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.
This morning? Noelle raised an eyebrow slightly, already guessing what Charles was referring to. "You mean the part where someone brought a child into the company?"Hearing her tone, Charles felt a slight wave of relief. Knowing she was not angry reassured him. "We'll need to go to the Hoffman residence tonight, alright?""Sure!"Ever since the Hoffmans became aware of Noelle's existence, she had not gone out of her way to avoid them. After all, during Maxwell's birthday banquet a few days ago, she had handled herself confidently, without showing any hesitation. Noelle felt satisfied with her performance then.Now that Maxwell had spoken with her directly, Noelle decided there was no point in holding back anymore. Continuing to endure the situation would only invite further provocations. "What time tonight?""After work. I'll pick you up.""Got it."After ending the call, Noelle noticed Arya staring at her curiously, as though she was itching to say something. Noelle nudged her
Noelle's brows carried a faint smile as she lowered her gaze, making it impossible for Kelly to read her expression.She casually reached into her bag, pulled out her phone, and began scrolling through it as though she had all the time in the world. Her demeanor made it clear—Kelly was no more significant than the air around her.Kelly, however, could not let it go. Feeling humiliated, she pressed on, "Ms. Shaw, are you upset? I didn't mean anything by what I said earlier, I just…"Noelle tapped a few keys, her smile broadening when she saw a reply on her screen. Slipping her phone back into her bag, she looked up at Kelly with a faint but pointed smile. "Upset? Why should I be upset?""Oh.." Kelly faltered, awkwardly smiling as she stammered, "I-I was worried my words might've upset you. I just thought…""Ms. Anderson, you're truly a saint to be worrying about the world's troubles before anyone else," Noelle interrupted while chuckling softly. "Don't worry about me. My heart is f
Charles curled his lips into a faint smile, his cold gaze carrying a clear sense of detachment. "Apologies, the car's too small."Kelly froze, stunned. "But…" How could his car be too small? A Maybach was limited to just two passengers?However, with Charles saying that, what else could she do? Was she supposed to shamelessly insist on riding in his car? Kelly was not that devoid of pride, but recalling her earlier exchange with Noelle and observing how the two now interacted, she clenched her fists tightly.She could not believe it—Charles and Noelle had actually reconciled.Noelle was far different from what she had expected.If it were anyone else, would their first instinct not be to explode upon learning their husband had a child with another woman? However, Noelle was unperturbed, as though nothing had ever happened.Kelly's face turned pale as she remembered Noelle's sharp words from that day. Kelly had played her biggest card—revealing Seth—and yet it had failed to make e
Noelle laughed lightly at his words. "Focus on driving, will you?"Charles responded with a hum, shifting his gaze back to the road as he pressed the gas pedal. They sped away from the parking lot.Meanwhile, back in the underground parking area, Kelly's expression twisted with anger as she stared at the now-distant vehicle. Her hands clenched into tight fists, and for the first time, she truly felt the sting of humiliation—especially coming from Charles.How could this happen to her?Even three years ago, when her pregnancy was discovered and the child turned out not to be Charles', he had remained calm, never accusing or blaming her. Kelly had thought she held a special place in his heart. For years, she believed she was special to him, someone unique.Yet now, with someone new in the picture, Kelly finally realized that all those years meant nothing.As she bit her lip, she hesitated for a moment before pulling out her phone and making a call. Only then did she leave the parki
Charles smiled faintly and led Noelle to sit beside Henry and Nancy. Just as they settled in, the door opened. Chloe, Jordy, and Anna arrived.As soon as Anna spotted Charles, she excitedly wriggled out of Jordy's arms. She dashed over to Charles and grabbed his pant leg before climbing onto his lap. "Uncle Charles!""Hey, Anna," Charles greeted her warmly. There was an uncommon smile gracing his face. He reached out and pinched her cheek gently.Anna giggled and suddenly turned her curious gaze toward Noelle, as if discovering something fascinating. "Oh, who's this pretty lady?" Anna blinked her big eyes and clapped her hands. "This pretty lady looks like Ms. Kelly. But this lady is prettier!"The innocent remarks of a child were usually taken lightly, but because Noelle and Kelly looked strikingly similar, it was hard not to draw comparisons.Everyone present, except for Charles, froze momentarily and instinctively turned to look at Noelle. Even Henry and Nancy exchanged subtle
Anna's innocent voice carried a hint of dislike for Kelly, making Kelly's expression stiffen again.Kelly said with a strained smile, "Anna, since your Aunt Noelle and I look so much alike, isn't it possible you might've mistaken me for her?""Who's mistaken?" Anna blinked her big eyes. "Ms. Kelly, you do look like Aunt Noelle, but I wouldn't mix you up! Aunt Noelle is so gentle and beautiful, but you're scary and mean. You can even change your face like the witch Mommy told me about!"Kelly and everyone else present were tongue-tied.Noelle's lips curled into a faint smile. Though she did not laugh outright, the surprise and delight in her expression were unmistakable.She had not expected Chloe's daughter, Anna, to have such a good impression of her.Hearing Anna's blunt words, the room fell silent, and all eyes turned to Kelly's face. Chloe hurried over to defuse the situation, gently chastising Anna. "You little kiddo! What on earth are they teaching you at school? I think I'
"Ms. Anderson, why are you still standing? Come, take a seat!" Noelle said with the poise of a hostess, her gentle smile directed at Kelly. "There's a spot over there."Kelly glanced awkwardly at Maxwell, seeking some kind of support. Maxwell was clearly fuming, but Noelle's brazen confidence caught even him off guard, leaving him momentarily speechless.Noelle's demeanor remained calm and friendly, making it difficult for Maxwell or Kelly to create a scene. Meanwhile, Clarisse, who had remained silent throughout the gathering, could not help but fix her sharp gaze on Noelle.Noticing the attention, Noelle lifted her head and met Clarisse's eyes. A flicker of surprise crossed Noelle's face before she responded with a polite smile. Clarisse furrowed her brow but ultimately chose to remain silent.Clarisse was acutely aware of her precarious position within the Hoffmans. She understood that Charles now held significant influence in the family, even with Maxwell still nominally in cha
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