No longer a pushover (Noelle and Cedric) novel Chapter 1041

When Noelle heard Donovan's question, she bowed to the memorial before stepping back. The others stepped forward to do the same.

Once the brief ceremony concluded, everyone moved back to the seating area.

Donovan frowned. "Noelle, you still haven't answered me. We're standing before Mom and Dad, so you can't lie to us."

Carl chimed in, "Can you tell us what really happened back then?"

Noelle glanced at Donovan before calmly saying, "What happened that day is exactly as you all know. There's no difference from what I remembered.

"The person who saved me and returned to try and rescue Mom and Dad wasn't Sean; it was Cedric."

The room fell silent.

She looked around at the Liddells with a mocking smile playing on her lips. "Isn't it ridiculous? You used to tell me over and over again about how I owed Sean my life. But in the end, it wasn't him; it was Cedric."

Everyone's expression stiffened awkwardly, and Donovan retorted, "We didn't know anything."

Frank echoed, "Yeah… I never would've guessed it turned out like this."

Carl smiled lightly and chimed in, "It looks like the Liddell family owes Cedric a favor, then."

"Well, we're helping treat his mom this time, and we can call it even. There won't be any more debts between us and the Greene family," Blake added.

Noelle glanced at Carl and said, "As long as Mrs. Greene's treatment goes smoothly, the Greene family won't put pressure on Liddell Corporation again."

Frank smiled. "That's good to hear."

But Donovan let out a cold snort. "Cedric is partly responsible for Liddell Corporation being in this mess. And now that he lifts the pressure on us, that's supposed to be enough?"

"What more do you want?" Noelle snapped.

"You know perfectly well what Liddell Corporation lacks most right now. If the Greene family is willing to invest, we'll consider the slate wiped clean."

Noelle laughed outright. "Investment?"

"And you conveniently forgot what my life was like in this house back then. Even if I made that project a success, all it would've taken was a single word from Xenia, and you would've handed everything to her. I'd pour in all my effort and get nothing in return.

"Plus, this is my project. I have the right to decide who I partner with," Noelle snapped.

Donovan's expression twisted in rage as he turned to Carl. "Look at this! You went so far to help her and asked for nothing in return, but she's never once thought about the Liddells!"

Noelle's expression was cold as she turned to Carl as well. "What conditions do you have?"

She didn't believe for a second that he was being completely selfless. It was better to get it all out in the open now.

Carl bitterly replied, "It's true I want nothing, Noelle. I'm helping you because I want to."

But Noelle gave him a wary look. "There are no free lunches. I just don't want to hear accusations that I'm being ungrateful. I believe all accounts should be settled clearly, even among siblings."

Donovan raised his voice, saying, "So what if we do ask for something in return? You and Cedric act like you're all-powerful. But at the end of the day, you still had to come crawling back to us!"