Charles stared coldly at Kelly. "You always assume too much about yourself."Kelly bit her lip. "I just don't believe you.""What's so unbelievable? When I met Nelly, God knew where you were," Charles said, his gaze softening slightly with a faint smile tugging at his lips. "I was kind to you because you saved me, and you happened to resemble Nelly. But I've never had any improper thoughts about you.""That's impossible. I don't believe it! If that's true, why didn't you deny it in front of the Hoffmans? Why did you do things that made people misunderstand?" Kelly pressed on, unwilling to let go."Maybe you're right. I am a hypocrite," Charles admitted without a care for his own reputation. He slipped his hands into his pockets, looking nonchalant."Back then, you were clever and capable of standing on your own at a young age. None of the women around me could match you.""You used me as a shield?" Kelly's voice cracked as the realization sank in. She was on the verge of breaking
Kelly bit down hard on her lower lip, refusing to speak, but the trembling of her shoulders betrayed her emotions.Charles furrowed his brows together. "Seth carries the Hoffmans' bloodline, so that man must be one of the Hoffmans. Am I right?""I don't know. I don't know anything!" Kelly suddenly shouted, shoving Charles away. She shook her head, and her face was pale with terror. "I don't know anything!""You're not staying in Brookville because of me, are you? It's because of him. Is he here in Brookville? Or is he planning to come?"Kelly collapsed onto the ground, her body trembling. "I don't know anything!"Her reaction confirmed Charles' suspicions. He stopped advancing and crouched down to meet her gaze. "If you hadn't come to find me today, you might've had a chance."Kelly bit her lip so hard it looked like she might draw blood. Charles' gaze darkened as he stood and turned his back to her. "That man targeted the Hoffmans three years ago, which is why he kidnapped you.
"Marry you?"Charles stared at Kelly coldly as if he were facing a clown. "Did you forget to take your meds today?"Kelly bit her lip and refused to respond no matter what he said.Charles looked at the woman slumped on the floor with an icy gaze. This was the first time he had seen Kelly in such a state. He pinched the bridge of his nose in exasperation. "You think if news of me marrying you spreads, it'll bring him back? You certainly think highly of yourself."He scoffed, looking down at her with disdain. "Choose something else."Kelly let out a bitter laugh as she pulled herself up from the floor. "Don't you want to know who that man is? If you announce that you're going to marry me, he'll find out. And when he does, he won't let his own child call you 'Dad', will he? Charles, are you willing to take the gamble? If you win, you'll know who he is.""Oh?" Charles chuckled, his tone laced with amusement. "What makes you think I'm desperate to know who he is?"Kelly clenched her
Autumn had painted Brookville in shades of gold and crimson when Noelle Shaw stepped off the plane. She grabbed her suitcase and walked out into the crisp air, a familiar sense of home wrapping around her.A whole year had passed since she left to pursue a corporate training program overseas, and now, she was back just in time.Her third anniversary with her boyfriend Xavier Harris was just days away, and she had been working nonstop to make it back early enough to surprise him.She hailed a cab and headed straight for Xavier's office. The moment she walked through the front doors, Alice, the receptionist, gave her a look of total shock. "Ms. Shaw? You’re back? Are you here for the CEO's engagement party?"Noelle's brow creased in confusion. "The CEO's engagement party? What are you talking about, Alice?""It's Mr. Harris's engagement party with your sister!""What?" Noelle's heart skipped a beat, and the happiness drained from her face. "Whose engagement party?"Alice seemed to
Noelle bolted from the hotel, her previously defiant face now streaked with tears.Out of nowhere, a black Cayenne screeched to a halt, its tires screaming against the pavement. Caught off guard, she tumbled to the ground.The driver gulped, his eyes darting to the man in the back seat, "Sir... Sir?"The man in the back, unfazed by the nearby accident, merely glanced at the passenger seat beside him. "Ronald, go see what happened.""Right away, sir." Ronald was out of the car in a flash, checking the front for any damage.About six feet ahead of the car, a woman sat on the ground with her eyes wide open, looking totally freaked out. Her cheeks were streaked with tears, and she had obviously been crying. "Miss? Are you okay? Do you need a ride to the hospital?"Noelle was scared out of her wits. She just gazed at Ronald, lost in shock, until she finally managed to pull herself together and stand up. Without a word, she tried to sidestep him, eager to get away.Ronald was puzzled
Trapped in the man's grip, Noelle struggled to break free, her body refusing to cooperate. Her vision was blurry as she glared at him. "What are you trying to do?""Just having a bit of fun..." He chuckled, his voice dripping with sleaze as he steadied her. "Let's go somewhere more entertaining, shall we?"Noelle might have been out of it, but she could still sense the danger in the man's tone. However, her whole body ached, and she knew she was no match for them. She scanned the area for anyone who could help her, but she was invisible to the passersby.She spotted a figure approaching through her haze. Acting instinctively, she shoved the two men aside and bolted, slamming right into the newcomer. "Save me!" she gasped.Her fingers dug into the fabric of the man's shirt, and she inhaled a sharp, clean scent. "Please, save me," she pleaded.Charles squinted, taking in the woman who had just collided with him. There was a flicker of something sharp in his gaze.Noelle did not let
At the top of The Majestic Lounge was a room that belonged to Charles alone. He swung the door open and carried Noelle in. She was feeling so awful that she hung onto Charles like she was trying to meld into him, her limbs all over the place with nary a hint of elegance.He managed to detach Noelle from himself with a bit of a struggle and gently placed her in the bathroom. Taking a deep breath, he dialed Ronald’s number. "I need ice, and make it quick."Once he ended the call, he saw Noelle trying to get out of the tub. He gently but firmly pushed her back down and turned on the cold tap. "Stay still!"His voice was firm and grew even more intense as he noticed how the water in the tub accentuated her figure. His gaze sharpened.Ronald was fast, arriving shortly with two buckets of ice. "Here's the ice, sir.""Hold on," Charles instructed Ronald. "Just set them down and leave, thanks." His tone was cool and detached.Ronald raised an eyebrow at Charles's unusual sternness. Howev
"It doesn't matter who I am. What matters is that I’m here to help." Charles tapped his cufflink, his gaze steady and serene as he watched Noelle.A wave of alarm washed over her. Something about this guy screamed that he was more complicated than he was making himself out to be. "I don't need your help.""Really? Then why were you here last night, trying to drink away your troubles? Your boyfriend is now your brother-in-law, your parents don't trust you, and now, you're the town's favorite punching bag. Did you miss the front page of the news?""That’s none of your business." Noelle's jaw tightened. "You helped me out yesterday, and yes, I'm thankful for that." She swung her legs out of bed and started searching for her clothes, but they were nowhere in sight. "Hey, mister!""Charles." He leaned against the wall with an easy grace, watching Noelle's panicked search. "That's my name."Hearing the name 'Charles' made her eyebrows twitch. It rang a bell. "Are you related to Xavier?"
"Marry you?"Charles stared at Kelly coldly as if he were facing a clown. "Did you forget to take your meds today?"Kelly bit her lip and refused to respond no matter what he said.Charles looked at the woman slumped on the floor with an icy gaze. This was the first time he had seen Kelly in such a state. He pinched the bridge of his nose in exasperation. "You think if news of me marrying you spreads, it'll bring him back? You certainly think highly of yourself."He scoffed, looking down at her with disdain. "Choose something else."Kelly let out a bitter laugh as she pulled herself up from the floor. "Don't you want to know who that man is? If you announce that you're going to marry me, he'll find out. And when he does, he won't let his own child call you 'Dad', will he? Charles, are you willing to take the gamble? If you win, you'll know who he is.""Oh?" Charles chuckled, his tone laced with amusement. "What makes you think I'm desperate to know who he is?"Kelly clenched her
Kelly bit down hard on her lower lip, refusing to speak, but the trembling of her shoulders betrayed her emotions.Charles furrowed his brows together. "Seth carries the Hoffmans' bloodline, so that man must be one of the Hoffmans. Am I right?""I don't know. I don't know anything!" Kelly suddenly shouted, shoving Charles away. She shook her head, and her face was pale with terror. "I don't know anything!""You're not staying in Brookville because of me, are you? It's because of him. Is he here in Brookville? Or is he planning to come?"Kelly collapsed onto the ground, her body trembling. "I don't know anything!"Her reaction confirmed Charles' suspicions. He stopped advancing and crouched down to meet her gaze. "If you hadn't come to find me today, you might've had a chance."Kelly bit her lip so hard it looked like she might draw blood. Charles' gaze darkened as he stood and turned his back to her. "That man targeted the Hoffmans three years ago, which is why he kidnapped you.
Charles stared coldly at Kelly. "You always assume too much about yourself."Kelly bit her lip. "I just don't believe you.""What's so unbelievable? When I met Nelly, God knew where you were," Charles said, his gaze softening slightly with a faint smile tugging at his lips. "I was kind to you because you saved me, and you happened to resemble Nelly. But I've never had any improper thoughts about you.""That's impossible. I don't believe it! If that's true, why didn't you deny it in front of the Hoffmans? Why did you do things that made people misunderstand?" Kelly pressed on, unwilling to let go."Maybe you're right. I am a hypocrite," Charles admitted without a care for his own reputation. He slipped his hands into his pockets, looking nonchalant."Back then, you were clever and capable of standing on your own at a young age. None of the women around me could match you.""You used me as a shield?" Kelly's voice cracked as the realization sank in. She was on the verge of breaking
Charles' heart tightened. He wanted to pull away, but Noelle clung to his hand with a firm grip. He looked down at her helplessly, but she would not let go. "Charlie…" she murmured insistently."Alright." Charles sighed, lifting the blanket and lying down next to her. As soon as he did, Noelle draped herself over him like a koala. Charles tried to gently pry her off, but she tightened her hold. Left with no choice, he let her cling to him.When Noelle woke up again, Charles was no longer by her side.She did not know how long she had slept, but the nap had left her feeling refreshed. The adjoining rest area was connected to Charles' office, allowing her to hear whatever happened outside.The rest area's door and windows were shut, concealing the inside from view, but from where she stood, she could see into the office.Noelle was about to open the door when voices from outside made her pause. Her hand was still gripping the doorknob."Charlie, don't you have anything you want to
Noelle gave Charles a reassuring smile. "I just can't sit still. Dr. Ellison said this is normal and suggested I move around more. You go ahead and focus on your work!"Charles smiled back before lowering his head to continue working.When Ronald entered, he saw a peaceful scene. Noelle was leaning against the couch, holding a project file that she had read halfway through. However, her head was tilting forward slightly as if she had dozed off.Charles, who was seated at his desk, was busy writing. He would still occasionally glance up to check on Noelle. Seeing that she had fallen asleep and her head was slumping awkwardly, he quietly stood up.He carefully removed the file from her hands and gently supported her waist to lay her flat on the couch.Ronald knocked lightly before stepping in, just in time to witness Charles' meticulous movements. He was so delicate and protective, treating Noelle as if she were a priceless treasure.Unintentionally, Ronald found himself mimicking
Although Noelle had confidently agreed to help Arya earlier, deep down, she was not entirely sure of herself. She was worried Charles might insist on not letting her participate.Hearing him say this now, she smiled brightly. "Charlie, does this mean you agree?""Do I have a choice? Look at you, acting so aggrieved as if I bullied you!" Charles sighed, clearly unable to resist her. "But let's set some ground rules. You can give suggestions and handle simpler tasks, but don't overstep or get too involved. And absolutely no site inspections. Understood?""Got it! I know my limits. Don't worry," Noelle replied earnestly, knowing she had to keep her word since Charles had granted her some leeway."I'll just handle the preliminary work. Arya mentioned Mr. Parker is away on a business trip. Though others have been assigned to help, Arya hasn't been able to coordinate well with them, so they've been more of a hindrance than a help. That's why I decided to step in!"Charles nodded and gla
"Hm?" Charles raised an eyebrow, his gaze landing on the file in Noelle's hand.With a swift motion, he took the file and saw it was a project proposal. His eyes shifted back to Noelle's face. "What's this?""Ah, I…" Noelle had been so focused on calming Charles down that she had not expected to get caught so quickly. Laughing nervously, she wrapped her arms around Charles' neck. "Hehe, I hadn't visited the project department in a while, so I went to take a look, and, uh…""And then you assigned yourself a major project?" Charles lifted the proposal, his gaze steady and fixed on her.Noelle bit her lip, her eyebrows knitting together. "Are you mad?""Do you even care if I'm mad or not?" Charles retorted, making Noelle feel even more conflicted. "Of course, I care!""Then why didn't you stay in the office like I told you to?""Charlie, I'm sorry!" Noelle stuck out her tongue, realizing Charles might actually be upset. She pressed her forehead against his, trying to appease him.
"Yeah!" Arya sighed in frustration. "I have no idea when Mr. Parker will be back!""Let me take this one!" Noelle said, pulling one of the files from Arya's desk. "If you trust me, that is.""Of course, of course. How could I not trust you? I know how good you are at this. But will Mr. Hoffman let you work on it?""It's fine. I'm just killing time anyway. Whether I do this or something else in his office, it's all the same!"Noelle glanced at her watch and realized it was getting late. She patted Arya on the shoulder. "I need to go now, or Charlie won't bring me along next time."Noelle took the proposal into the elevator, and just as the doors closed, her phone rang. It was Charles. "Where are you?""Oh, I got bored, so I wandered around downstairs. I'm heading back up now!" Noelle replied, watching the floor numbers tick upward. "A few more floors. Charlie, are you done with the meeting?""Mhmm," Charles responded, raising an eyebrow. He glanced around before settling back int
"Without a word?" Noelle blinked in surprise. "Didn't I tell Mr. Parker? Where is he?""Don't even mention him right now," Arya grumbled. "Mr. Parker is on a business trip, and guess what? He left me to clean up this mess!"She glanced around at Noelle with mock exasperation. "You don't seem like anything's wrong, yet the rumors about you at the company have been absolutely wild. Where have you been?""Don't worry about me. What's keeping you so busy?"Arya pointed at the pile of documents on the desk. "Look at all this!" She scratched her head in frustration. "Honestly, I feel like I'm drowning. Sure, Mr. Parker reassigned some people to help before he left, but it's still overwhelming. Now, I truly understand just how helpful you were."Noelle walked over, casually flipping through the files and noticing numerous project proposals. "Are these all for this year?""Yeah!" Arya sighed, visibly stressed. "I think our department is seriously understaffed, and then you just vanished