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
Noelle nodded, then hesitated and shook her head, which made Charles's eyes twinkle with amusement. "Well, what’s on your mind?"Noelle fidgeted. "The friend I met today is called Rowena."Charles took the history book from Noelle. He was a bit surprised by her nervousness, and his fingers stopped for a second. He looked at her and grinned. "She must be a really good friend!"Noelle nodded again. "We went to college together, but she moved to Afron for some stuff a few years back." Noelle paused for a moment. "She just got back. We haven't seen each other in so long, so..."Charles nodded, showing he understood. "Why didn't you guys talk more?""Wasn't I supposed to bring you dinner? Uh, have you eaten yet?"Charles paused, his long fingers wrapped around the book. He pressed his lips together and was quiet for a while.Noelle saw his look, and her brow furrowed. "You didn't eat, did you?"Charles gave a small nod. "I’m not hungry.""How can you not be hungry?" Noelle scolded
"Why are you looking at me like that?" Charles asked, catching Noelle's gaze.Noelle quickly looked away, feeling a bit awkward. "Oh... Rowena mentioned she wants to meet you soon."Charles stopped eating for a moment. Noelle, noticing his silence, felt a flutter of worry. Charles was not the kind of man whose time came cheap."Um… If you're too busy, that's totally fine. My friend just wanted to make sure I'm being taken care of. That's all!" Noelle said, feeling a bit embarrassed. Charles just smiled and asked, "When?""Huh?" Noelle blinked, then quickly added, "Anytime, really. Whenever you're free. I hope it's not too much trouble.""Not at all," Charles replied, his eyes crinkling with a smile. "I'd be happy to meet your friend. It's not a bother at all."Charles had been concerned that Noelle had not quite grasped her role in their relationship yet, which was why he had not introduced her to his friends. However, when he heard her call him ‘husband’ to her friend Rowena ove
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