No longer a pushover (Noelle and Cedric) novel Chapter 966

Noelle was a little surprised. She realized that the reason why the Merlocks had been keeping such a low profile recently was because Laura was trying to make a move in secret.

Laura quickly explained, "Cedric, listen to me. I've always had feelings for you."

Cedric replied with a cold tone, "It has nothing to do with me. Unfortunately, the Merlock family is destined to go under no matter who you marry. I won't show your family any mercy unless you consider the terms Noelle just laid out for you."

Laura's lips trembled. There was hardly any difference from having her family be destroyed completely.

Noelle looked up at Cedric with a complicated expression. She realized that he really knew her well, so well, in fact, that he could immediately cooperate with her right away no matter what she said.

She then turned to Ruth and said, "So? It's a good deal, isn't it? You can sacrifice yourself to protect your daughter's luxurious lifestyle.

"What happened back then was all your own doing, after all. It has nothing to do with the next generation. Everything will come to an end as long as you turn yourself in."

Ruth gritted her teeth angrily. "You're the most heartless person there is, Noelle! Stop trying to drive a wedge between me and my daughters!"

Laura, however, did not move. She did not refuse either.

Ruth turned to Laura and continued, "Laura, you're not seriously going to accept that bitch's conditions, are you? She already stole your man, and now she wants to destroy our entire family. Don't fall for it!"

Samantha spoke up instead. "Mom, you're the one solely responsible for everything you've done back then. Now that you can't hide it anymore, you might as well just turn yourself in and help the rest of the family survive instead."

Ruth slapped Samantha across the face and shouted, "What did you just say? Say it again, I dare you! Are you seriously siding with your father now? Trying to bite the hand that feeds you?!"

"But Dad's right! Mom, you're the one who's dragging all of us into this!"

Samantha did not want to live in poverty. She had always hated poor people the most. Ending up in poverty would be a fate worse than death for her.

She would become the laughingstock of all her friends and classmates. She felt that living a life like that was more terrifying than dying outright.

Cedric rolled up his car window without saying anything, his eyes ice-cold and distant. Laura ran after the car and stopped within a few steps. She then hugged herself as tears streamed down her face.

Ruth rushed over to console her. "Don't be scared, Laura. We still have hope."

Laura turned back to Ruth, her eyes red. "Where do we find hope, exactly? Mom, I've really tried all I can."

"Haven't you been meeting up with a lot of men recently? They're all men who adore you. Just pick one who can actually help us. The Merlock family will not go bankrupt. Trust me."

Laura smiled bitterly. "But as soon as their parents hear about our family's situation, they'll immediately refuse to let us meet each other again, let alone agree to get married on my terms."

She had always been a prideful person. And yet, for the sake of her family as well as her mother, she had allowed her dignity to be trampled to the ground.

But even so, it was all pointless. Her whole life had been ruined by Noelle.