Chapter 71: Chapter 71: Thinking About How to Refuse His Intimacy

"Joshua, you’re amazing! You memorized it so quickly."

Sophie’s voice was filled with praise.

"It’s because you’re a good teacher, Sophie."

Joshua’s voice was cheerful, and he sounded very happy.

The light in Noelle’s eyes instantly dimmed.

Tristan, however, wore a satisfied smile and instructed Noelle to take the suitcase into their room.

He then strode toward the living room.

Noelle dragged the suitcase into the bedroom, grabbed her pajamas, and went into the bathroom to shower.

She turned on the shower, and the RUSH of water drowned out the sounds of laughter and cheerful chatter from outside.

When Joshua saw Tristan had returned, he affectionately called out, "Dad!"

Tristan sat down, and Joshua quickly pulled out his notebook.

"Dad, I finished copying it a hundred times. Here, you can check it."

Earlier today, Tristan had called and made him copy "Wandering Song" a hundred times. His tone had been harsh, which upset Joshua, so he had called Sophie to complain.

Sophie had gently comforted him and even made a special trip back from Cygnus just to keep him company while he wrote.

Tristan was very pleased. He patted Joshua’s head and said approvingly, "You did a great job. Are you tired? What gift would you like? Dad will get you a reward."

Joshua shook his head. "I’m not tired. Sophie copied it a hundred times too, just to keep me company. If you’re going to give someone a gift, you should give it to her."

Joshua slipped out of Tristan’s embrace and affectionately wrapped his arms around Sophie’s arm.

Sophie dotingly pressed her forehead against Joshua’s and smiled softly. "I was happy to do homework with you, Joshua. I don’t need any gifts. But our little Joshua here... your handwriting is so neat, and you even memorized the entire poem! You’re the one who deserves a reward. Quick, tell your dad what you want."

Joshua thought for a moment, then looked over at Tristan. "Tomorrow’s Saturday. I want you to come with me to the amusement park. Can you?"

’He hadn’t taken Joshua to the amusement park with Noelle yet.’

’Now that Noelle was back, this was the perfect opportunity. The three of them could go to the amusement park as a family tomorrow.’

Tristan agreed.

Joshua was overjoyed.

’He’d already made plans with Sophie to go to the amusement park tomorrow. Now that his dad was willing to come with them, it would be even more perfect.’

Tristan glanced at his watch. Seeing how late it was, he told Joshua to get to bed.

Joshua, being clingy with Sophie, pulled her along with him as he left.

’Tristan had wanted to stop Sophie to tell her that Noelle was planning to take the job. Since Director Ford had already agreed to cast Noelle, he would find some other opportunity for Sophie.’

But he swallowed the words before they could leave his lips.

’It was better to wait until things were confirmed before telling her. He didn’t want a repeat of last time, where things had taken an unexpected turn at the last minute.’

After Sophie and Joshua went upstairs, Tristan picked up Joshua’s "Wandering Song" homework and walked into the bedroom.

’Noelle will be so happy when she sees this.’

Tristan pushed open the door and heard the sound of water from the bathroom.

’She’s showering.’

’Tonight...’

’I should make it up to her properly.’

’It’s been two months.’

’They kept getting interrupted lately, and he was getting pretty annoyed himself.’

Tristan put down Joshua’s notebook, walked out onto the balcony, and lit a cigarette. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

Noelle came out of the bathroom.

She smelled the faint, elegant scent of agarwood smoke in the room.

She immediately spotted Tristan leaning on the balcony, smoking.

Wisps of smoke curled around him, making him look all the more handsome and captivating.

Noelle turned her head away.

She sat down at the vanity and found the hair dryer.

Tristan extinguished his cigarette and walked up behind her. Noelle had just plugged in the hair dryer and was about to start drying her hair.

Tristan took the hair dryer from her hand and turned it on.

A low WHIRR filled the air.

In the mirror, she saw Tristan’s focused expression as he dried her long, damp hair.

’He was always like this.’

’Sometimes, through these small, everyday details, he would make her feel cared for and cherished.’

’He acted so naturally.’

’She had no idea how he could be so composed, as if he’d never done all those things that made her heart ache.’

’Doing whatever he pleased with a clear conscience?’

Noelle sat in silence.

’She knew that trying to take the hair dryer back would only annoy him.’

’She wasn’t one for arguments; she wouldn’t know what to say.’

’There was no point.’

She had beautiful hair.

When her hair was dry.

Her long, glossy black hair cascaded straight down to her waist like a waterfall.

Tristan put away the hair dryer, bent down, and pressed a kiss to her hair. "I’m going to take a shower," he said, his voice low and husky. "Wait for me in bed."

His sensual voice trailed off as he headed for the bathroom.

’This can’t happen.’

’Alone in the room with him, if he really tried to do something later, she wouldn’t be able to resist.’

’Why hasn’t he been going on business trips lately?’

’It’s so frustrating.’

Noelle was trying to figure out a way to refuse him.

Suddenly, she felt a familiar warmth spread through her lower body.

The familiar sensation made her relax slightly.

’Her period had started.’

Her abdomen felt slightly heavy and bloated, and her lower back ached.

She found a sanitary pad in the drawer, took one out, and placed it on the vanity.

A short while later, a pain started in her lower abdomen, gradually growing from a dull ache to something deeper.

She sometimes got cramps during her period.

But the pain was especially sharp tonight.

’She wondered if it was because the cancer was causing her overall health to decline.’

When Tristan came out, she gritted her teeth against the abdominal pain and picked up the sanitary pad right in front of him.

His deep eyes narrowed slightly.

"Your period started?"

She nodded.

She found a pair of underwear, clutched her abdomen, and went into the bathroom.

Tristan watched her every move.

When she came out after freshening up, Tristan was no longer in the bedroom.

’Good, he’s gone.’

’She wouldn’t have to rack her brain for a way to reject his advances.’

She lifted the covers and got into bed.

Her stomach felt cold, and the pain intensified.

’This was a common problem for women.’

’It was normal to have this reaction at the start of a cycle. It would pass if she just endured it.’

She had barely closed her eyes for five minutes.

The bedroom door was pushed open.

She knew it was Tristan.

She did not open her eyes.

After a moment, the edge of the bed dipped down.

Tristan’s sensual voice called out softly, "Noelle."

Noelle opened her eyes.

Tristan was sitting on the edge of the bed, holding a bowl. His expression was gentle. "I made you some brown sugar ginger tea. Get up and drink it before you go back to sleep."

A tremor ran through Noelle’s heart.

’Right now, he was like a perfectly considerate husband.’

’Maybe it was the pain, or maybe it was just her period, but her heart felt fragile.’

Her nose began to sting.

Seeing that she hadn’t moved, Tristan placed the delicate porcelain bowl on the nightstand. He bent down, wrapped an arm around her, and gently lifted her upper body. He took the pillow from beside her, stacked it on top of the one she’d been using, and propped them up behind her back, letting her lean against them comfortably.

The scent of his cedar body wash mingled with the faint smell of agarwood smoke—a scent she knew so well.

It filled her senses.

’Scent memory is the hardest to erase. In an instant, it stirred the love buried deep in her heart, the feelings she had nurtured while thinking of him through countless lonely nights.’

She lowered her head, not daring to look at him.

’She wanted to purge every trace of him from her heart.’

’She couldn’t let these feelings deepen.’

Just then, he picked up the bowl again. He scooped up a spoonful of the ginger tea, blew on it gently, and brought it to Noelle’s lips.