No longer a pushover (Noelle and Cedric)

Noelle's response was sharp and loaded with hostility.

The reporters were stunned by her bluntness. Lucas's face darkened-he hadn't expected her to dismiss his abilities so openly. Before he could respond, Xenia quickly stepped in. "Noelle, how can you say that? The match hasn't even started yet.

"Our team has worked so hard to get here. Just because you're gifted doesn't mean you can look down on us."

Lucas's expression darkened further, his frustration palpable.

Noelle responded with a cold smile, "I was just joking. Don't take it so seriously."

Xenia pressed on, "Noelle, it's fine if you're sitting out, but do you really have to tear us down like this?"

"I'm only trying to help," Noelle replied indifferently. "Better to keep you grounded before the match than to let you get overconfident and blow it, right?"

She turned to the reporters with a smirk. "Lucas has a point-competitions aren't just about individual skills.

"Teamwork and synergy are key. Ms. Quigley and Lucas clearly have an amazing connection, so I believe they'll overcome every obstacle and crush the competition." Lucas's expression turned even darker-he knew she was being sarcastic.

Xenia couldn't hold back her frustration. "Noelle, did you come here today just to make fun of us?"

"No," Noelle replied. "For the record, I'm here as a special guest. Otherwise, I wouldn't have bothered showing up." Just then, a fan approached her with a gift. "Noelle, we're your fans-NellyBerries! We made this for you!"

Noelle was caught off guard by their enthusiasm. Momentarily flustered, she responded, "Thank you, everyone." Before she knew it, she was surrounded by fans asking for photos, leaving Xenia standing awkwardly on the sidelines. Frustrated, Xenia turned to Lucas. "Do something, Lucas! This is our match-we're supposed to be the stars of the show!" She couldn't stand how effortlessly Noelle had stolen all the attention.

Lucas recalled Noelle's biting remarks from the night before. Unable to stand the situation any longer, he stormed off without a word. Xenia had no choice but to follow him, her anger simmering inside her.

Half an hour later, Noelle finally managed to break free from the crowd. Waving to her fans, she called out, "The match is about.

You don't want to miss anyone

start. Go find your seats and enjoy!

Rachel tugged her along as they walked inside. "I told you: you should've worn a mask! Now you see how passionate your fans are!"

"I never expected anything like this," Noelle admitted. As they entered the venue, Noelle took in the packed crowd.

She knew their opposing team for this match was formidable their captain was known for staying calm under pressure.

Lucas, on the other hand, had a fiery temper. If he wasn't careful, his outbursts could give their opponents the upper hand.noveldrama

In her previous life, Noelle had endured Lucas' tantrums to secure this very victory. Now, she was curious to see how things would play out without her on the team. She doubted if anyone-not even Xenia-could keep Lucas in check.

"Noelle, here's some popcorn and drinks." Frank appeared out of nowhere, holding two servings of popcorn and beverages.

He took the seat next to her and said, "This match is going to be a long one. Better have something to snack on."

Noelle shot him a glance. "Frank, instead of sitting here munchingon popcorn, maybe you should be figuring out how to stop the Liddell family's team from an embarrassing defeat."

"Lucas brought this on himself. He has no one else to blame," Frank replied with a shrug. "Maybe losing will knock some sense into him."

He had no faith in Team Luminark pulling off a win. Without Noelle, the odds were slim, and with Xenia's terrible skills, the outcome was all but decided.

Rachel, awkwardly holding the

popcorn Frank handed her, hesitated

before speaking. "Honestly, Team

Luminark could've just brought in a

top-tier gunner. Why on earth would they put their faith in Xenia?

"This is suicide! Everyone saw how bad she was in the revival match."

Noelle's lips curled into a faint smirk. "Because they're family. Blood is thicker than water."