"Hmm?"Sergey eyed Charles, who appeared intrigued. Determined to secure the Golden Wave City project, Sergey played his final card. "You may not know this, Mr. Hoffman, but the ladies at Elysian Swallow Garden are no ordinary women. They come from all walks of life and are prepared to fulfill every desire!"Sergey's grin was a bit sleazy as he added, "One taste, and you're hooked for life!"Charles played it cool, idly twirling his cue, seemingly unfazed. On the other hand, Sergey was getting carried away, too wrapped up in his own spiel to notice Charles's poker face."Just the other day, we had another visit. The new girl was a real knockout, though she seemed a bit fragile for our kind of fun.""Really?" Charles's lips quirked up in a half-smile that managed to be both disarming and disconcerting. Luckily for Sergey, he was not the type to swoon. If he were, he would be a goner.Sergey, thrown off by Charles's cool demeanor, treaded lightly. "Thinking of checking it out, Mr.
Charles nodded and shooed Ronald off with a wave. Sergey finally caught up. "Mr. Hoffman!""Is there anything you want to discuss?"Sergey was practically wringing his hands, eager to please. "Is there anything I can do for you, Mr. Hoffman? Just say the word, and I'd brave any danger for you, no matter what!""No need for that." Charles laughed lightly. "It's a simple task." He pulled out a photo from his pocket and held it up. "Does this look familiar?"Sergey's gaze dropped to the photo in his hands, and in a flash, recognition hit him. ‘I know her well,’ he thought, remembering their intense past encounter.Before Sergey's eyes, the woman's image seemed to glisten as though touched by light.Charles, observing Sergey's reaction, allowed a shadow of a smile to cross his face as he concealed his irritation. "As long as you get it, that's all that matters. Pull this off, and I'll make sure your dreams come true," Charles promised, sliding the photo into Sergey's hands before tur
Ronald was suddenly thankful he had not gone ahead and pre-emptively called over the mall manager. That would have been embarrassing.Oblivious to his assistant's silent snickers, Charles made a beeline for the kiddie and maternity corner to scope out the goods.With Noelle's pregnancy already hitting the two-month mark and her belly set to pop before long, she would need a whole new wardrobe of maternity clothes.Charles roamed around without a clue, not bothered in the slightest. However, Ronald, right on his heels, was cringing big time. It did not help that they were getting looks from just about every mom and young woman in the place.Charles, though, was all in on the baby clothes and toys, totally missing the crowd that was gathering. Who could blame them? He was a walking heartthrob—tall, handsome, and with a charm that could outshine any A-lister.When Charles turned on the charisma, good luck tearing your eyes away.A few women clutching baby gear could not take their e
Boy or girl?Charles scowled. "She's only two months pregnant. How am I supposed to know if it's a boy or a girl?" He gave the clerk a look like he was talking to an idiot and added, "I'll pick it out myself!"It was the clerk's turn to be completely flabbergasted. "She’s only two months pregnant?" What was he doing buying clothes so early?Ronald had just finished dealing with a bunch of nosy middle-aged women when he overheard Charles and the clerk. He could not help but burst into laughter.Charles shot Ronald with a look that could freeze boiling water. Ronald quickly stepped in, motioning the clerk to step aside, and then said, "Mr. Hoffman, there's really no rush to buy these things when your wife is just two months along. Fashion changes so fast. By the time your baby arrives, all this stuff will be out of style and probably useless!"Charles dropped the clothes back on the rack and casually shoved a hand into his pocket, saying calmly, "I'm just browsing. Who said anything
A short clip had made its way online, showing Charles picking out baby clothes for Noelle and the little one. The clip included that awkward moment when the sales clerk asked if the outfit was for a boy or a girl.Charles was in the middle of a shower, leaving Noelle bored and mindlessly swiping through her phone. That was when a messenger notification popped up. It was a message from the group chat, and she tapped in to find that very video staring back at her.Noelle's immediate reaction was to glance at the bathroom door, which was firmly shut. She then grabbed Charles's phone, and there was the same video. She facepalmed, only to discover that Sean was the one who shared it. She could not help but pull a face and muttered, "Where on earth did this come from?"Without missing a beat, Noelle tagged Sean in a reply: [Delete that fast, or Charles will be out for your blood!]Before she could even finish, the comments started rolling in.Peter chimed in: [I never pegged Charles for
Hearing Charles ask her that question, Noelle pouted as her good mood vanished in an instant. "What do you think? Eat, sleep, repeat. There's nothing else to do."Her eyes darted mischievously, and she climbed up from the bed, grabbing hold of Charles' arm with both hands and shaking it. "Charlie.""Hmm?"Charles held a towel in one hand while his other hand was being tugged back and forth by Noelle. Unable to resist, he sighed and reached out to pat her head. "Alright, just say what's on your mind."Noelle grinned cheekily, kneeling on the bed and inching closer to him. She clung tightly to Charles with her hands as if she would not let go. "Just let me go to the office, please!""No," Charles said firmly while shaking his head. "There's no room for discussion on this.""Why not?" Noelle protested, pouting as she tugged on his arm again. "I think it's perfectly reasonable! Who gets confined at home right after finding out they're pregnant? Look at our company—there are plenty of
"Didn't you just say you're not just an extension of me? Hmm?"Charles sighed softly as he lifted Noelle's chin with his hand, gently pinching it with his fingertips, not applying much pressure. Noelle felt a slight tickle on her chin and rubbed against his fingers. "I'm not! I'll just stay in your pocket!"Noelle was being playful, her expression making it clear that unless Charles agreed to her demands, she would not let him off so easily.Charles' gaze deepened. "Are you being a troublemaker?""Yes, I'm a troublemaker, and you're the troublemaker's husband, so that makes you a troublemaker too!" Noelle wrapped her arms around Charles' arm, acting out as she clung to him. Charles did not resist and let her mess around. Eventually, Noelle grew bored. She exhaled heavily and pushed him away, diving under the covers. "You're no fun at all! Charles, admit it—you don't love me anymore!"Charles was speechless.She pouted. "I just want to go to work. It's not like I'm asking for th
Apparently, Maxwell had also instructed the housekeeper to transform a room into a nursery. Now, Noelle…"Did Ronald tell you?"Noelle shook her head. "No! Mr. Wells wouldn't dare.""Hmm?"Charles raised an eyebrow, his long legs striding over. Before Noelle could react, he took her phone. His gaze fell on the WhatsApp interface displayed on the screen.He frowned slightly, a vague sense of foreboding creeping in. Sure enough, as Charles scrolled through the conversation, his sharp eyes started scanning the messages and landed on a video. Clicking it open, his expression deepened instantly, his eyes growing darker.Noelle's heart raced with alarm, but by the time she realized what had happened, it was already too late.Charles arched an eyebrow, his slender fingers lightly gripping the phone, making it seem weightless in his hands. His index finger tapped the screen as he flashed Noelle a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "Funny, huh?"Noelle pursed her lips and shook her hea
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
Disgust—that was it.She remembered a similar desperate moment from years ago. However, Sean had not given her a chance to explain back then.He was disappointed and disgusted with her."Sean, only you and I know about today. If we keep it to ourselves, no one else will find out. I know I was wrong… but I was set up. I'm truly sorry."I promise I won't bother you again. I'm not the same as I was before. I used to have feelings for you, but now I really just see you as a brother. I wouldn't fall for my own brother."And I have a boyfriend whom I really love… I wouldn't ever ruin your happiness, Sean. I promise you that."Liliana was trying to explain, but her words were all jumbled up. She did not even understand what she was saying herself. All she knew was that she did not want to see that look of disgust in Sean's eyes, so she kept explaining, hoping Sean would not hate her.Liliana was so busy trying to clarify things that she did not notice the icy look in Sean's eyes when s
Liliana woke up feeling utterly spent, as if she had been run over.For a moment, her mind was totally blank. She could not remember a thing. She opened her eyes and stared at the ceiling for what felt like forever. Slowly, her senses started to come back.The warm breath and steady breathing from beside her made her eyes pop open wide.The moment she saw Sean lying next to her and shirtless, she could not stay calm any longer. "Ahh!"Her scream woke Sean up.He cracked his eyes open, still groggy, but then suddenly, his eyes snapped wide open, and his piercing gaze landed on Liliana.Her mind was a whirlwind, the memories of last night rushing back. She remembered being drugged, Sean bringing her home, and then, despite trying so hard to hold back, she ended up crossing a line with Sean.The thought made her heart ache, almost drowning her as she met Sean's icy stare.She wrapped her arms around herself, clutching the blanket tightly. She was shaking all over, and her eyes wer
Liliana was crying so hard that she could not think of anything else. All she knew was that she felt awful, and Sean was the man she loved more than anyone else in her life. She hugged Sean tightly, tears streaming down her face. "Liliana, please stop," Sean said gently. He tried to move her hands away, but she held on even tighter. "Sean, I feel so sad… I really like you, Sean," she said through her tears. Sean pried Liliana's hands off him, but she clung to him again. "Sean, I feel awful… I… I like you, Sean."She bit his lips, her hands desperately roaming over his body.Sean was a man, after all. The moment Liliana started touching him so recklessly, his body responded.However, he had always been a man of strong self-control. He pushed her away countless times, but Liliana crawled back each time, whimpering as she restlessly clung to him.Sean's expression darkened. It was not because of Liliana—it was because of himself.He could not believe it. He was actually having
Liliana's mind was a whirlwind. She found her key card fast, but just as she was about to shut the door, a big hand stopped it.She was not strong enough to close the door against Sean, who pushed it open.Liliana took a shaky step back, looking at Sean with a bit of fear. "Sean, it's late. I need to sleep."Sean just kept looking at her. "Liliana, what... what's wrong with your mouth?" he asked as he reached out, his fingers lightly touching the corner of Liliana's mouth. Liliana felt a rush of heat through her body, making her shake all over.In a swift motion, she knocked Sean's hand away. "Leave me alone."With his inscrutable eyes, Sean noticed the blood on his thumb and Liliana's unusual red cheeks. A flicker of surprise showed in his eyes. "Liliana, did..."However, Liliana was already clenching her fists, all pretense gone. She was shaking and crouching on the ground, her tears filling her eyes. "Sean, please. I'm begging you, just go, okay?"Sean's brow furrowed. His
Liliana could not make out what Sean was saying anymore. She felt awful and shut her eyes tight, not wanting Sean to notice.Sean thought Liliana had dozed off from drinking too much and had a headache, so he stopped talking.The car pulled up to Liliana's hotel, and Sean gently shook her. "Liliana, time to wake up. We're here."Liliana slowly opened her eyes and saw Sean's face close to hers. Her heart, which was already fluttering, started racing.She turned her head away, swallowing hard. "Are we here already?"Once she saw they were outside the hotel, Liliana quickly got out of the car and opened the back door to help Adalee. "Ms. Cobb, can you walk?"Adalee nodded. "Yes, I can."With a sigh of relief, Liliana told Sean, "Sean, we've made it. Ms. Cobb and I will head up now."Liliana rushed off, scared that any delay might make her lose her composure. She could not let herself fall apart in front of Sean again—not after what happened years ago.Sean noticed Liliana rushing
The moment everyone in the private room saw Bob, they were scared out of their wits.It was Andy, the favorite son of the Jones family in Cascade City! Even though he was the second child, he was the one everyone knew would run the company one day.Everyone felt a wave of relief, glad they had not messed with Liliana earlier. They knew that if they had, they would not just be outcasts in Cascade City, but probably everywhere else too.Sean gently put Adalee in the back seat of the car and then helped Liliana into the front seat. Noticing Liliana's pale face, he asked, "Did you have too much to drink?"When Sean touched her forehead, Liliana felt a wave of heat rush through her, like she was on fire. Sean's hand was cool, and the moment it touched her, she could not help but sigh in relief."Maybe," she said.Sean shook his head. "Where's your hangover pill? Take it now. Where do you live?"After Liliana told him the address, she saw that Adalee was already fast asleep.Sean tur