"I can tell this is tough for you!" Noelle curled up against Charles like a little cat, her fingers lightly dancing over his chest. "The doctor said we can't do anything for the first three months. You'll just have to hang in there!""You're too much, you know that?" Charles let out a sigh. "Don’t talk anymore, okay?""But won't it be harder for you if I'm quiet?" Noelle countered, lifting her head to look him in the eye firmly as if she had made her mind up about something. With a gentle push, she got up from Charles's embrace.Charles's brows knitted together in confusion, clueless about what Noelle was up to. However, Noelle did not need words to show Charles her intentions.She gently placed her hands on his shoulders. "Charles, close your eyes," she whispered.Charles's frown deepened. "Noelle, what's going on?""Just close them!" Noelle urged, her voice playful and her cheeks tinged with pink. Charles's gaze grew intense, a spark of desire lighting up his eyes.Noelle’s te
"Sounds great!" Noelle's heart was racing. The sensation was so surreal and indescribable."Ugh, Noelle! Snap out of it." She smacked her cheeks, hoping to quell the heat rising in her face, but it only seemed to burn brighter.Charles was quick, emerging from the bathroom in no time with crisp clothes and his usual commanding presence.Noelle's cheeks were still ablaze. Seeing Charles so composed and collected, she could not help but mumble, "Why do I feel like I'm getting the short end of the stick here?""Hmm?" Charles, clearly pleased with himself, beamed happily. He leaned in for another kiss. "Let me sweep you off your feet and help you freshen up!""No way!" Noelle pushed him back. "I've got it under control!"Charles caught on to her bashfulness and nodded. "Alright, go freshen up then. Your clothes are in the wardrobe, okay?""Huh?" Noelle blinked in surprise. "Since when do you keep my clothes in your office wardrobe?""Becky set it up!" Charles gently patted Noelle's
Noelle stepped out just after Ronald had taken off. She adjusted her clothes and noticed Charles with an unlit cigarette in hand. When he saw Noelle, he tossed it aside. "Hungry? What do you want to eat?""Did I just hear Mr. Wells a minute ago?""Yeah, he dropped by for a signature," Charles replied, his eyes lingering on Noelle.He had always known there was something special about her beauty. More than just her good looks, she had a kind of allure that stuck with him over the years. That was why he could not shake her from his thoughts and why someone like Kelly could never tempt him.Noelle strutted over, twirling a bit. "What do you think? Do I look okay?" she asked, cocking her head and flashing a playful grin. "Good thing I'm not showing yet. Otherwise, I doubt I'd fit into any of these outfits Becky picked out!""You look amazing!" Charles called out, pulling Noelle close. "You're not fat. In fact, you're too skinny.""You’re bringing this up again?" Noelle sighed, half-j
Anyone watching from afar would have caught the sweet scene unfolding between the couple.Grant, who had time to kill, wandered over and spotted Charles and Noelle. His eyes briefly sparkled with something unreadable, but he chose not to join them. Instead, he lingered outside for a while before leaving with a sense of resignation.Charles's piercing gaze followed Grant's departing silhouette, his eyes darkening in deep thought.Noelle, ever the food enthusiast, was too engrossed in her meal to notice Grant's presence. Her plate was heaped with treats, and she was blissfully unaware of anything else.Eventually, Noelle's stomach reached its limit, and she pushed Charles's hand away, exclaiming, "No more, I just can't! I'm absolutely stuffed!"Charles looked down, his eyes twinkling with mirth at the sight of Noelle's rounded belly. It was as if their baby was already making its presence known. "Okay, no more food for now!" he said, gently patting her belly. "Does it hurt?"Noelle
When Charles gave the nod, Noelle's face lit up with excitement. "Hey, old geezer! Get down here!""Huh?"Charles quirked an eyebrow, totally baffled by Noelle's request. She was already yanking on his sleeve, urging him into a squat. With a patient sigh, Charles crouched down, curious to see what Noelle was up to. However, before he could ask, she had hopped onto his back. "Old geezer, this old gal can't walk another step. Give me a lift, will you?"A grin spread across Charles's face, and he playfully pinched Noelle's nose. "You're something else, you know that?""What's the matter? Not up for it?" Noelle challenged, jutting out her chin and refusing to budge from Charles's back. "Let's go!"Shaking his head with a soft laugh, Charles said, "You're a handful, you know? You've got a baby on board. If I carry you on piggyback, I might squish your tummy. That won't be comfy at all, will it?""So what do we do?" Noelle whined.Without missing a beat, Charles reached back and scoop
The 'waterwheel' Charles mentioned was actually a cute little paddle boat in the river. Once inside, each person would pedal on one side, taking a leisurely boat ride as if on a lake.However, they had chosen the wrong time to go. The sky was darkening, and the evening boat rides were done for the day, probably to prevent mishaps like someone falling into the water at night.Noelle clung to Charles's neck with a look of such sweet sorrow that Charles could not help but notice. He gently stroked her hair. "It's okay. We can’t do it today, but how about we come back first thing tomorrow? I'll pedal with you all day, okay?""Maybe not. I'm not a kid, you know. It's just a bummer we missed out on the fun today!" Noelle was not one to make a fuss. "Let me down, and we can take a stroll by the river and enjoy the breeze!""Sure! Feeling up for a walk now, my little granny?" Charles said with a chuckle.Noelle could not help it. Her cheeks flushed with color once more. She gave Charles
Although Maxwell could be unreasonable at times, Noelle was completely safe around him, at least while she was pregnant. Maxwell would never say anything hurtful to Noelle then.It was clear as day that Charles had Maxwell all figured out. No sooner had they walked through the door than Maxwell started his verbal lashing. However, the target was Charles, not Noelle."Seriously, how old are you now? Do you even realize your wife's pregnant with your kids? You might like eating out, but who knows if it's clean? We've got all the tasty and healthy food you could ever want right here. What's your problem?"Mid-rant, Maxwell went for his cane, aiming to give Charles a piece of his mind the old-fashioned way, but Noelle darted in front of him. The cane froze in mid-swing. Maxwell's hand shook at nearly giving Noelle an unintended whack. He shot her a look that could curdle milk. "Step aside!"Noelle stood her ground. "I'm the one who wanted to eat out today. Don’t blame Charlie!”Maxwel
Maxwell knew his grandson like the back of his hand. Charles was not the type to say sorry just like that. Thus, Maxwell had not held his breath for an apology. However, he was intrigued to see Charles willing to bend a little for Noelle's sake."I'm sorry!"The words came out of Charles with a hint of reluctance, but they were out. That left everyone in the room, except for Noelle, totally taken aback. Charles had actually apologized. It was a moment no one saw coming.Maxwell watched Noelle with a thoughtful gaze while Charles, albeit a bit awkwardly, took her hand and led her upstairs. Only when the young couple had vanished from view did Maxwell blink twice, a grin spreading across his face with a dash of excitement and curiosity. He turned to his daughter-in-law. "Nancy, did you catch that? Our Charles, that little scamp, actually said sorry to me. You watched him grow up, Nancy. Take a look at him now...""Dad, I can’t believe your ears aren't playing tricks on you!" Nancy
After speaking, Liliana supported herself against the wall and headed to the restroom. Bob, still holding the bottle of hangover remedy, stood in place with a glimmer in his deep-set eyes.He smirked faintly, then chuckled and shook his head. Casually, he stuffed the remedy into his pants pocket and lingered there a while longer, lighting a cigarette before finally returning to the private room.Sean was inside drinking with a few others. They were all people brought in by Bob and were prominent figures in the pharmaceutical and medical industries.Truth be told, the entire dinner was simply Bob paving the way for Sean. Although these individuals were leaders in their fields, they still had to curry favor. The man they aimed to please was Bob—better known as Andy Jones, the second son of Jones Group.Though Bob was technically the second son, everyone in Cascade City knew he was the legitimate heir to the Jones family and, eventually, the Smiths as well. That made him a powerful fi
Liliana had not wanted to drink, but the other party insisted on making a toast. Under such circumstances, she could not exactly refuse. It was clear they would not even continue discussing the partnership unless she played along.She glanced at Adalee, whose expression was far from pleasant. However, given that they still had to maintain a working relationship with the client, Adalee subtly signaled Liliana to go along with it. Liliana understood—she could not say no.Hence, round after round, Liliana did her best to hold her own. She even tried to fake it occasionally, but she still ended up drinking quite a bit."Excuse me, I need to use the restroom," she said eventually, unable to take any more. Her head felt light, and her steps wobbled slightly as she walked.Though her alcohol tolerance was not exactly terrible, the combination of red and white wine tonight was rough. Even someone with a decent tolerance would struggle.She had not even reached the restroom when she stum
After finishing dinner, Liliana and Adalee went to pay the bill, only to be told it had already been paid for.Liliana instinctively suspected Sean, but Adalee, unaware, asked the cashier, "Who paid for it?""Are you Ms. Hoffman?" the cashier asked.Adalee shook her head and pointed at Liliana. "She is."The cashier smiled. "That's right. A Mr. Smith said to put the bill under his account."Liliana nodded. "Got it. Thank you."Adalee gave Liliana a curious glance. Judging by her reaction, she clearly knew the person. "Didn't you say you had never been to Cascade City before? How do you know someone here?"It was not until they got into the car that Liliana explained, "He's also from Brookville—a distant relative. I ran into him just now when I went to the restroom."Adalee nodded. Though she suspected things were not that simple, she did not press further.During their business trip in Cascade City, Adalee kept Liliana incredibly busy. Every day was packed to the brim, making
"I understand," Liliana said quietly, though deep down she wanted to retort, "You're not my real brother, so why do you care so much?"She truly did not want Sean meddling in her business. It would only make her overthink things. Especially when he reached out and ruffled her hair again, it only made her heart more chaotic.Sean looked at her expression and seemed to realize he might have overstepped. "Your brother isn't here, and you're out here alone. I'm his best friend. Of course, I should look after you."Liliana gave a faint, bitter smile. She knew it. Sean was only kind to her because she was a Hoffman and because she was Charles' sister."It's getting late. Have you finished eating?" Sean asked, rubbing his temples. His head throbbed a little—probably from the alcohol he'd had during the earlier dinner.He ran his long fingers through his thick hair, massaging his temples for a while before easing up. When he noticed Liliana staring at him, he looked up. "What is it?"Lil
By the time Liliana and Adalee left the factory, it was already evening. Adalee noticed that Liliana had been unusually quiet, so she tapped the notebook in her hand and asked, "Any thoughts?"Liliana blinked and replied, "Not really… Ms. Cobb, do you always handle everything personally like this?"Adalee found the question amusing. "Do you think getting to this position just means sitting comfortably behind a desk?""I didn't mean it like that!" Liliana's cheeks flushed slightly. "I actually admire you a lot."Adalee did not seem very old, yet she held a managerial position, which proved just how capable she was.Adalee waved a hand casually. "I was just lucky, and I worked hard for it. With time, you'll get there too.""I hope so."Liliana did not say more, and Adalee, thinking she might be hungry, brought her to a well-known seafood restaurant in Cascade City. "This place is pretty decent. I used to come here often when I traveled for work. Try it."Perhaps Adalee saw a bit
The first thing Liliana did after returning to the hotel was take a shower. When she came out, she noticed a missed call from Keith.She immediately called him back. "Keith? Sorry, I was in the shower when you called.""It's fine. I just wanted to check if you arrived safely."Keith sounded busy on the other end. He majored in computer science, and after graduating, he naturally found work in a related field. Liliana never asked much about his job, though Tania had mentioned that the company Keith worked for was quite decent."Have you finished work?""Almost. Just a bit more code to finish," Keith chuckled. "What about you? Tired?""Not really. I just had dinner with my supervisor. Now I'm back and planning to rest," Liliana said, rolling over on the bed.Remembering what Tania had told her the night before, she hesitated a moment and added, "Um, Keith… When I get back, let's go on a dinner date."There was a long silence on the other end of the phone. Then came the sound of s
"That's right!" Liliana nodded.Tania suddenly let out a squeal. "Didn't Keith come looking for you? Or at least ask you out for a farewell dinner or something?""What are you talking about? It's not like I'm never coming back," Liliana said as she reached out and tapped Tania on the forehead."I still need to pack and check on the flight. You think I'm just sitting around with nothing to do?""No, no, that's not what I meant. You're going away for a whole week! Are you telling me you two can stand being apart for that long?" Tania looked at her in disbelief. "Don't tell me you're in some fake relationship!"Liliana paused slightly while packing, clearly affected by Tania's comment.She had not thought much of it at first, but now that Tania mentioned it... Even though she and Keith were "trying things out", it felt like he was the only one putting in the effort. Had she done anything at all?"Normal couples would probably go out for a meal before a trip, right?" Liliana reflect
Joanna's expression turned utterly sour. She had not expected Liliana to react that way. There was no admiration or envy, just a sharp, sarcastic jab that left her embarrassed.It was obvious Liliana meant to mock her, implying she had no authority to make decisions because she was not actually Sean's girlfriend.Joanna was furious with Liliana's attitude. She had thought that even if Liliana did not say much, she would at least show a bit of jealousy. Maybe she would act like her classmates earlier at the restaurant, casting admiring and envious looks her way.Liliana had no idea what Joanna was thinking at the moment, but if she had, she would probably think Joanna was out of her mind."Joanna, I've got something to do. I'll head off first."Liliana spotted a cab pulling up, waved it down, and got in before Joanna could even react.Joanna stood where she was, watching the car drive off with her fists clenched tightly. "Liliana, what are you so smug about? Even if Sean treats yo
"Ms. Cobb?""Mhm, Adalee was my student. If I didn't know her well, I wouldn't have recommended you to her." Sofia looked at Liliana's serious and focused expression."You're capable, but some personal matters affected your work recently. You'll be graduating soon. It's important to plan things out. Figure out what you want and how to get there.""Thank you, Ms. Chapman!"Liliana genuinely felt Sofia's concern. "I'll definitely keep your advice in mind.""Good, very good." Sofia nodded in approval, clearly pleased with Liliana's mindset. "By the way, that young woman who's often with you… Her name is Tania, right? How's she doing?""Thanks to you, she's doing well."Dinner went smoothly. Perhaps it was because Liliana realized she would soon graduate and that she would not have many chances to see the professor who had taught her for four years.After walking Sofia out, Liliana lingered by the roadside for a bit.Suddenly, a shadow loomed in front of her. Liliana turned her he