No longer a pushover (Noelle and Cedric) novel Chapter 605

Noelle's response was downright brutal—and she did not even try to hide it.

Tommy immediately snapped, "What's wrong with you? Ms. Merlock is being generous and asking you to give her some grace, and you actually have the nerve to refuse?"

Noelle retorted, "You wanna kiss up to her, go ahead. But don't assume everyone else is that desperate."

Tommy's face turned red with rage. "Who the hell do you think you are? Just because you slept with Mr. Greene a few times, you think you're some kind of queen? Ms. Merlock is the one he's actually engaged to. You're nothing more than a side chick!"

"Shut up!" Cedric's punch landed hard, with zero hesitation and even less mercy.

His voice was icy as he stared Tommy down. "Let me make this perfectly clear: I've never had any engagement with the Merlocks. The ones who keep spreading that rumor better get ready to face the consequences."

The room went dead quiet.

Laura could barely hold her composure. She had genuinely believed Cedric would protect her dignity—after all, they had known each other since they were kids.

Yet, he just publicly shut down the engagement rumor as if it meant nothing. Did he not care that she would become the joke of their entire social circle? Why would he humiliate her like this?

Her eyes filled with tears as she looked at him. "Ced—"

Cedric did not even flinch. "I warned you a long time ago to clear things up yourself. I didn't want my girlfriend to get the wrong idea."

Noelle stood quietly next to him, her ears still ringing from his last words. She looked up just in time to see Laura's tear-streaked face—so different from the woman who had once strutted into a café acting like the legal wife confronting the mistress. When it came to playing a part, Laura definitely took the crown.

Laura noticed Noelle's look and snapped bitterly, "Happy now?"

"Seriously? You and Cedric were never engaged. I didn't start the rumor, and I never denied it either. So what does any of this have to do with me?" Noelle replied.

Laura reasoned, "If you hadn't shown up, he and I might've become something real."