"Mr. Harris, Director Harris from Frotconn is waiting for you in your meeting room." Robert's secretary knocked on his door. "What should I tell him?""How long has he been waiting?" Robert put down his pen and glanced at his watch. "Tell him I'll be there in a moment.""Okay."Robert frowned as he looked over the report that had been brought up that morning, then at the document on his desk. He took a deep breath and headed to the meeting room.Robert was a very charming middle-aged man who still maintained the same sparkle he had as a youth. However, after years of being outmaneuvered by Charles at Collosus Group, he had aged quite a bit.When Robert opened the meeting room door, he saw Joseph quickly stand up, looking as if he was greeting someone very important. "Mr. Harris."Robert raised an eyebrow. "What brings you here?""I... I wanted to ask if there's been any trouble at Collosus Group lately."Robert quirked an eyebrow. "What prompted you to ask that?" He had not cau
With Joseph gone, Robert looked really upset. He picked up the phone and dialed a familiar number. "Get to my office now. I want to know everything that happened yesterday, down to the last detail!"Joseph stepped out of the Colossus Group building with a sinking feeling. He suddenly remembered that Jenson Lowry from Colossus Group was the head of the Finance Department. A jolt of fear ran through him. What if Jenson was in trouble? That would mean Robert could be in hot water too. The issues cropping up at Frotconn now were certainly no accident. He quickly dialed Xavier's number. "Stop working on Robert's shipment right now. If you can, destroy it all, and don't leave any evidence in writing."However, Joseph did not realize that he was only barely scraping the surface.Robert's secretary recounted every detail of the previous day's events to him. Robert's face turned a shade of stormy gray. "What have you been doing? Why didn't you tell me yesterday? Where's Jenson now?""W-
"Hmm?" Charles rested his chin on his hand, his eyebrows lifting slightly with interest. "Keep talking.""A couple of years back, a gap in the funds was almost spotted. Luckily, Collosus Group had put money into Frotconn, so...""So Robert used Frotconn to move the money around?""That's right." Jenson wiped the sweat from his forehead. "That's all I know. Mr. Harris kept me out of the loop on the other stuff, but I kept track of everything I was involved in, so..."Charles gestured dismissively. "I've found the right help for your mother's heart condition.""Really?" Jenson's face lit up with hope. Even with his wealth, finding a heart for a transplant was nearly impossible without years of waiting. It would take a lot of power and connections, and he was just the head of the Finance Department, not a big shot with influence. Even his boss Robert would not bother to help with such a personal issue."Thank you, Mr. Hoffman. If you can save my mother, I'll give you all the evidenc
Charles cracked a chilly smile. "Robert, you know what I'm like." He set his water glass down, stood up tall, and looked down at Robert. "I don't want to be too harsh, but I expect to see your resignation letter by tomorrow morning. Don’t worry. You won’t lose any Collosus Group shares, and you'll still get your yearly share of the profits." That was as nice as he could spare to be. Robert was now fuming, puffing out his cheeks and glaring. He stood up so fast that his chair almost toppled over. "Charles, who do you think you are? Do you think I'm scared of you? This company isn't yours to boss around. Your dad still shows me some respect, but you're totally out of line." The more Robert thought about it, the angrier he got. He had been putting his heart and soul into Collosus Group for years. Charles was a new player in this industry, but he was acting like a big shot already."Don't think I don't know what you're plotting. Your fancy Hoffman family has always looked down on us, ri
Noelle walked up to Rowena and could not help but blurt out, "You're so slim and tan now!” She stared at Rowena's new super-short hair. The cute, fair-skinned girl she once knew now looked like a real tomboy. "Why'd you chop off all your hair?"Noelle gently touched Rowena's hair, a touch of sadness in her voice. "What a shame."Rowena just shrugged. "Who cares? Afron is hot as hell, and hair is just a hassle over there. I chopped it off to finally feel the breeze again, and I don’t regret anything!”Rowena gave Noelle a once-over. "Years have gone by, yet you haven't changed a bit!"Noelle bit her lip. "Changed? How would I change? Anyway, you just got back, right? How'd you end up in this situation?"Noelle was really sad when Rowena left years ago. Rowena had bravely decided to go to Afron against her family's wishes, saying she might never return. She was a journalist who had signed up as a volunteer there. She was fueled by the pain of a recent breakup to try for new beginnin
Rowena could not believe how much had changed since they last met. "What's Xavier trying to do? Getting engaged to your sister while being with you? What's his plan now?""What else can he do? They want me to go back to the Shaw family and practically beg Grandpa to give them his blessing," Noelle said, her eyes dimming. Even after all this time, it was still tough for Noelle to think about."I can't believe it. Xavier is such a jerk! How did I never see it before? And Winter, that sneaky girl, has always been doing things behind your back! But she’s gone too far now by stealing your boyfriend!"Rowena was fuming. "No way! Did you give them a piece of your mind? The more I think about it, the madder I get. Why do they get to be happy and carefree while you're dumped and depressed?"Rowena was about to storm off when Noelle caught her hand. "Hold on a second. I need to answer this call."Noelle looked down to see 'hubby’ on her caller ID. A surprised expression bloomed on her face.
Noelle's cheeks flushed bright red, especially when Rowena started teasing her. She felt her face burning and shot Rowena a joking look of annoyance. "You're the one to blame!""What are you talking about? Why blame me?” Rowena asked with a teasing smile. "Looks like you and your husband are getting along well!"Noelle bit her lip, a little embarrassed. She had called Charles her husband without realizing it until afterward. "Well, he's pretty nice," she admitted. She thought about how Charles had always been there for her, helping her constantly since they first met.Rowena grinned. "As long as he treats you well, that's all that matters. I was worried about Xavier and Winter getting you down, but you seem just fine. Don't be shy. You're married now! Live a happy life and bring him out sometime to meet us!""Sure!"It had been years since Noelle and Rowena last caught up, so they had plenty to talk about. However, Noelle was worried about Charles not having dinner at home. Since
"Really?" Charles chuckled and kissed Anna's forehead. Then, he carried her into the old Hoffman house.They had barely crossed the threshold when they heard Sir Hoffman's voice, "Has that little rascal finally come back?""Grandpa, Charles is all grown up now. You shouldn't call him 'little rascal.' It's fine inside the home, but what if outsiders heard you?""Hmph! What if they do? Is he going to turn the world upside down?" Sir Hoffman, also known as Maxwell, leaned heavily on his cane, giving Mateo a stern look. "Look at the son you've raised. What's he been up to?""Father!" Mateo's brow furrowed, but deep down, he was bursting with pride for his son. Charles was without a doubt the shining star of the Hoffman family's current generation."Great-Grandpa, Grandpa, Uncle's home!" Anna's young voice cut through the chatter in the living room.Everyone glanced up to see Charles. One of his arms was cradling Anna, while the other was slipping off his shoes.He took his time with
Just as he had predicted, Julian had teamed up with Milo, which explained why Winter arrived so quickly. Charles had anticipated that, so he was not too surprised."Make sure someone keeps an eye on Winter. I'm curious to see what they're up to!""Really? I thought you'd confront her directly!" Peter chuckled softly. "That's not like you!"With Noelle involved this time, Peter had assumed Charles would be furious and have Winter captured right away."Didn't you say the Baker family is involved too? Well, then let's give them a surprise!" After ending the call, Charles's expression turned fierce and intense.Sean and Linda were quick to act. They quickly devised a plan and made their way to Capiton, using academic research as a guise to avoid raising any doubts about Sean.However, Grant showed up when they got to Capiton.Sean and Grant had crossed paths before but were not exactly friends. When Grant showed up at his door, Sean could not quite figure out his intentions. Meanw
Linda recalled the stuff she had sent to Noelle and thought, if Noelle did not care, why should she?It turned out the folks from the covert Lifebringer clan were far more ruthless than Sean had ever imagined."Hey, you there?"Sean lifted an eyebrow. "Are you sure you want to come with me?"Linda nodded.With a grin, Sean revealed a secret door in the lab. Linda's eyes widened as she trailed after him. "Wow, I've been here many times, but I never knew there was a whole other world in your lab!" It exceeded her wildest expectations.The lab she knew was just a simple study, but this new room was packed with shiny tools and gadgets, everything she could dream of. "This place is even better equipped than my family's. Hey Sean, I've made up my mind. I'm going to work here!"For a doctor, that equipment was priceless. Linda was a genius, just like Saxon, completely devoted to her research. So, once she laid eyes on all that gear, she could not pull herself away. However, she did not
Sean's expression grew serious. "But you said before that it wouldn't have any effect on them. I assumed you had a solution!"How could that kind of virus not affect the babies in Noelle's womb? Sean had always harbored some doubts, but considering Linda came from a prestigious medical family and was also the sister of the legendary Mystic Lifebringer, he had trusted her judgment.Linda smacked her lips. "Honestly, there's no way to completely eliminate it unless we find my brother!"She was well aware of the limits of her medical skills. "But don't worry. I've been adding special medicinal ingredients to the herbal soups Noelle drinks every day. They're designed to flush out toxins while strengthening both her body and the babies."She glanced at Sean. "So, you don't need to worry for now.""When exactly is your brother coming?" That was Sean's real concern."How would I know?"Sean was about to press further when his phone rang. It was Charles. "What is it?""Winter's out. Lo
Meanwhile, Linda and Sean worked together in the hospital lab, splitting tasks to analyze the virus as quickly as possible. Neither of them slept all night as they were completely absorbed in their experiments.Although Linda was highly skilled in alternative medicine, her knowledge of modern medicine was self-taught. Conducting large-scale experiments on her own was not feasible, which was why she had asked Sean to join her.Sean was meticulous in his work while Linda, on the other hand, was starting to doze off beside him.It was not entirely her fault. Under normal circumstances, she would have gone to bed by now. Even though she was energetic for her age and generally disciplined, this was the time she usually rested.As Sean continued working, fatigue crept up on him as well. When he glanced over, he saw Linda struggling to keep her eyes open, looking half-asleep but still forcing herself to stay awake. It was an amusing sight.Sensing Sean's gaze, Linda opened her eyes. "How
Meanwhile, after Ronald left, Elijah immediately made a call. "Hello? Are you trying to get me killed? Winter was someone Charles Hoffman wanted to deal with, and you made me release her! Didn't you say she wasn't a problem?"Elijah was convinced he was doomed. What he did not know was that Ronald had already locked onto his phone number and quickly traced the call's recipient.When Ronald identified the number, he was momentarily stunned before his expression turned cold. It was a number from Capiton."Mr. Hoffman, Winter is indeed no longer in prison," Ronald reported with his head lowered.Charles remained silent while Ronald stood still, waiting.It was not until Charles finished reviewing the document in his hand that he looked up, his icy gaze sweeping over Ronald's face. He let out a cold scoff. "You know what your punishment should be.""Yes, Mr. Hoffman!" Ronald admitted his failure to handle the matter properly."Additionally, I found that Mr. Wonderton made a call to
Ronald was still half-asleep and stared at the darkened phone screen for a long moment before realizing that Charles had hung up on him.Early the next morning, he rushed to the prison to check on things. However, the result left him deeply dissatisfied. "What do you mean someone took her away? Who took her? She committed such serious crimes, and you just let her go so easily?"Having woken up so early, Ronald was already in a foul mood. Hearing this response only made his temper flare, and once his anger rose, so did his irritation.The man across from him was none other than the warden, but even he had to tread carefully around Ronald.Seeing Ronald's stormy expression, the warden wiped his sweat nervously. "Uh… Mr. Wells, I… I wasn't aware this person was important. Is she?"Ronald's face darkened even further, looking absolutely livid. The warden turned his head and snapped at the officer nearby."Who told you to release her?! Didn't you hear Mr. Wells? She's a high-profile c
After coaxing Noelle to sleep, Charles finally stepped out of the bedroom, only to find Peter standing at the doorway with a cigarette between his fingers.When he saw Charles coming out, he raised an eyebrow. "What's wrong?"Charles' expression was heavy. "Nothing."Peter smirked. "Need any help?""Not for now." Charles glanced at Peter. "Got kicked out?"Peter's face darkened instantly. "You really seem to be hoping for my misfortune."Charles let out a cold snort. "Your house is big enough. There's no need for you to squeeze into my tiny place."His meaning was clear—Peter wasn't welcome here.However, Peter had no intention of leaving. "I think you should be begging me to stay. After all, trouble could break out here at any moment. Do you really think you can handle everything alone?"His wicked grin made Charles grit his teeth."Peter, it's been a long time since we sparred," Charles said through clenched teeth."I don't fight. My wife is waiting for me in the room." Pe
"Trust the people you use, and don't use those you don't trust." Charles knew where to draw the line.Noelle did not press further. "Alright then. You said it yourself—you're staying with me. You'd better not go back on your word!"As she spoke, she nuzzled against Charles' chest, resembling a content little kitten. "By the way, since Yves is part of the Hoffmans, what does Grandpa think about all this?"At the mention of that, Charles pondered for a moment. "Naturally, Grandpa hopes he'll acknowledge his heritage, but Yves has his own thoughts. As for what will happen in the end, I don't know.""Oh, I see." Noelle nodded in understanding.Charles reached out and smoothed a stray strand of Noelle's hair. "He's my eldest uncle's only grandson. My uncle's son turned out to be a disappointment, but Grandpa never seemed to mind. Now, Yves is the last remaining child from that branch of the family, so...""Wait, then what about Simon?" Noelle had heard a bit about Simon from Charles b
"There's more!"Wearing gloves, Linda picked up the rest of the items. Bob's gaze landed on them, and he raised an eyebrow. "This?"His long fingers pointed at the tattered rag doll. "What's this?"Noelle's name was written on it, and the doll had been so badly mutilated that it barely resembled its original form.This really was targeted at Noelle?"Has Noelle offended anyone recently? Think carefully!" This was no trivial matter.Today, it was just a package containing dead rats and a doll to scare Noelle, but who knew what might happen next?Phoenix Tree Residence had guards, but if someone was determined to act, nothing was impossible.Charles remained silent for a moment before saying, "I'll investigate."Bob nodded. "Good. If you need my help, just say the word.""Alright." Charles nodded before turning to Yves. "It's getting late. You should head back."Yves gave a slight nod. "Alright."Once everyone had left, Charles stared at the items for a long while before orde