No longer a pushover (Noelle and Cedric) novel Chapter 5

The infirmary was silent.

Noelle opened her mouth to speak but ultimately said nothing. Words seemed powerless at this moment. She had explained herself countless times before, but her brothers never believed her.

Frank swallowed hard and eventually released his hand. Looking disappointed, he glanced at Noelle and said, "If you keep being stubborn, I won't be able to defend you once Donovan returns. Think about it."

As soon as he left, Noelle breathed a sigh of relief and leaned back against the headboard. A hint of self-deprecation crossed her eyes as she wondered what she should think about.

Should she bend the knee and tiptoe around them like in her past life, only to end up being driven out of the family and dying a miserable death after being locked in a mental hospital?

She wouldn't do that again.

"Here."

A cold compress wrapped in gauze appeared before her.

Noelle took it and pressed it against her swollen cheek. Glancing at the man beside her, she whispered, "Thanks for what you did earlier."

"Why didn't you defend yourself?" Cedric asked icily.

A wry smile crossed Noelle's face as she lowered her head and said, "Believe it or not, but I've explained countless times in the past and even showed them the evidence. However, they never believed me. They just thought I was lying."

The room fell into a brief silence.

Noelle had no intention of explaining further, as most people who heard her story thought she was simply being disobedient.

"It's hard not to believe you."

Noelle's heart skipped a beat. She questioned if he really believed what she said.

Cedric stepped forward and felt her forehead. "The fever's gone down."

Amidst her daze, Noelle realized how cool and soothing his hand was. She felt much better now. She glanced at his wrist and asked, "Did you get that scar from a car accident?"

Cedric froze before quickly withdrawing his hand. After a brief silence, he removed the empty IV bag and replied, "Yes. It was from a car accident." He propped his hand against the table, keeping his back to her. His expression was indiscernible against the light.

"I have one on my leg, too," Noelle said, pulling up her skirt slightly. "Here. Doesn't it look similar to yours?"

Cedric turned around. Her toned thigh came into view, the scar standing out starkly against her skin. But her skirt was pulled a little too high. He glanced once and swerved around. "Don't lift your skirt in front of men."

"But you're a doctor."

Cedric's throat tightened. He was a man as well. Had no one taught her this?

"This scar can be treated," he said. "Why haven't you done it?"

Noelle's face fell as pain gripped her heart. Her third brother, Carl, said that this scar represented her parents. He promised to personally help her remove it one day when he had time.

She believed him.

But in the end, he looked at the scar disgustedly, saying that he hated it and would never treat it. He blamed her for their parents' death and told her that the scar was the mark of her bringing doom upon them. He said that she should remember it for the rest of her life.

She was devastated back then, believing that she was indeed responsible for her parents' death. She became even more servile to please her brothers.

Recalling the past knocked the wind out of Noelle. She couldn't tell Cedric that now, so she deflected, "How about you? Why haven't you treated yours?"

"I'm a man. It doesn't matter. But for a woman, it's better to get it treated."

Noelle forced a smile. "Maybe later."

Seeing her lower her head, Cedric said nothing further and sat nearby.

He turned on the television, and Noelle noticed that the screen showed a gaming live stream. To her surprise, her sixth brother, Lucas, was currently competing.

Lucas had skipped Xenia's banquet for this competition, but he had ultimately lost to the youngest son of the Greene family in Beville.

In her past life, Noelle remembered how Lucas' opponents had relentlessly mocked him after he lost. He was so enraged that he recruited her and his brothers into his team when he returned.