Chapter 126
To Noella, that seemed like a wishful thinking.
Ever since she was lured out of Glen Village by the Fuller family under the guise of affection, only to nearly lose her way back to Old Mrs. Lambert’s embrace, she had learned never to trust anyone’s proclamation of fondness.
Yet, despite herself, this very demand stirred something unfamiliar within her.
She remained silent, and Palmer just waited.
Winning over Noella’s heart and mind was a long road ahead, but when he saw Noella in her white lab coat, standing with the members of Polaris Star, it ignited a fierce sense of urgency
in him.
Her expression was indifferent, her eyes as icy as those of the colleagues she stood with, as if they were the ones she truly belonged to.
Suddenly, Palmer feared that if she couldn’t find a way to like him, she might one day return to Polaris Star. And if that happened, he might lose the chance to see her ever again.
Under that starry night sky of Glen Village back then, as Noella slept, Palmer leaned against the window, gazing at the moonlit mountains. The village was close to the border, near the fabled Polaris Star Lab. He had experienced many surprises with Noella but was acutely aware that no girl, no matter how troubled her past, would choose the life of an assassin without reason.
Having walked a similar path, he knew the torment it entailed, akin to walking through fire. He didn’t wish to delve into what Noella had endured, but he was desperate to know how he could
protect her better.
Palmer, who had dominated boardrooms for years, securing billion–dollar deals with strategic finesse, found himself at a loss when it came to the girl who had captured his heart.
Palmer drove to the largest shopping mall owned by the Pollack Group, pulled up in his sleek car, and took Noella’s hand as they stepped out.
“Can my fiancée tell me what role you played in Polaris Star?” he asked.
“If you’re asking, you probably have an idea,” she replied.
Verdant Garden’s proximity to the border meant Palmer would surely know about the Polaris Star lab and the Obelisk Organization base nearby.
Her role at Polaris Star? That was no longer important.
Children taken by the Polaris Star underwent inhuman trials to enhance their intellect. Chosen for their brilliance, even their remarkable smarts were not enough.
Noella chuckled ruefully. The founder of Polaris Star was a madman! She had moved past that
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dark chapter and didn’t wish to revisit it.
Seeing that she didn’t want to continue. Palmer didn’t press further. He had guessed her past identity. If other stars followed her lead, she must have been groomed to be a leader in Polaris Star! His girl must have endured so much.
Taking her hand, Palmer led her into the mall.
The grandiose mall was a cathedral of luxury, with a red carpet stretching from the entrance to every level. Employees stood on either side, each holding a bouquet of roses, their backdrop a collection of the season’s luxury items.
For their date, Palmer had arranged to have the entire mall at their disposal, all brands at the service of his fiancée.
Behind the employees, a grand rose tree sculpture in the main hall, fashioned in the likeness of a girl with a gown adorned with sparkling gems, unmistakably resembled Noella!
Below it, a band in formal attire struck up a waltz, the internationally renowned Sanctified Melody Band, whose tickets usually cost a small fortune, was there just for Palmer and Noella’s first date.
The mall manager, beside himself with excitement, rubbed his hands and said respectfully, “Mr. Pollack, Ms. Noella, the tearoom is prepared, and all the new items in your size are here for you
to choose from!”
Working for the Pollack Group for years, he had never seen Mr. Pollack so intent on pleasing a girl.
When he received the call, his hands trembled, fearing the worst for the mall, but the boss had called personally to arrange a date setup to a girl’s liking!
The manager was stunned; after all, everyone knew about the engagement between Mr. Pollack and Ms. Schnabel. And for Noella’s birthday, the mall had replaced every celebrity poster with birthday greetings for her. In that moment, the manager knew Ms. Noella was no ordinary
person.
After hanging up, he swiftly arranged the spectacle before them- a rose sculpture crafted in the pose Noella had taken during her birthday dance.
Noella looked up at the three–story rose sculpture, then turned to the manager. “Who made this?”
“I did,” the manager puffed out his chest proudly. “Though I must confess, my hobby is gardening. The time was short, and I couldn’t quite capture Ms. Noella’s grace completely. My apologies.”
Palmer’s gaze lingered on the rose sculpture. “Preserve it, turn it into an eternal bloom, and send it to the Pollack Mansion.”
He wanted to keep this massive thing in their home? Wasn’t it a bit much?
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Palmer said earnestly. “It’s perfect. After we’re married, let’s make a bigger one, of the two of
us.”
The manager nearly choked with excitement!
Was Mr. Pollack envisioning his married life with Ms. Noella?
Rumors were swirling that the Pollack–Schnabel union was nothing more than a business marriage, devoid of any real affection. But it looked like Mr. Pollack had a soft spot for Ms. Schnabel after all. Judging by the looks of it, wedding bells might be ringing sooner than expected.
The manager was quick to chime in. “When Mr. Pollack and Ms. Noella tie the knot, our department store will present you with a splendid everlasting floral sculpture as a congratulatory gift!”
Palmer couldn’t hide the grin in his eyes as he took Noella by the hand and led her towards the row of luxury brands hanging on display.
“What do you think? Should we give out everlasting floral favors to our wedding guests?”
“You’re overthinking this.”
When had she ever actually agreed to marry him?
“Not enough, if you ask me.”
If he had his way, he’d spare no thought or effort to give Noella the grandest wedding the world has ever seen!
Nonchalantly, Noella picked a few gifts. “Wrap these up, they’re for Elara; this one’s for Beckett; and that for Ulrich…”
She had chosen items that would perfectly suit each member of the Schnabel family, not missing a single one, even remembering Freya, who was still buried in her lab work, and Sexton wasn’t forgotten either.
Palmer caught Noella’s hand. “What about mine? You have chosen gifts for everyone, where’s mine?”
Noella gave him a helpless look. Choosing a gift for him in his own store felt like plucking wool off a sheep to gift it back to the animal.
Undeterred, Palmer led her towards the elevator. “It’s okay if you haven’t got a gift for me. I’ve prepared something for you, and giving it to you makes me just as happy as receiving something from you.”
Him being happy to give her a gift? What kind of logic was that?
“Do you just like spending money?”
“I like spending money on you.” Palmer’s reflection mirrored in the elevator’s glossy interior, his suit sharp and his tie and shirt without a single crease. His gaze was so tender it seemed it
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could melt into droplets.
“You know,” he said with a tone full of indulgence, “it’s a blissful thing, driving an Uber to buy a gift for the girl you like.”
