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
A heart-to-heart with Nancy? Henry was not about to let Clarisse corner Nancy for a chat. However, Nancy seemed to have other ideas. Catching Henry's fierce look at Clarisse, Nancy gently touched his hand and shook her head. "Let me talk to her, please!"Henry's frown deepened. He did not like the idea of Nancy and Clarisse alone together. However, Nancy shot him a look that said 'trust me' and patted his hand. "We're at the Hoffman Residence. Everyone's around!" Clarisse would not dare make a scene with everyone watching, especially with Charles being so close to Nancy. Nancy was sure of it.Henry mulled it over and then gave a reluctant nod. "Fine." However, his eyes still shot Clarisse a warning glare.Clarisse felt a wave of nausea but refused to show it. She straightened her back, mustering all her courage to face Henry. "Do you still doubt me?"Henry narrowed his eyes. "You two can catch up here. I'm heading upstairs. When you're done, come find me, and I'll show you the way
Clarisse had always felt like a total failure in Nancy's presence.Clarisse, the Baker family's golden girl, had never known such disgrace before. Her resentment was not just aimed at Mateo—she despised Nancy too. Nancy had snatched Henry away from her, and then it seemed she was also after her son.Nancy watched Clarisse's turmoil and gently looked down. "Charles is your son, and nothing's going to change that. I never wanted to fight with you over him. Charles is our brother's kid. When you weren't here, Henry and I just stepped in to help our brother with his busy life by looking after Charles. That's totally normal, isn't it?""How is that normal? He has his own parents!""Sure, he does. But where were you guys then? You just up and left without a word to anyone, leaving little Chloe and Charles behind. Did you ever stop to think about how they felt?""You...""Seems like you're only worried about your own feelings. You think everyone's let you down, right? That's why you're
At that, Nancy just shook her head. "No, Clarisse. Remember another woman?""Who?""Yasmin!"Clarisse stumbled backward. "Yasmin? Why are you bringing her up?!"Clarisse certainly remembered Yasmin. It was not just Nancy who had fought her for Henry's affection but Yasmin too. She was a woman Clarisse would never forget. She was so vile and shameless!"If you remember, then you should also recall that Henry and I weren't exactly an item back then. You and Yasmin both had a crush on Henry at the same time, right?" Nancy mused, then continued, "You're probably also in the loop about our daughter Tania being switched at birth, and that the girl we've been raising is actually Yasmin's daughter with someone else."Clarisse nodded. "I'm aware, but what's that got to do with me?""Well, it might not be directly related to you, but you should realize that when you and Yasmin were both swooning over Henry, marrying Mateo was a win for Yasmin, not me, right?""What are you getting at?"
"I really don't want to get involved in your family drama, but let's be real: Mateo, Charles, Chloe, and Liliana have all suffered over the years. You act like everyone's wronged you, but did you ever stop to think about who's actually behind all this mess?" Nancy stood up, her voice firm. "I've said my piece. What you do next is on you."Nancy knew the best she could do was play peacemaker. If she ever decided to step up, fixing things between Clarisse and Charles was on Clarisse herself. "Chloe is married now and has her own little family. You should count your lucky stars she didn't end up like you."Clarisse shuddered, a whisper escaping her lips, "Nancy..."Nancy stopped for a beat, her gaze locking onto Clarisse with a mix of seriousness and a hint of pity. "I get it, you know. You want to patch things up with Chloe and Charles. You wouldn't be here otherwise."A wry smile twisted Clarisse's features. "Ridiculous, right? It was all me..." She trailed off, lost for words. "But
"Nope!" Nancy replied, spotting Henry coming out. "I'm gonna head out!""Alright!"Nancy walked up to Henry, who took her hand, and they both went inside.Mateo stood there for a while before finally heading downstairs.Nancy had a point. So many years had gone by, and things changed with time. Mateo knew they were just holding on to the past more often than not. Clarisse had been sitting quietly downstairs for what felt like forever, lost in thoughts of the past. She was just about to stand when she caught sight of Mateo approaching.He had not changed much. He was still as charming and good-looking as ever, even if his hair was starting to gray. However, that did not take away from his appeal. After all, if Charles was anything to go by, with his movie-star looks, how could his dad be any different?Their eyes met, and for a moment, neither said a word.It was Clarisse who finally shattered the silence. "I heard Liliana's back. Is that true?"Mateo froze. He had braced hims
"Huh?" Clarisse was clueless."You're with the Hoffmans now, so they're your priority, not the Bakers. You get that, right?"Clarisse bit her lip. "But I'm part of the Baker family too.""I get that. I'm not saying you should turn your back on them. Just don't push Charles into marrying Janet or any other girl, okay?""I get it," Clarisse said with a wry smile. "Charles is off the market. Anyway, Noelle's got a bun in the oven. I'd have to be the worst to even think about splitting them up." She was dying for Charles's forgiveness, after all!"Good to hear you understand. You don't have to do much. Just be civil with Noelle from now on. Once she has the baby, maybe help out with the kiddo. Give it some time, and Charles and Noelle will notice the new you. And Liliana..." Mateo took a beat. "Forget about her. She's living her best life. The Hoffman name doesn't really matter to her anymore."Mateo could not bring himself to look Liliana in the eye, haunted by the thought of findin
Noelle instantly sensed a shift in Charles’ behavior and quickly pushed him away, her cheeks flushed with a mix of embarrassment and urgency. "You should shower. It's getting late. Time to call it a night!"Charles's eyes dimmed as he fought to quell the turmoil within. He tousled Noelle's hair affectionately. "Alright. If you're tired, go ahead and get some sleep!" He chided himself internally. How could he be so undisciplined, especially with Noelle carrying their children? The memory of their intimate moment in the office earlier that day made him feel a twinge of self-reproach. Ever since Noelle entered his life, he felt like he was losing control.Once Charles disappeared into the bathroom, Noelle's face grew even hotter. She slapped her cheeks lightly, trying to shake off the day's memories and her thoughts of Charles..."Noelle, get a grip! You're acting like such a harlot!" she scolded herself. If Charles had caught her in that state, he would have never let her live it down
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
Sean nodded. "It's all done."He glanced at Adalee, who was next to Liliana, and said, "Hi, I'm Liliana's brother."Adalee, seeing a man of such stature had arrived, did not bother to question if he was truly Liliana's brother. Her main concern was to get out of there, so she nodded. "I'm sorry to trouble you.""It’s no trouble at all. Looks like you really enjoyed your meal!" With that, Sean took over supporting Adalee from Liliana.He was a big guy, so he steadied Adalee with no trouble at all. He turned to Liliana and said, "Liliana, grab Ms. Cobb's bag. We're leaving."Sean acted as if he did not even notice the other people there. He just finished speaking and started to walk away with Liliana and Adalee.However, the other guys were not just going to stand there. Even though Sean looked pretty cool, they had not seen anyone like him around Cascade City before.They thought they had these two women in the bag, but then this guy had come along and messed it up. "Mister, sinc
The others did not buy Liliana's story for a second.Adalee and Liliana were both from Brookville, and they were strangers in Cascade City. The idea of her brother suddenly showing up seemed far-fetched, so they did not really pay much attention to Liliana's claim.However, they had made a mistake because the brother Liliana mentioned was real, and his name was Sean.As soon as she felt things were going south, she had already reached into her purse and dialed Sean's number.Liliana was not sure if Sean would arrive immediately, but she was certain he would not leave her hanging.Seeing how Liliana acted, one of them smirked. "Do you have family here in Cascade City?"Liliana shook her head. "No, not really. But my brother came with me a few days ago for an academic conference. He's actually here having dinner too, and we planned to head back together."Liliana pulled out her phone with a small, nervous smile and waved it at everyone. She tried to keep her cool, always smiling.
As Liliana walked by Sean, he gently grabbed her arm, making her pause. "What's up, Sean?" she asked, puzzled."Don't drink too much," he advised, handing her a pill to help with the alcohol. Liliana looked at it, surprised. "What's this for? Don't you need it?""Nope, it's all yours!" Sean replied, a hint of concern in his furrowed brow. "Just remember to take it easy on the drinks, and give me a call when you head home, alright?"Liliana felt warmth radiating from where Sean had held her arm, mirroring the heat rising in her cheeks. Sean's expression remained unchanged.She wrapped her fingers around the pill, holding it tight in her hand, and nodded. "Okay."Back in the private room, Liliana found Adalee had been drinking heavily. Her face was paler than before. She waved her over and whispered, "I'll pretend I'm not feeling well in a bit, and you can help me get out of here."Adalee's voice was faint, and though Liliana did not know what was going on, she could tell she looke
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