Chapter268
Betty nodded at Noelle. “Alright.”
“Shall we step aside?”
“Mhm.”
They entered a nearby high–end restaurant.
Maureen and Justin settled in the adjacent booth, listening silently to Noelle’s conversation.
“Maestro,” Noelle leaned forward eagerly, “Elizabeth and I adore your compositions. Name your price for exclusive rights–I’ll accept any amount.‘
Maureen felt like needles pricking her throat.
”
This woman, notoriously money–obsessed, now showed such devotion to her other daughter.
She instructed Betty: “Tell her my art isn’t something money can buy.”
Betty relayed the message immediately.
Noelle flushed awkwardly. “What do you desire then?
Whatever it is, I’ll make it happen.”
In that moment, she embodied every inch the caring mother who cherished her daughter above all.
Maureen wanted to see how far Noelle would go for her daughter. She added, “Aren’t you the internationally renowned dancer Noelle?”
Noelle felt flattered, never expecting Professor Shi to recognize her. She admitted it without modesty.
The next sentence froze her in place.
“It’s such a pity you ended your dancing career at twenty–five. If you truly want this composition, I’ll grant you exclusive rights–provided you perform a dance in public. What do you say?” Betty relayed her boss’s words
Betty didn’t understand why this middle–aged woman past her prime should dance. What could
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possibly be worth seeing?
But Maureen knew.
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After giving birth to Maureen, Noelle had never returned to the stage. Not once had she danced again.
Once, in youthful ignorance, Maureen had wished on her birthday: “I want Mom to dance for me.”
Noelle had retorted, “You are nothing. Why should I dance for you? My figure’s ruined. I’ve said I’ll never dance again.”
Noelle was stubborn. Having sworn off dancing, she’d kept that vow.
Now, hearing Betty’s words, her expression shifted through shades of emotion before settling on refusal. “Could we discuss other terms? I’ve said I’ll never dance again.”
The deal didn’t go through in the end.
After Noelle left, Maureen came out.
Betty also came up to her, looking puzzled: “Boss, why did you make such a request?”
Betty still didn’t know that Noelle was Maureen’s biological mother.
Maureen didn’t explain, but said: “Let’s call it a day for now. I want to go back and rest a bit.
She wanted to look into Elizabeth’s matter.
Why was Elizabeth Noelle’s daughter?
“Alright, so we’ll meet that mysterious big shot tomorrow?”
“Mm–hmm.”
After saying that, Maureen returned to the booked hotel.
When she pushed the door open and went in, she saw a tall, straight figure standing by the balcony.
Maureen thought she had entered the wrong room and was about to leave, but unexpectedly, the person turned around: “Reenie, is that you?”
“Geoffrey?
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How did you get in?”
“With the marriage certificate.”
Geoffrey said slowly.
“Get out.”
Maureen didn’t care how he’d gotten in, immediately ordering him to leave.
“The front desk said all rooms here are booked. If I leave, I’ve got nowhere to stay.”
Geoffrey spoke with deliberate pitifulness.
“It’s not peak season. How could it be fully booked?”
Maureen picked up her phone to call the front desk–confirmed, fully booked.
She froze in disbelief.
Geoffrey had somehow closed the distance between them: “Probably because New Year’s is coming.”
“Then find another hotel.”
Maureen insisted.
She refused to believe everywhere else was sold out too.
“No.”
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Geoffrey flatly refused, leaning closer. “I searched forever to find this place. You’d really send a blind man out alone at night to hunt for another hotel?”
For anyone else, Maureen might’ve hesitated. But Geoffrey had bodyguards. Staff.
She pinched the fabric of his shirt, tugging him toward the door.
“I’ll take you somewhere else.”
Geoffrey hadn’t expected playing the victim to fail.
He planted his feet. “Reenie, I don’t want to stay anywhere else.
Maureen strained to pull him, but he didn’t budge an inch.
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Geoffrey directly grasped her hand, lowering his voice: “Reenie, think carefully. This is Karaville. If people who know me see me blind here, what will they think?”
At these words, Maureen finally relented.
“Then why did you come here?”
“I couldn’t bear you being alone.”
The previous times Geoffrey stayed alone at the hotel watching over Maureen, it had been unbearably lonely.
So this time, no matter what, he insisted on staying with Maureen.
Maureen pulled her hand away: “You sleep on the couch tonight.”
“Okay.”
Only then did Maureen go to freshen up.
She was utterly exhausted today.
After showering, she lay down on the bed.
But she hadn’t been lying there long when Geoffrey spoke up: “Reenie, I’m not familiar with this place. Could you tell me where the bathroom is?
And where the toiletries are kept.”
Maureen had nearly forgotten–he couldn’t see. She had to get up again, leading him to the bathroom.
Holding his hand, she guided it to touch each item, telling him what it was.