Noelle agreed, "Alright then, but I don't have much time. I have something to do later."
She remembered she had plans with Rowena and Teresa, who would be arriving soon. "My friends will be here shortly."
"Let's find a place to sit," Annie suggested, turning to Cindy. "Mom, I need to talk with Noelle. Why don't you head back first?"
Cindy gave Noelle a complicated look, recalling how her son had warned Annie not to offend Noelle. Though she did not see anything particularly threatening about Noelle, as Annie's mother, she instinctively wanted to protect her daughter.
She feared Noelle might bully her.
"Mom, it's okay. If you're worried, you can wait for me in the car. I'll be right there."
After reassuring Cindy, Annie glanced at Noelle. "Let's go to that café over there."
"Alright."
Noelle was not sure what Annie wanted to discuss, but she was curious about what had happened that night. Charles had not told her much, and Rowena and Teresa had not shared all the details either.
Noelle ordered a lime soda at the café. When Annie noticed Noelle's indifferent demeanor, it made her feel somewhat anxious. "Noelle, do you know that your indifferent, high-and-mighty attitude is really annoying?"
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