"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
"What did you just say?""I've made up my mind. I have to confront Robert. He's gone too far!" Charles tasted the coffee. He did not like it and set it down with a frown. He glanced at Chloe and tapped his fingers. "Some things are out of your control."Collosus Group has had its share of troublemakers these past few years. I get that you've had Robert by your side for a long time and don't want to shake things up, but that doesn't mean I owe him any favors."Maxwell closed his eyes for a moment. "Do you really want to alienate the entire board? These folks have been with me since they were kids. Some of them are like brothers to your dad and uncle. If you go after them, it could really hurt Collosus Group.""Is Collosus Group doing so great now that we can afford to not act?" Charles challenged. "You shouldn’t get involved. I know what I'm doing!" He stood up to leave.However, Chloe gently set down little Anna. "Go play with your uncle."Anna blinked her big eyes and scurried o
Chloe's face was pale and troubled. "Charles, do you really have to be so stubborn?" she asked, her voice filled with distress.Charles shot Chloe a quick look and a tiny smile. "You helped raise me. You know this is just the way I am." He flicked the ash from his cigarette and saw that Chloe looked upset. "I have to deal with Robert, no matter what's going on between you two. Remember, the Colossus Group belongs to the Hoffman family, not just one person.""You..." Chloe's face was pale, but she knew Charles too well. "Alright, I’ve got it.""Big Sis," Charles said, tossing his cigarette away, "I can't stand it when someone has control over me."Chloe was taken aback as she watched Charles's car speed off, her body shaking a little.At that moment, Anna woke up. Not seeing her mom in tears, she called out, "Mommy!""Here I am, sweetie," Chloe replied.Knowing there was no going back, Chloe got into the car and instructed the driver, "Take me to Mr. Harris's place, please."Cha
Liliana's arm throbbed where Sean had grabbed it, but she bit her lip, refusing to give in. "I didn't do it on purpose. I had no idea she invited you.""Oh, you didn't know? Isn't she supposed to be your best friend?" Sean's voice was edged with sarcasm. "Or maybe this was your plan all along?""I didn't!" Liliana felt a tightness in her chest at his accusation.She pulled her arm free from his grasp, her face twisted with both anger and shame. "I truly didn't know.""Who knows what the truth is?" Sean said with a light laugh, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Tania doesn't know about us, and you think you're in the dark too? What if Tania found out who you really are? Would she...""Don't."Liliana's voice was loud and full of panic. "Please don't tell Tania." Deep down, she was being selfish. She did not want Tania to find out about her secrets.When she first became friends with Tania, all she wanted was a simple friendship. She did not want Tania to know about her embarrassi
The next few moments dragged on painfully for Liliana. She would have bolted if Tania, her best friend, had not been there.She felt that neither Sean nor Peter wanted to see her around.She did not want to be near them either.Peter was a mystery she did not dare to unravel, and as for Sean...Liliana snuck a peek at Sean when no one was looking. It had been over a month since she had last seen him, and despite herself, she was thrilled.She tried to bury her feelings in work every day, but she knew how hard it was to forget Sean completely.They had promised not to meet again, yet there they were. He could not possibly think she planned this encounter, could he?As Liliana watched Sean and lost herself in thought, she noticed him suddenly glance her way. She quickly turned away, dodging his gaze.Liliana felt like she was a thief caught red-handed when she unexpectedly ran into Sean.Upon laying eyes on Liliana, Sean could not quite figure out what he was feeling.They had
Tania's lips quivered, as if she wanted to say more, but seeing Liliana so determined, she held back.However, as Tania paid, she leaned in and whispered something to the cashier, then scribbled down an address. "Make sure it gets here, okay?"Tania settled the bill, grabbed the shopping bags, and linked arms with Liliana as they headed out. "Liliana, you're joining me for dinner tonight!"No backing out this time. You've canceled on me too many times already.""Okay, fine!"Liliana had no idea that Tania's dinner invitation also included Peter. If she had known, she would have stayed far away. When Liliana returned from the restroom, she found not just Tania and Peter, but also Sean sitting there. Her first instinct was to turn around and leave.She was about to do just that, her foot already inching backward, when Tania caught sight of her. "Liliana, where are you off to? We're right here!"Frozen in place, Liliana could not seem to move a muscle.Standing with her back to th
Seeing Joanna in a new light, her friend still tried to be supportive. "Joanna, don't listen to that lady's wild stories. You and Mr. Smith are the perfect pair. You’re both so smart and good-looking. Everyone at the hospital is jealous of you guys! I bet she doesn't even know Mr. Smith, and she probably doesn't have a rich boyfriend either!"As she spoke, Joanna's friend watched her closely. She saw Joanna's worry fade away after her words. Joanna replied with a hint of frustration, "I don't know why she said that. I wasn’t even in the same faculty as her, but we were involved in a school event together once. We were in a competition together back then. I never thought she cared about it that much!"Joanna mentioned the school beauty contest she and Tania were in, suggesting there might be some old rivalry between them.Joanna's friend knew exactly what was happening. She was getting to see all the drama for free but did not want to call Joanna out. After all, they were coworkers a
"Look, you’re my junior.” Joanna had not expected Tania to say something like that in front of her friend. It was impossible for her to maintain her dignity at this point.What would her friend think if she owned up to it? If she denied it, what was Tania going to do?Tania watched Joanna's face turn beet red, a smile playing on her lips the whole time.Truth be told, Tania did not have beef with Joanna. However, she was Peter's girlfriend, and she knew Sean, so she could not stand watching Joanna strut around, lying and using Sean's good name."Look, Joanna, I'm not trying to be mean or anything. I just think your friend isn’t really thinking about how you feel, you know? You say you're single, yet she's out here telling everyone you're taken. How's that going to help you find a real boyfriend, right?"Joanna's nails were digging into her skin, but she did not even notice. She was drowning in embarrassment, and it was all Tania's fault."I don't know what I did to make you mad,
Joanna looked a bit upset. She was used to being the star everywhere she went, with everyone always fussing over her.However, Tania and Liliana did not seem to notice her at all.Tania slipped out of her dress and had it neatly packaged. She strolled over to a quiet corner and began flipping through a magazine.Meanwhile, Joanna and her friend were browsing through racks of clothes, chatting about which ones were the prettiest. Joanna's friend could not stop mentioning Sean, insisting that Joanna would look stunning in certain outfits and that Sean would surely be impressed.Tania watched Joanna with a smirk and called out, "Hey, Joanna!"Joanna and her friend paused and turned to Tania. "What's going on?" Joanna asked."Oh, nothing, really. I’m just curious—Joanna, are you and Mr. Smith together now?" Tania asked with feigned innocence. "I thought Sean turned you down before!""You...""Turned her down? Don't make things up. Our Joanna and Mr. Smith are very much an item!" Jo
The woman with Joanna gushed, "You're so lucky! Your boyfriend Sean is so handsome and rich, and your future mother-in-law adores you too!""Please, you're making me blush. Sean and I aren't even official yet." Joanna laughed off the compliment."It's only a matter of time. Everyone at the hospital knows you two are an item. And your future mother-in-law is so generous, showering you with gifts. You wouldn't believe how many people are green with envy!""You're making it sound too good to be true!"As Liliana overheard Joanna and the woman's conversation about Sean, she felt like a creep for eavesdropping.Yes, Sean had been with Joanna for a while. Where did that leave Liliana?She had been with Sean, which explained why he was so cold that day. He must have really disliked her, or else it would not have made sense.Liliana squeezed her hands together, trying hard not to eavesdrop on Joanna and the other woman's chat. However, their words floated to her ears, every single one c
Adalee had braced herself for tough negotiations, but to her surprise, they were ready to shake hands on the deal he moment she stepped into the other company's office. The previous unreasonable demands were gone. They were going to work together just like they had before.Even though Adalee thought it was odd, she was just glad there were no hiccups in the partnership. She signed the contract and decided to give Liliana some time off, hoping it would help her shake off the blues from that unhappy evening.Ever since Liliana came back from Cascade City, she had been quiet. Her life was work, work, and nothing but work. She did not go out, not even when Tania tried to coax her into hanging out.Tania could tell something was off with Liliana, but Liliana clammed up whenever she asked, saying she was swamped with work and had no spare time.Liliana had even forgotten about the date with Keith she had planned to arrange after her business trip.Her routine was simple: she would work
Adalee had just stepped out of her room when she ran into Sean. Sean's face was stormy as he walked past, not even noticing Adalee."Mister..." Adalee called, but Sean did not even look back.Adalee's brows knitted together in worry. She rushed to Liliana's door and called, "Liliana? Liliana?"Adalee did not hear Liliana answer, so she knocked again. "Liliana, are you in there?"After Sean left, Liliana could not stop the tears from coming. However, she did not let herself cry loudly. It was just a quiet, steady sob.When she heard the knock at the door, Liliana quickly stopped crying.She bit her lip, hurried to put on her clothes, and dried her eyes.Adalee waited outside, not leaving before she heard from Liliana. Liliana had no choice but to open the door.As soon as Adalee saw her, she noticed her red, puffy eyes and the marks on her face and neck. "Liliana, what's wrong?"Remembering the drink Liliana had taken for her sake the previous night, Adalee gasped and grabbed h