No longer a pushover (Noelle and Cedric)

Noelle noticed the ongoing speculation about her identity in the forum and figured it was likely one of her classmates stirring things up.

Considering she was attending the influencer event that evening, where her identity would inevitably be revealed, she felt no need to keep it a secret any longer. A commenter wrote, "I'm a classmate of the Liddell family's eldest daughter and can confirm that the streamer's voice matches hers exactly."

Soon, anti-fans started commenting.

"If she's really the Liddell family's daughter, why would she stream on Firestorm instead of Starlight? Stop making things up!"

"She could use King's 12-hit combo. With her talent, there's no way the Liddell family would let her go rogue like this!"

"Nelly is clearly trying to use Ms. Liddell's name for fame. She should consider whether that's even realistic. The 12-hit combo is not something just anyone can do."

As the anti-fans stirred the pot, most people leaned toward believing that SweetNelly couldn't possibly be Noelle.

Noelle's head started to ache as she read the arguments in the post's comments.

Just then, she received a text from Rachel. "Queen, those anti-fans are so nasty. They're probably Xenia's die-hard supporters. Why not come out and shut them up yourself?"

Noelle smiled slightly and replied, "The truth will be clear tonight after the event. There's no need to waste time arguing with them." Even if she tried to explain, some people would still refuse to believe her.

Noelle glanced at the clock and realized it was nearly noon. She headed to the apartment unit next door and saw Alfred emerging with a head of messy hair, yawning. "Morning, Nelly."

"It's already noon. Is the bar that much fun?" Noelle asked curiously.

Alfred's eyes lit up. "It's fun! If you're curious, I can take you next time."

"Don't corrupt her." Cedric walked out of the study. His gaze filled with warning as it landed on Alfred.

Alfred replied lazily, "Nelly's about to start college, and she can freely date now. So, she's practically an adult already. Going to a bar isn't a big deal."

Cedric's face remained impassive. "There's no need to talk nonsense."

Alfred knew when to stop before annoying Cedric, so he changed the subject immediately. "Nelly, you've got that event tonight. Did you get a nice dress? You should also get your hair and makeup done to dazzle everyone later." Cedric's tone was calm as he cut in. "She's attending an event, not a beauty pageant."

"What's the difference? Women should dress beautifully. Don't let old-fashioned ideas get in the way."

Noelle chuckled. "I bought a dress yesterday."

"Perfect. Here. Take this business card. Go to this place later in the afternoon to get your look done and tell them you're my friend."

"Thank you." Noelle accepted the card. In the past, the Liddell family would have arranged all these details for her.

What mattered most for the event was the fact that Xenia and Lucas would also be attending.

Even though Noelle didn't care about makeup or fancy appearances, it would be her first public event since leaving the Liddell family. She didn't want to be looked down upon and was determined to protect her dignity. Cedric glanced at Noelle. Her smile was finally clear of the cautious demeanor she had before.noveldrama

His lips curved faintly. The woman he had protected all this time had finally started to grow strong.

In the afternoon, Noelle packed her dress and prepared to head to the salon Alfred had recommended.

Alfred spoke up as she was about to leave. "Nelly, we've got some stuff to do, so we can't accompany you to the salon. Honestly, I don't have the patience to wait while women get dolled up!"

This was mainly because if reporters spotted either him or Cedric, their identities would come out, causing unnecessary trouble.

"It's fine. I can go by myself," Noelle replied, her gaze drifting toward Cedric.

Cedric looked up. "Call me if anything happens."