"Noelle?" Joseph was stunned. "What's Noelle got to do with Sir Hoffman's birthday bash? Could that girl even set foot in the Hoffman estate?" Joseph was sure he had gotten it wrong. He had never thought much of Noelle and saw her as an overlooked Shaw daughter. He would not have let Xavier break it off with her if he saw her as anything more.Xavier could tell by the look on Joseph's face that he really did not think much of Noelle, which left a sour taste in his mouth. They did not like her, and she did not like them either. "Dad, Noelle's gotten married.""Married? To who? Don't tell me it's Sean." He had caught wind of the news. "Who cares? I think you should forget about her. No matter how great she is, she's not yours.""That's right, Xavier. Your dad's got a point. You're married to Winter now, so forget about your past with Noelle. You're not a kid anymore. It's time to think about the big picture!""No, she didn't marry Sean. It’s... Charles. She married Charles." Xavier f
"If Winter hadn't visited the Hoffmans today, we'd still be clueless. They've been married for ages, yet that sneaky brat kept it under wraps so well. I bet she's...""She did the right thing!" Samuel’s voice echoed from upstairs. With Eli helping him down, Samuel's icy stare swept across Jade and Julian before settling on Winter."Noelle's made a good match. Shouldn't you be happy for her, as her parents and big sister? Instead, you're throwing a fit and smashing things up! What a lovely family.” Samuel's voice dripped with sarcasm."What's there to be happy about? That girl got married and didn't bother to tell her own family. Winter says she's been Mrs. Charles for over six months now, but she kept quiet about it. Winter and I have been running around playing matchmaker while she's already tied the knot. It makes us look like total chumps. How can I be thrilled about having a daughter like that?""Seriously, you don’t deserve to be happy!" Samuel huffed, his voice icy. "As Noell
“Preposterous!” Samuel thumped his cane against the ground as he glared at Winter. “Noelle is your sister. Why would she not be a real daughter of the Shaw family?” As Samuel spoke, he glared at Jade so vehemently that she could not stop herself from shuddering. Samuel was genuinely angry. In all her years of marriage to the Shaw family, Jade had rarely seen Samuel lose his temper. “Father, Winter was just speaking nonsense. Please don’t take it to heart!” As Jade spoke, she glanced at Winter through the corner of her eye. "The child has not been in the greatest of moods recently, but she and Noelle have always been close to each other. Isn’t that right, Winter?”Jade tugged on Winter’s hand. "Winter, set things straight with your grandfather now!” “I…” “Winter was wrong, and it’s also my fault for not teaching her better, Dad.” Finally, Julian, who had been silent all this while, spoke up. He sighed softly. "I’ll make sure to teach Winter better. She and Nolle are sisters, and
One fine day, Colossus Group welcomed a special guest—Kelly’s son, Seth. It was not Kelly who brought him over, but one of the Hoffman family’s help staff instead. Apparently, the child had been sobbing and asking for Kelly at home, so Sir Anderson did not know what else to do other than ask the help to bring Seth to the office. At that very moment, Kelly was photocopying documents on the 27th floor. She had spent the past few days trying to enter Charles’ office and gain closer access to him, but every attempt so far had been unsuccessful. Just earlier, she had tried once again but was told that Charles was not in. It frustrated Kelly, but all she could do was repress her frustration. There was actually nowhere in particular Charles needed to be. However, Noelle seemed to be taking deliberate steps to avoid him recently and had spent the past few days out on business trips. This meant Charles had no time to speak to her at all. The number of times the two had met at the office
Charles stiffened slightly before he immediately frowned. “Yes!” “That was how I felt the other day,” Noelle said as she reached out and placed her hands against Charles’ chest. She could feel his heart thumping madly through his shirt. Noelle tugged the corner of her lips upward into a slight, sad smile. “I’ve been lied to and betrayed in the past. However, that never hurt as much as this did.” Noelle was speaking softly, but her words felt like hammers hitting Charles’ chest hard.“Charlie, I’ve never thought about leaving you throughout our entire relationship. What about you?” “Me too!” Charles said. “I’ve never thought of leaving you either!” “What about Kelly Anderson? This is the only time I’ll ask you this question. What is your relationship with her?” Charles lowered his gaze and fell silent. Noelle’s heart began racing as she gazed at Charles. She was waiting for an answer for him. However, the longer she waited, the more anxious she felt. Finally, she spoke. “Yo
“Yes, that seems to be the case. His DNA isn’t an extremely high match to Grandpa’s, but he is still a member of the Hoffman family.” Charles felt annoyance wash over him whenever he thought of those results. He was confident that he was not Seth’s father, but this fact caused him so much worry. The Hoffman family was huge, but only a few were direct descendants of the original family line. Other than himself, the men of the original family line included Sir Hoffman, his father, and his Uncle Henry. There was no way Uncle Henry would have children with another woman, which made his father the most likely suspect. If that were the case, Charles was at a loss as to what he should do. Charles pinched the space between his eyebrows. It seemed he had run into a massive problem this time. When Noelle noticed the look on Charles’ face, the first thing she thought of was not the fact that Charles had lied to her but everything that was going on between him and the Hoffman family. “You…”
Charles smiled slightly, the look in his eyes equal parts happiness and admiration. “So, you’ve been putting up with Kelly all this while not just because she saved your life but also because of Seth and his biological father?” “Yes!” Charles nodded. “I don’t know who Seth’s biological father is yet, but I know it’s definitely someone in the Hoffman family.” “But, the Hoffman family…” Noelle was tempted to point out the fact that other than Charles, the only Hoffman men were his grandfather, father, and uncle. All three men seemed unlikely to have such a relationship with Kelly. Charles could immediately tell Noelle was overthinking things. “Actually, there’s one other person besides my father and uncle who’s part of the same bloodline as me.” “Who?” Noelle was stunned. “I’ve never heard of such a person!” “It’s not just you. Even I don’t remember him very well. If I hadn’t considered how my father and uncle couldn't be involved in this matter, I wouldn’t have thought of him
Kelly's words were like a thunderclap in the clear sky, leaving everyone around stunned. Though she did not explicitly state her point, her comments strongly implied a connection between her and Charles, sparking a wave of speculation.Rumors spread like wildfire. By the next day, as Noelle and Charles resumed their usual routine of him dropping her off at work, whispers filled the air at the entrance of Collosus Group. The moment Noelle walked through the doors, she caught snippets of hushed conversations."Did you hear? Ms. Anderson brought her child to the company yesterday and claimed the kid is Mr. Hoffman's!""Yes, exactly! That child must be about three years old. Who would've thought Mr. Hoffman already had a son that grown?""But I don't think Mr. Hoffman has any feelings for Kelly. If anything, he seems more interested in Noelle from the project department... Didn't he spend all that time driving her to and from work?""True, but who can say for sure? They look so alike.
Eloise's fingers shook just a little, but she nodded seriously. "Take your medicine, get better, and I'll go. Just don't send me away now, please."With that, Eloise held out the glass of water to Steven again. "You need to take care of yourself. You haven't had any rest for days."Steven stared at Eloise's defiant face and suddenly laughed mockingly. He stood up, towering over her with his tall frame. He tilted her chin up with his long fingers, his icy eyes locking onto her bare face. His words cut deep. "You seem to have forgotten that you're just a pawn to me. Even your name, Eloise, was chosen by me. Remember your place!"Eloise's face went white as she heard his words. Her hands balled into fists at her sides. She tried to read his expression, but his eyes were like ice—no warmth nor emotion."Yes, I've always known who I am," Eloise said quietly, looking down. "If it weren't for you, I'd probably still be lost."She looked up again, her eyes then as cool and detached as his
Charles squinted at him. "You don't seem too happy to have me around!""No, no, don't get me wrong. Noelle and Kelly are my sisters, and they’re part of the Smith family. I wouldn't ever dislike them! But don't you think you're wasting resources by being here?"Sean was practically pleading. "Look, if you're not smart with your money, that's fine by me!""Silly Sean! You just said they're your sisters, yet now you're talking about money?" Charles raised an eyebrow. Sean's face fell. "I messed up. I don't want your money. I'll pay you to leave, okay?"Charles just smirked. "Alright, I'll have my things packed up and head out in a couple of days."Sean let out a big sigh of relief. "Okay! I'll have someone clean up for you right away. It won't even take two days. We'll have it done today!" After saying that, Sean whistled cheerfully and bounced away.Charles rubbed his forehead, a bit frustrated, and quickly reviewed the latest reports about the Collosus Group.Steven had been sec
Yves's car lingered long at the hospital entrance, finally pulling away as the last bit of night faded.Yves had been hanging around the hospital entrance for a while, and the secret guard who was watching him had already told Charles about it. Actually, Charles had seen the car parked outside the hospital on the security screen a long time ago.Charles was staring at the screen, lost in thought.After a bit, a tiny smile appeared on his face, and his eyes sparkled.Charles was surprised that Yves cared so much about Kelly. He was brave enough to come there all by himself, even though it was dangerous. The hospital was full of their own people. If Charles had not been sitting there and had caught Yves instead, this whole thing might already be over.The door to the hospital room opened, and Sean, who was tall and striking, stood there. He had been at the hospital a lot those days, staying close ever since he started looking after Kelly. Linda was there too.Every day, Linda was b
"You must really want to die!" Yves twisted his hand, and Elon's arm popped out of its socket. "Who told you the York family has a dungeon? My father? Or...""No! The old master has nothing to do with this!""Hmph!" Yves glared at Elon. "You never saw me as your master, did you? Only my father?" Yves squeezed Elon's cheek. "What did my father give you that made you remain so loyal, even years after his death?""Nothing... You are my master. The old master gave me my life and asked me to follow you for all of it, so no matter what you do, I will obey.""Then why didn't you listen when I said not to hurt her?" A dangerous look flickered in Yves' eyes. "Hmm?""Because I know she'll mess up your big plans, Sir. You don't see it now, but one day you'll understand that I am doing all this for you." Elon clenched his teeth against the pain. "Sir, please see the truth. This woman will only hold you back. Even if you take my life now, I won't complain, but don't let her ruin your big plans
Nobody knew if Kelly was alive or not because Sean's hospital would not let any information slip out. The place was locked down tight by Charles's crew, and not even Yves's toughest guys could bust in and rescue Kelly. Yves did not have a clue about Kelly's condition, so he could not just rush in without a plan.Somewhere hidden on the outskirts of town, a man was strung up on a scary-looking rack, his eyes shut and barely breathing.Yves sat on a chair nearby, fiddling with something in his hands, his eyes icy as he stared at the man hanging there. "You know you messed up, right?"The man, who was called Elon, kept his eyes shut tight and would not say a word. Yves glanced sharply at another guy standing close by. This guy was an assassin Yves had trained, just like Elon. They were always at Yves's side.Elon was usually the one out in the open, but this other guy, Yoan, worked from the shadows. They were Yves's main guys.Yves did not take Elon with him to Francoria that time be
"Alright, then I'll leave my sister in your hands!"After spending some time with Linda, Noelle had come to realize that apart from being extremely serious when treating patients, Linda was otherwise quite childish. At moments like this, she was still very much a child at heart.However, spending time with Linda was easy. She had a way of making treatments feel relaxing, ensuring there was no pressure at all.Once Linda finished joking around, Charles led her away, taking her directly to Sean's lab for research.For the past few days, Linda had not stepped out of the hospital because she was entirely focused on finding a cure for the virus. She had practically made Sean's lab her home, eating, drinking, and sleeping there without a care.Despite her young age, Linda was undoubtedly a medical prodigy. She was only in her teens, yet she handled these complex medical challenges with astonishing composure.Sean had always believed his medical skills were exceptional—at least within h
His slightly rough fingertips brushed against Noelle's skin, his gaze filled with tenderness as he shook his head slightly. "It's okay now."Noelle, however, couldn't hold back her emotions. She leaned her head against Charles' chest and wrapped her arms around his waist. Her voice carried a hint of grievance. "Why didn't you tell me?"If she had not noticed Linda's secretive behavior and recalled Peter's and Tania's hesitation that night, she would have never known just how much suffering Kelly had endured.Not to mention, it was all because of her. If not for the virus in her body, Kelly would not have put herself in danger."Don't cry." Charles coaxed her gently. "She wouldn't want you to be sad, would she?"Through the glass panel of the hospital room, he saw Linda putting away the silver needles. He gently patted Noelle's back. "Do you want to go in and see her?"Noelle pulled away from Charles, took the tissue from his hand, and wiped her tears. She nodded firmly. "Yes!""
"Don't worry! You two really are sisters. Just as you're concerned about her, she's been worried about you too!"Linda was still young, and she did not quite understand the depth of sisterly bonds.She had grown up in a completely different environment. Though her family was large, there was never this kind of closeness.The person she was closest to was her older brother, but Saxon was a man, and his way of caring was completely different from that of a sister. Hence, Linda had a hard time grasping the emotions that Kelly and Noelle shared.However, even if she could not fully comprehend it, she could feel that these two truly cared for each other."During the time you were missing, Noelle could barely sleep at night. She kept having nightmares. Some days were better than others, but I could only help ease her pain temporarily." Linda sighed. "And now, you've only just woken up, and the first thing on your mind is Noelle.""How is Noelle now?" Kelly asked anxiously, her eyes fil
Kelly remained in the ICU for two days before she finally woke up. This was not exactly what Linda had expected, but at least Kelly showed no adverse reactions upon regaining consciousness.However, she barely spoke.Linda had already spent several hours in the hospital ward, checking Kelly's condition and even performing acupuncture to alleviate her pain. However, Kelly was like a puppet on strings—silent and unresponsive. She did not speak, did not complain, and did not even flinch at the pain.Linda stared at Kelly's face, which looked almost identical to Noelle's, and sighed in boredom."Hey... You don't have to worry. Once your body recovers, I can remove the scars on your face and body." Linda reassured her."Trust me. After all, I do come from a family of doctors… Kelly, are you mute? Why won't you say anything?"Linda had been observing Kelly for hours now, and she was even quieter than a mute person.Even those who could not speak would at least make some sounds when th