Noelle was dragging her feet, and by the time she and Charles finally left the house, they were seriously behind schedule. Charles, however, did not make a fuss about it.He knew all about Noelle's little worries. She might have said she did not care last night, but he knew better. She did care, but she just chose to be understanding about it.Still, understanding as she was, Noelle could not help but be a bit sulky. Anyone else might have been shown the door for less, but that was Noelle, and Charles actually found it endearing when she got all pouty.Her pouting meant she cared and loved him.Noelle herself was in a tangle of emotions. She might say it did not bother her, but deep down, she was a mess. After all, Kelly had been Charles's ex-fiancée, and the Hoffmans were all too keen on her, ready to wreck Noelle's marriage to Charles just for Kelly's sake.Noelle might be laid-back and not the type to make a fuss, but that did not mean she was a pushover.Noelle was fed up wit
However, the two women involved bore an uncanny resemblance to each other.Noelle was the talk of the town as she walked through the halls, catching everyone's eyes. It was not that people were usually nosy, but when it came to Charles, nobody could help but get a little curious.The big question on everyone's mind was what the deal was between Noelle and Kelly was and how Charles fit into the picture.Noelle overheard the whispers without a ripple of concern, but deep down, she was puzzled. Why was everyone reacting differently than she had expected?She had just reached the project department when Arya called out to her. "Noelle, you're finally here!""What's up?" Noelle asked, eyeing Arya, who seemed all over the place. "What's going on with you?""Oh, you're out of the loop. A new girl dropped in at the company yesterday!""I'm aware." Noelle grinned. Charles had filled her in the night before, so she was not exactly shocked. "What's the big deal?"Arya bit her lip, looking
Just last night, she had said with absolute certainty that Kelly was history. What was the problem then?Why had Charles not mentioned her and Kelly being lookalikes?He had been nothing but a sweetheart to her from the get-go, lending a hand and cozying up to her without asking for anything in return. Was it all just because she looked like Kelly?Noelle could not bear to go down this rabbit hole. She was worried she would totally lose it. She thought about bolting so many times. Maybe things would be fine if she never crossed paths with Kelly.However, Noelle was not about to throw in the towel. She refused to accept that her genuine feelings were just filling in for some other girl.She...The elevator dinged open, and Noelle sucked in a breath, stepping out only to crash right into someone coming from the other lift. Her box of pastries went flying and hit the floor. She dropped to her knees to gather them up, and so did the other person.Noelle froze for a second, and when
The corners of Noelle's mouth lifted in a small, knowing smile as she glanced at her simple wedding band. "That's right. You've got sharp eyes, Ms. Anderson. I've been married for ages, and nobody's even noticed!" Noelle watched as Kelly's face lost color once more and added with a hint of concern, "You sure you're okay, Ms. Anderson? You look pretty pale. It wouldn't be great to get sick on your first day, especially not for Collosus Group's image!""You..." Kelly was taken aback. Noelle's way with words was unexpectedly sharp, totally not what her profile suggested. According to the gossip, Noelle was the Shaw family's doormat, and to top it off, her own sister had swooped in and snagged her boyfriend. She was supposed to be..."Oops, silly me." Noelle chuckled, cutting herself off. "I got so caught up talking to you that I almost forgot I had to see Mr. Hoffman about something!" With that, she breezed past Kelly and made a beeline for Charles's office door. She tapped lightly and
Noelle bit down on her lip. “I don’t know how to answer that question. All I want to know is if you chose to marry me simply because of who I am or not.” Charles let out a chuckle as he walked over and sat down beside Noelle, reaching an elegant finger out to gently pinch her nose. “Yes, simply because you are who you are.” Noelle laughed. "Alright, I trust you. Even if you’re lying to me, you’ll have to lie to me for the rest of my life!” She smiled at Charles as she added, “It’d be best if you could lie to me for the rest of my life, and please tell me the truth if you can’t do that! I’m not one to continuously pester someone else. Do you understand that?” “Yes!” Charles nodded. As Noelle stood up and made to leave, he also got to his feet and reached out to her. “Everyone thinks you guys are the same, but what about you? Do you find yourself the same as her, too?” Noelle had a stunned look on her face as she shook her head. “I’m my own person.” Charles smiled. “That’s grea
Kelly curled her hands into fists, feeling discomfort washing over her as an image of Noelle’s face materialized within her mind. No one ever felt at ease when seeing someone who looked like they did, and the fact that Noelle was Charles’ wife did not help. Becky noticed these minute details about Kelly as well, and she shook her head. During the short time Noelle and Kelly confronted each other, Kelly had observed and noted that their performances were miles apart. Kelly did not hold even a candle to Noelle. After teaching Kelly how to use the photocopy machine, Becky returned the materials to Charles’ office. “Mr. Hoffman. Ms. Shaw bumped into Ms. Anderson as she was headed upstairs, so…” Becky repeated everything she had seen and heard just now. Charles, on the other hand, did not say much after hearing everything and merely waved a hand and beckoned for Beky to leave the room. Just before she left, he instructed, “Allocate more tasks for her. The secretariat department has plen
When Noelle returned to the office, she bumped into Brian, who immediately waved at Noelle when he spotted her. “Noelle, come over!”Noelle set down the things she was holding before she walked over. "Mr. Parker, you wanted to see me?” Brian nodded. “Focus on your work. Don’t let your emotions hinder your productivity!” That sentence alone was enough for Noelle to immediately understand what Brian meant, and she immediately raised an eyebrow as she smiled. "Mr. Parker, I’m sure today isn’t our first time meeting, so you should know that I’ve always been one to keep my work and personal life separate!” “That’s good to hear!” Brian said as he nodded. "I do not wish to see anyone in my team hindering progress because of personal matters.” As Brian spoke, he beckoned for Noelle to step into his office. “Here’s the project plan we agreed on yesterday. Mr. Hoffman and the others have decided this will be the final proposal.” Noelle nodded. “Yes, sir!” She had also briefly spoken abo
Noelle reached a hand out. “Stop right there. There is absolutely no relationship between myself and Kelly Anderson!” A slightly rueful expression appeared on her face as she said, “As for my relationship with Mr. Hoffman… You can try figuring that out!” Finally, Noelle gave Arya a long, knowing look as she said, “It’s getting late. Are you sure you want to spend your time talking to me instead of completing your work?” “Ah, work.” Arya hurriedly got to her feet. “I’ve got a bunch of numbers that I haven’t crunched yet. But, Noelle, don’t think you can avoid this question. I’ll come over to you after the workday has ended!” For Arya to come over to Noelle after the workday would be impossible because she had called Charles the minute work ended for her to discuss if they should have dinner out or at home for that day. However, before they arrived at a conclusion, Noelle found her way blocked.Noelle held her phone in one hand and used her other hand to tap her access card and let
Kelly's clothes were nearly torn apart by her own hands, and her arms and neck were covered in scratches. A small wound marred her forehead, likely from when she had hit the ground earlier.A dark glint flashed through Simon's eyes as a distant memory resurfaced. It was of a woman in a dimly lit alleyway years ago...His grip around Kelly tightened involuntarily. He closed his eyes briefly, pushing the emotions back down. When he opened them again, his expression had returned to its usual indifference.Without hesitation, Simon carried Kelly out of the dark, suffocating underground prison. The hidden dungeon was tucked away inside a rockery in the York family's back garden—a place no one would have suspected.Even after living in the York residence for over a decade, Simon had never known such a place existed.No wonder Peter's men had found nothing, despite exhausting all available resources. Who would have thought Elon had hidden Kelly right under the York family's nose?Simon
Elon ruthlessly threw Kelly to the ground. Her head slammed against the cold floor with a loud thud. A sticky, warm sensation spread across her forehead, and within seconds, she tasted the familiar metallic tang of blood in her mouth.Dazed, Kelly blinked a few times, her vision wavering. She swayed as she tried to push herself up, but before she could stand, Elon kicked her back down.A sharp pain exploded in her chest, and she could not hold it in anymore. She spat out a mouthful of blood. She now lay there, completely unable to move."You—"Elon raised his hand, ready to strike again. However, before his blow could land, a sudden force struck him from behind. A powerful kick sent him flying."Mr. Simon!"Elon looked up in shock at the newcomer. "This is Mr. Jacob's business. I suggest you stay out of it!"He showed no fear toward Simon. In Elon's mind, Simon was nothing compared to Jacob. Among the three York grandsons, Jacob was the only one truly capable of inheriting the f
Overnight, Brookville's largest underground casino was completely wiped out. Almost no one knew who was behind it.By the time the casino staff realized what had happened, all their systems had been hacked, and financial records from across the world had been completely destroyed.By the time Elon received the news, it was already too late. The casino that Yves had been secretly managing for so long had been taken down in a single night. That casino had been involved in countless transactions, but now, everything was gone.Elon stared at the wreckage before him, his fury boiling over as he slammed his fist against the computer screen. "Where's Mr. Yves? When is he coming back?""I don't know!"The guard who had been following Elon barely got the words out before Elon kicked him aside. "Get in touch with him immediately!"Elon's expression was dark with rage. Everything they had built was crumbling in an instant.…Deep in the underground prison, Kelly had lost track of how long
Jeanette's sharp gaze remained fixed on Simon. "Simon, tell me, do you truly not understand the company's affairs?""Grandma, I'm only good at eating, drinking, and having fun. I'll leave the rest to Jacob and Matthias!" Simon remained steadfast in his refusal to take over York Group's affairs.Jeanette hesitated for a moment, her expression filled with doubt as she shifted her gaze toward Matthias.Among the three grandsons of the York family, Jacob was mature, steady, and methodical in handling matters. Simon, on the other hand, was carefree and had never accomplished anything significant—except for constantly getting involved in various messy situations.As a result, the most well-known figures in the York family were Jacob and Simon while Matthias had never truly been taken seriously by Jeanette."Alright then. Until Jacob returns, let Matthias handle it. But Simon, you should still help where you can—you're all cousins, after all.""Of course, Grandma!" Simon replied with a
Matthias had been waiting for this opportunity and was eager to seize full control over the family's power.The family meeting had been dragging on for hours, yet no conclusion had been reached.Simon sat with his head lowered and casually fiddled with his phone, appearing indifferent. However, in reality, he was actively manipulating York Group's stock movements.As he listened to the endless arguments among the York family's elders, he merely moved his fingers, effortlessly causing drastic fluctuations in York Group's stock prices.Finally, he lifted his head and saw Jeanette coming down the stairs. He immediately stood up."Grandma, why did you come downstairs?"Jeanette looked at Simon with a slight hint of confusion. However, the moment quickly passed as she reached out and patted the back of his hand."It's you, Simon. What's all this noise about? You've been arguing for hours. It's giving me a headache!"Despite her words, her eyes were sharp as she surveyed the room.S
Charles furrowed his brows tightly at Noelle's words. "Nelly, Kelly will be fine. You have to trust me."He reached out to gently rub her back, soothing her until she finally calmed down. However, once Noelle was settled, his expression darkened completely.Peter's people had been searching for three days, but there was still no sign of Kelly. The tracking chip Charles had implanted in her had long been removed by Yves, leaving them with no way to trace her location.Charles sat by Noelle's bedside, watching as she fell into a deep sleep under Linda's acupuncture treatment, yet his heart remained unsettled.Linda looked at Noelle and sighed helplessly. "Mr. Hoffman, while Noelle's condition is stable for now and the virus hasn't flared up, she's still pregnant. Any stress or anxiety could be dangerous for her. No matter how skilled I am, I won't be able to help if she keeps worrying like this."She handed Charles another prescription. He took it, and his brows were tightly knitted
"Ms. Anderson, you should worry about yourself instead! Even if Mr. Yves remembers you in the future, I'm afraid your situation will be far worse than this. I told you before—I won't let you die so easily. So, Ms. Anderson, just stay here and make yourself comfortable!" Elon spat."Elon, once Yves finds out, he'll kill you. He will."The only response Kelly received was the heavy clang of the cell door slamming shut.She used every ounce of strength to scream, but after Elon left, all that remained was pain—unbearable, all-consuming pain.She trembled violently, shivering as if she had been thrown into an ice cellar, yet moments later, it felt as if she were being scorched alive.Kelly writhed on the floor, the torment so excruciating that she nearly passed out.Tears slipped from the corners of her eyes as she closed them.She suddenly recalled the first time she had met Yves. She had infuriated him, and she had blurted out in a fit of defiance, "Only by falling in love with yo
Kelly let out a cold chuckle. "Is that so? Then why hasn't Yves killed me yet? Shouldn't he have killed me the moment I tore off his mask and discovered his identity?"She struggled to her feet, but the iron chains around her ankles were secured to the floor. She barely took a few steps before the chains yanked her back, causing her to fall heavily onto the ground.Pain radiated through her body, and a sharp sting shot through her palms as they scraped against the rough surface. She winced, sucking in a breath.Her ankle, caught in the unforgiving grip of the iron shackle, twisted painfully.Forcing herself up, Kelly looked at Elon. "Locking me up here… Is that truly Yves' decision?"Elon remained silent. He knelt before her, gripping her jaw forcefully before she could react. In one swift motion, he shoved a small pill into her mouth.Kelly clamped her lips shut, struggling against him. However, Elon's grip was ruthless. He squeezed her cheeks hard to force her mouth open and pu
Peter's men immediately sprang into action. Since Kelly had disappeared from the villa, they started their search from there.While they were looking for Kelly, Elon had already moved her to another location. Kelly had no idea where she was.She only remembered that after Yves left, the man who had always been by his side appeared, striking her across the face. She blacked out instantly.When she woke up again, she found herself lying on an icy, damp surface. The air was cold, and she had no clue where she was.She struggled to sit up, only to realize that heavy iron chains shackled her wrists and ankles. The room was pitch-black without a single trace of light.Kelly groped around in the darkness, but she could not make out anything. In such a void, her hearing became especially sensitive. She caught the sound of approaching footsteps.Moments later, the door creaked open, allowing a sliver of light to pierce through the darkness. The sudden brightness momentarily blinded her. W