---- Chapter 11 Noah shot up from his seat, his chair clattering to the floor. The blood was roaring in his ears, and for a moment, the whole bar seemed to tilt. He felt a wave of dizziness, a nauseating mix of fury and a strange, terrifying panic. "Noah, what's wrong?" Scarlett asked, grabbing his arm. He shook her off, his movements jerky and uncoordinated. "I have to go," he muttered, pushing his way through the crowd of stunned onlookers. He stumbled out of the bar and onto the street, gasping for the cool night air. His mind was racing. Liam. It had to be a sick joke, a calculated move by Liam to get under his skin. That was the only explanation. Ava wouldn't do this. She loved him. She was obsessed with him. She wouldn't just jump into bed with his biggest rival days after he had discarded her. But the sounds he had heard over the phone... her breathless whisper of Liam's name... Those sounds were real. A wave of something he couldn't identify washed over him. It wasn't just anger. It was... fear. A deep, primal fear of having lost something he had always considered his property. He had thrown her away, yes, but he had always assumed he could pick her back up whenever he wanted. The idea that someone else, especially Liam, had gotten to her first was unbearable. ---- He fumbled for his phone, his hands shaking. He had to call her, to scream at her, to demand an explanation. But then he remembered. It wasn't her who had answered the phone. It was Liam. He scrolled through his contacts until he found Liam's number. He dialed it, his thumb pressing down on the screen with furious force. Liam answered on the first ring, his voice infuriatingly calm. "Noah. To what do | owe the pleasure?" "Where is she?" Noah growled, his voice tight with rage. Liam chuckled, a low, condescending sound. "She's right here. Safe. And happy. Something she never was with you." Noah could hear the distinct flick of a lighter, then the sound of Liam inhaling. "You son of a bitch," Noah spat. "What did you do to her? Did you drug her? Manipulate her?" "Manipulate her?" Liam's voice turned cold. "That's your game, Noah, not mine. | didn't have to do anything. You did all the work for me. You pushed her away with your games, your cruelty, your pathetic bets. You threw away a diamond, and | was just smart enough to pick it up." The words were a punch to the gut. Every accusation was true, and hearing it from Liam's mouth made him feel sick. "l want to talk to her," Noah demanded. ---- "She doesn't want to talk to you," Liam replied simply. "In fact, she doesn't want anything to do with you ever again." "Let her tell me that herself!" There was a pause. "Alright," Liam said. "But you're not going to like it." A moment later, a message notification popped up on Noah's screen. It was from Ava's number. It was a single, brutal sentence: "Don't contact me again." He tried to reply, to type out a furious, desperate message, but another notification appeared. "You can't reply to this conversation. Learn More." She had blocked him. Noah stared at the screen, at the red exclamation mark next to his unsent message. His eyes started to burn. He had been blocked. Discarded. Erased. The finality of it was absolute. He had played his game and lost so spectacularly that he hadn't even realized he was losing. He stood on the dark street, the sounds of the city fading away, feeling a profound and terrifying emptiness open up inside him. She was really gone. Title: A Princess? No! I'm the Female General! In "A Princess? No! I'm the Female General!" by CrushReel, Adela Taylor, a noble family's daughter, disguises herself as her brother to secure their Duke title by joining the army. Despite facing obstacles, she achieves remarkable success. However, upon her triumphant return, her brother betrays her, setting off a chain of events that will test her resolve and reveal hidden truths. This captivating novel delves into themes of secrets, reincarnation, revenge, murder, and drama. Adela's journey from deception to betrayal is filled with intrigue and suspense as she navigates through a world where power dynamics and family loyalties collide. What sets this story apart is its strong female lead who defies expectations and challenges societal norms in a quest for justice and redemption. Experience the riveting tale of Adela Taylor online at CrushReel and witness the transformation of a princess into a formidable female general.