Sure enough, Maxwell's face twitched, and he blurted out, "If you're on leave, why are you even here at the company?"What kind of leave are you taking? I should've guessed. Women like you just laze around all day once you get what you want. You're only after Charles's money. I suggest you divorce Charles as soon as you can. The Hoffman family will never welcome someone like you!""Someone like me?" Noelle touched her chest, feigning thoughtfulness. "Well, I think I'm pretty great.""Y-you're utterly shameless!""I'm just telling it like it is. Charles thinks I'm fantastic, and that's all that matters! Besides, don't you want to know what kind of leave I've taken? I've gone ahead and taken... ten whole months!""T-ten months?" Maxwell's jaw dropped, his eyes nearly bulging out of their sockets. He gaped at Noelle, and then his gaze dropped to her belly. "You're pregnant?" He was utterly flabbergasted.Noelle quirked an eyebrow. "You hit the nail on the head, Sir Hoffman!""Feeli
"Thanks for the compliment, Grandpa!""You...""What's going on here?"The office door swung open, and Charles walked in, straightening his tie and giving Maxwell and Noelle a quick look-over. Maxwell's presence did not seem to faze him in the slightest.Charles set some papers down on his desk and casually sat beside Noelle, gently grasping her hand. "Wasn't Ronald supposed to take you home?""I just can't stand being at home by myself, Charles. I'm feeling fine, really. How about letting me come to work?" Noelle pondered for a moment. She was only two months along. She was sure she would lose her mind if she had to endure solitude for the next eight months."Absolutely not!"This time, it was not Charles who objected but Maxwell. "Pregnancy is no small matter. You really don't seem to grasp the seriousness of it, young lady. As of today, you're not allowed to set foot in the office again."Noelle was visibly surprised, not having expected Maxwell to react this way. She gave
Charles lounged on the couch and beckoned Noelle over. In one swift move, he pulled her down to sit on his lap. His rough fingers gently played with hers, giving them a little squeeze. "You worry too much, you know."Noelle stuck out her lower lip in a pout. "I'm not worrying over nothing. It's just that he's your grandpa." Who else would dare to get into a spat with an elder?Charles chuckled and playfully pinched Noelle's nose. "I didn't mean to stir things up, but if it works out, why not go with it?""I just can't beat you in an argument," Noelle said, her eyes dropping to Charles's fingertips. She copied Charles, pinching his fingers, and was surprised to find his bones were much larger than hers.Charles watched Noelle play with his fingers, a smile tugging at his lips. Her childlike antics always melted his heart."How was the check-up?" he asked.Noelle bit her lip. "Dr. Ellison gave me the green light. All my stats are good. She told me to rest but not turn into a couch
Noelle bit her lip."Doesn’t Royal Star provide her insurance?"Charles let out a soft laugh."I'll look into it!"Noelle nodded."I didn't mean anything by it." Winter had not been the kindest sister, but they had years of history. Jade and Julian might not have been great to her, but Samuel was truly good to her. Despite what Winter had done, she was still her sister, at least in name. It was time to find out what kind of trouble Winter had gotten into.Charles knew exactly what Noelle was thinking. Unlike Winter, who never spared a thought for Noelle when she was plotting against her, Noelle actually cared about family. That was what set them apart.Charles gently brushed Noelle's hair and tapped her forehead reassuringly."I get it. I'll have Ronald look into it. Don't worry. We'll handle it carefully!""Okay!"Maxwell must have been worried that Charles and Noelle would not return to the Hoffman Residence, because he actually had someone waiting for them at the company's entranc
Noelle could not help but smile when she saw Charles looking so unfazed. She let out a little sigh. Charles caught her eye. "Not feeling it?" Noelle quickly shook her head. "No, it's not that!"She was seriously starting to admire him more and more. She had barely made a move, yet he immediately picked up on it.Charles nodded. "Hey, if you're not feeling it, just let me know. We don’t have to stay here. Peter's got a bunch of places in my name, so we can mix it up!""No way!" Noelle laughed, shaking her head. "Why would we move from one place to another? I like the old mansion. It's got staff and everything. It's perfect!"Charles gave her a look that was loaded with meaning.Up front, James caught bits of their exchange and was left wondering if this was the same Charles he knew. Ever since Noelle came into the picture, he had changed so much. He seemed warmer and more down-to-earth now.They pulled up to the Hoffman family estate, and the staff was already out front waiting.
This was way too over the top!Noelle used to think Charles and her grandfathers were pretty eccentric, but they were amateurs compared to Maxwell. "I thought your grandpa wasn't a fan of me."Why all this fuss for a granddaughter-in-law he did not like?Noelle glanced at her belly, feeling a sudden pang of jealousy toward the twins she had not even met yet.However, she thought about it and realized that they were the reason why Sir Hoffman was treating her so well, so why should she be jealous?Charles had no clue about the whirlwind of thoughts Noelle had just had. He affectionately patted her head and said, "It's the final result that counts! I never fuss over how we get there!"Noelle looked up and beamed at Charles."Mr. Charles, Mrs. Hoffman, time to change shoes!" The servant came over with shoes for both of them. "These are brand new and were just prepared today. Sir Hoffman made sure they were all sanitized, so you can wear them without worry!"Charles gave Noelle a k
Noelle gave Maxwell a curious look when she heard him. Maxwell caught her eye and felt his cheeks heat up with embarrassment. He quickly averted his eyes and coughed to cover it up. "You’d better watch it," he warned playfully. "If you upset my great-grandson, I'll have to show you the door!" He pointed at Noelle, trying to sound stern.Noelle raised an eyebrow, a smile tugging at her lips at Maxwell's antics.Maxwell was a real piece of work, an old man who still threw tantrums like a toddler. He was the definition of a ‘man-child’!"Sir, dinner's all set!" James announced, popping up beside Maxwell. "When should we dig in?""Now!" Maxwell eyed Noelle's tummy. "We wouldn't want rumors flying about us neglecting an expectant mom!"Noelle's eye twitched in annoyance as she exchanged a knowing glance with Charles, who chuckled and gently took her hand.Maxwell looked around. "Where's Mateo and that lady?""Mr. Mateo is still out, and as for Madam Baker..." James was cut off as C
"Stop! That's too much!" Noelle quickly put her hand up to stop Charles. "I can't eat all that!""You need to eat more. It's one thing to be a picky eater now and then, but you can't keep this up.""When have I ever been picky?" Noelle's cheeks ballooned, her mouth full of food, as she gave Charles a look of protest. "I'm not picky at all!""Hmm?" Charles quirked an eyebrow. "Then who is it that won't touch green pepper? Or cucumber? And won't even eat...""Okay, okay, I'll eat! Happy now?!" Noelle threw her hands up in defeat, took another mouthful of rice, chewed with a smack, and made a face at Charles. "There. Satisfied?"A soft smile played on Charles's lips, lighting up the room.The Hoffmans watched the back-and-forth between Charles and Noelle, noticing the rare smile on Charles's face.Henry and Nancy simply enjoyed the heartwarming moment. However, the rest of the Hoffmans stared at Charles in shock, hardly believing their eyes.They had seldom seen him smile since he
Noelle was speechless.Could someone please tell her why there was such blatant favoritism between two children born to the same parents?The people nearby had also noticed the situation, and soon, muffled laughter spread through the crowd.Even Yves and Kelly could not help but chuckle. Charles was clearly a devoted husband and a doting father—but only to his daughter.As for his son… It seemed Connor now had the lowest rank in the family.Yves shook his head and glanced down at Connor, who had stopped crying. The little boy simply stared at Glitter as if watching her intently.Noelle sighed, feeling both exasperated and amused. Was Charles being biased? Connor was just as adorable!Meanwhile, on the other side of the hall, Clarisse had previously reached out to Liliana in private, hoping she would return to the family.At first, Liliana had remained noncommittal. Later, even Maxwell had personally approached her, expressing his desire for her to come back, admitting that the
"What else could it be?"Noelle did not even need to look to know exactly what Charles was up to. She sighed as she glanced at her sister, who was still oblivious.Meanwhile, Yves and Charles seemed to have reached an agreement on stage. The two men shook hands before stepping down together.Charles walked straight to Noelle's side and, without hesitation, took Nora from her arms. The moment Nora saw him, her bright eyes sparkled with excitement.She let out a series of delighted coos, clearly overjoyed to be in his arms. She was barely a month old, yet somehow, she was already showing favoritism.Noelle could not help but feel a little jealous. She had been holding Nora just moments ago, yet the little one had not shown this level of enthusiasm.Pouting, she reached out and gently pinched Nora's cheek. In response, Nora turned her head away, ignoring Noelle entirely. Instead, she snuggled into Charles' chest, continuing her happy babbling.Noelle scowled. "Hmph, ungrateful litt
Charles chuckled. "Are you sure?"Yves narrowed his eyes and leaned in close, lowering his voice so only the two of them could hear. "Charles, what the hell are you up to?"Charles smirked. "Nothing much. I just want to make sure you're certain about this."His gaze suddenly shifted toward Kelly. "Tell me, do you think my dear sister-in-law might find someone better?"A sharp glint flashed through Yves' narrowed eyes. "Charles, aren't you afraid I'll take over Collosus Group entirely?" His teeth clenched as frustration flickered across his face.Charles simply shrugged, utterly unbothered. "I'm just afraid you won't.""You—" Yves could feel the vein in his temple pulsing.He never expected Charles—renowned for his ruthless decisiveness—to be such a schemer! He was utterly devoid of a moral compass. "Where is your conscience?"Charles arched a brow. "Can't help it. I have a wife and kids to take care of. I don't have time to waste.""And I do?" Yves shot back, clearly irritated
Before Winter could even finish her sentence, a series of rapid knocks echoed from the front door of the Shaw residence.Within moments, the door was violently forced open as a group of uniformed police officers stormed inside."Mr. Shaw, Ms. Shaw, this is a search warrant," the leading officer declared as he held up a document. "And this is an arrest warrant. Ms. Shaw, you're under arrest for attempted murder. Take her away!"With a subtle nod from their leader, the officers moved swiftly. Winter was subdued before she could react.For a moment, she was too stunned to struggle. It was not until they had escorted her outside and shoved her into a police car that she finally snapped back to reality."You can't arrest me! Let go of me! I didn't kill anyone!" she screamed, her voice filled with desperation.However, it was no use. She was quickly taken away. Meanwhile, Julian was also arrested for harboring a fugitive.All of this unfolded within a single night. By the time most pe
Through Janet's eyes, Milo seemed to see her mother again. It was the same clarity in her gaze that had appeared the moment she took her own life years ago.A sharp pain shot through Milo's chest, but before he could react, Janet's knife had already plunged into him."Monster! You're a monster! It's because of you that Charlie doesn't want me anymore! He abandoned me!"No matter what she did, Charles would never take her back.At that moment, Janet was utterly consumed by despair. She watched as blood gushed from Milo's chest, staining his clothes in deep red. Then, suddenly, she burst into hysterical laughter."Let's go to hell together!""You…" Milo's eyes widened in shock. He stared at Janet in disbelief.Then, as she pulled the knife out, he collapsed."Milo!"Raphael stood frozen as he watched Milo fall. Blood spread rapidly around him, pooling onto the floor in an uncontrollable flood."Somebody! Somebody call an ambulance! Call an ambulance—now!"His panicked screams
"My child, where is my child? Where is the baby Charlie and I had? Give my child back to me!"Janet's eyes locked onto Milo, and she immediately rushed toward him. "Father, give me back my baby! Give them back!"She clutched at Milo with frantic desperation. Her long, untrimmed nails, sharp from neglect, scraped deep into his skin, leaving red, bloody gashes across the back of his hand. "Father, where is my child?""That's my child with Charlie… Where is Charlie? Why isn't Charlie coming to see me?"Milo sucked in a sharp breath, startled by Janet's unnatural strength. However, the moment Janet turned and spotted Raphael, her expression darkened even further, and her gaze turned menacing."You… You old bastard! Give me back my son! Give him back!"She lunged at Raphael, gripping his arm and yanking at him violently.She was like a rabid animal, stronger than any of the doctors or caretakers combined.Janet ran wildly around the living room, knocking over furniture as the doctor
"Hmm? What's that supposed to mean?" Sean asked in confusion. "What exactly are you doing?""Nothing," Charles replied, his expression returning to normal. "What was the situation in Capiton before? The timing of Janet's breakdown doesn't seem right."It was not quite what he had expected, but it did not affect his plans.Sean smacked his lips. "Haha, speaking of that, you should ask that little brat Linda. Her acupuncture skills are seriously impressive. Just a few needles and she did more damage than the medicine I prepared!"He had to admit that the drugs he had mixed up were practically useless compared to what Linda had done. "But that little girl was pretty ruthless with it!""Ruthless?" Charles' gaze turned sharp. "Compared to what they have done, Linda went easy on them."If Noelle had suffered any real harm, he would have wiped the Bakers off the face of the earth.Sean caught the murderous intent in Charles' expression and raised an eyebrow. "So, what's your plan? Keep
Noelle nodded and pushed open the door to Connor and Nora's nursery. "What do you think, Mom? Charlie started working on this room as soon as I found out I was pregnant. Everything here, from the decor to even the smallest details, was his doing."Clarisse smiled as she stepped inside. Her gaze swept over the room, filled with warmth and tenderness. Her eyes grew misty as she took it all in. "It's beautiful—truly wonderful."Walking over to the crib, she saw the two babies fast asleep. Their tiny arms and legs were slightly lifted in the air.Noelle chuckled as she approached. "They sleep like this all the time. The doctor said it'll get better in a while."Clarisse nodded but could not hide a trace of guilt. "I never really took care of my own children after they were born. No wonder they aren't close to me now."There was a hint of regret in her voice.Noelle pursed her lips and then said playfully, "I was actually thinking about going back to work once I recovered. But what ab
Noelle placed the paper in front of Clarisse like she was presenting a treasure. Clarisse was slightly taken aback. Although her relationship with Charles had improved, she still felt a bit uneasy when facing her own son.At this moment, Noelle was acting as a bridge between them. It might not seem like much, but Clarisse understood that Charles' willingness to be even slightly cordial with her was largely because of Noelle.Her son was fiercely devoted—especially when it came to Noelle. Clarisse had started to see her in a new light.At first glance, Noelle seemed rather ordinary. But over time, her good qualities became more apparent. The more Clarisse got to know her, the more she realized just how remarkable she was."Mom, look! Charlie put so much thought into this," Noelle said while beaming."Yes… he really did," Clarisse murmured, her eyes growing slightly misty. The sadness she had felt earlier because of Milo had eased, replaced by a strange sense of warmth as she gazed