouldn’t do something like that. Something’s missing here p>
Noelle smiled faintly, warmed by Dorothy’s faith in her. “Thank you. But I did push Jessalyn p>
Dorothy fell silent.
Noelle continued calmly, “There was a reason. Someone threw an ashtray at her. I pushed her out of the way. It was instinct p>
Dorothy let out a breath. “So Maxton cut that part out of the video? Of course he did. Well, the story online has already been twisted. It’s pretty clear Maxton paid off trolls to sway public opinion. Now people are saying the Moss family’s hatred for you and your decision to cut ties is all your fault. This is obviously Maxton’s way of polishing the Moss family’s image, especially to make Willa look good. But don’t worry. I’ll track down the original video and set the record straight p>
Noelle’s lips curved again. “You don’t have to. I already found it p>
Dorothy blinked in disbelief. “Wait, what? You already have it p>
Taking a brief glance at Ethan, Noelle said, “A friend helped me get it p>