Noelle clenched her jaw, remembering the first time she had seen something like this happen to
Sebastian at the Cole residence.
That day, his face had flushed an alarming shade of red, and his breathing had turned shallow and
strained.
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She had waited outside his hospital ward, anxiety twisting in her chest, and hurried over the moment the
doctor stepped out.
The young physician’s expression was serious, almost detached, which made her heart jump into her
throat.
Thankfully, the doctor, Jason Holt, shook his head. “Mr. Cole is fine. But his condition is private. We can’t
disclose details without his consent.”
Noelle nodded, understanding. “Is he feeling better now? Can I see him?”
Jason gave a slight nod, his eyes lingering on her with a look she didn’t register as she rushed to get
inside.
The private ward was quiet, and Sebastian looked like his usual self again. The sickly flush on his face
had faded, and every trace of that earlier moment of weakness was gone.
Noelle figured the doctor’s silence meant Sebastian had told him to keep whatever it was to himself. He
clearly didn’t want anyone to know, so she didn’t press.
Instead, she asked gently, “Are you feeling any better?”
Sebastian replied evenly, “I’m fine now. I’m sorry for ruining the dinner.”
The apology caught her off guard. He couldn’t control what had happened, yet he still felt the need to say
sorry. She realized just how much of a gentleman he really was.
She waved it off. “Don’t worry about it. We can go back to that place another time.”
When she mentioned going out for dinner again, a flicker of hesitation crossed Sebastian’s face. Noelle
had no idea what it meant.
Still a little shaken, she said, “The doctor looked so serious just now. For a moment, I thought… maybe it was something really bad.”
Sebastian glanced up at her. Seeing the worry in her eyes sent a strange warmth through him, and his gaze softened. Playing it off casually, he asked, “Were you worried about me?”
She nodded without hesitation as she admitted, “Yeah.”
Chapter 75
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But as soon as the word left her lips, a faint embarrassment crept in. Admitting it so openly made her wonder if she had come across a little awkward.
He looked away with a hint of satisfaction.
Outside, it was quiet, and the light from the window rested softly across the bed, making the room feel
calm and still.
Suddenly, he spoke up. “That dinner… Was it about the Ashford family’s project?”
At the restaurant, she had brought up something tied to the Ashfords. He figured she was trying to help.
them land it.
He wasn’t sure why she’d go out of her way for them, but as long as it wasn’t about calling off the wedding, he could live with it.
Because of Sebastian’s sudden episode earlier, Noelle had completely set the matter aside until he
brought it up again.
‘Yeah. It’s about them. I just wanted to know that, if you partnered with Novara Corporation, would it
affect Cole Group’s interest?”
Sebastian’s eyes narrowed slightly.
The truth was, for the Cole Group, the deal was nothing more than a mid–tier project. But for the Novara
Corporation, it was huge. From a profit standpoint, they were actually the best partner for Cole Group.
Still, a company as powerful as the Cole Group could afford to be choosy. And in this case, not working
with the Novara Corporation was simply Sebastian’s way of getting back at the Ashfords.
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