No longer a pushover (Noelle and Cedric) novel Chapter 1173

When Noelle saw her young stepmother Ivy, she couldn't help but wonder if some people really had no sense of limits.

She looked Ivy straight in the eye. "Yeah, that's right," she admitted.

The fact that Ivy had gone out of her way to dig up this kind of information meant she clearly cared about what Noelle thought.

But why?

As far as Noelle was concerned, she and Ivy had no real connection.

"Ms. Liddell, I genuinely didn't know I looked so much like Xenia. I never expected you to dislike her so much. It's surprising that you'd be this wary of me," Ivy said with a bitter smile.

Noelle stayed cool. "Are you trying to get on my good side or something?"

Ivy's smile softened, showing a hint of vulnerability. "Ms. Liddell, you probably know I don't have anyone left in my family except my son. I'm worried about how he's growing up, so I want to bring him back to live with Mia. Since you're Mia's best friend, of course I want to have a good relationship with you."

Noelle raised an eyebrow. That reason sounded convincing enough, but was it really just for her son?

Mia hardly ever talked about Ivy or her little brother. Now that Mia had more influence in the family, Ivy was clearly thinking ahead.

In families like theirs, it was usually the sons who were groomed to inherit everything. That made her half-brother a potential threat to Mia's position.

As Mia's best friend, Noelle wasn't about to let anyone come between her and her inheritance, especially a half-brother.

After listening, Noelle remained expressionless.

"I get where you're coming from," she said coldly. "But honestly, I just don't like your face."

Ivy froze, caught completely off guard. "What do you expect me to do?"

Noelle looked up and firmly said, "I think you should get plastic surgery."

"I've already made myself clear," Noelle said with a hint of mockery. "Honestly, I'm easy to get along with. All you need to do is change your face."

She then turned and walked away toward the school, ignoring whatever expression Ivy had.

A shrewd smile slowly spread across Ivy's face as she kept her eyes on Noelle's back.

"She's not so easy after all," she said softly.

Owen looked worried. "Mrs. Cantrell, how could she just brush you off like that? Should I teach her a lesson?"

"You fool," Ivy snapped. "Cedric's people are watching her closely. If anything happens near Noelle, they'll catch on immediately."

Owen said, "But are we seriously just going to let her walk all over you like that? When have we ever been this humiliated?"

Ivy chuckled softly. "That's where you don't get it. It's moments like these when staying calm matters most."