Sebastian was utterly taken aback, his gaze deepening as he looked at Charles."It looks like you've figured out something you weren't supposed to know," Sebastian said, his smile tinged with a sadness that did not quite reach his eyes. "It's our fault, or more specifically my fault, for what happened back then..." He shook his head. "You guessed it, Noelle isn't really a Shaw. She's my youngest daughter's kid.""Your youngest daughter?" Charles squinted slightly. "How come you’ve never mentioned her?""Why bring her up? She's gone.""Gone?" Charles was taken aback, the intensity in his gaze still sharp. "Grandpa, is she really gone?"Sebastian hesitated, looking a bit guilty under Charles's steady gaze. He pressed his lips together, a flicker of anxiety crossing his face. "In my mind, she's been gone a long time."Charles's eyes softened. "So, Noelle's mom isn't dead. Where is she then?""Why all the questions? Noelle's fine, isn't she? What's the point in digging all this up?"
Charles raised an eyebrow as the corners of his lips lifted into a faint smile. "May, what do you mean by that?""Don't you want to know about Ms. Noelle's background?"Hearing this, Charles' eyes sharpened, and a glint flashed across. "May, do you know something?"May nodded. "I've been working for the Jones family for many years. This has always been a closely guarded secret of the Joneses and a matter of deep regret for Sir Jones.""Oh?""Sir Jones lost his wife in his middle age and had two daughters—Jade, the elder one, and Madison, the younger one. Jade was adopted by Sir Jones when Madison was a baby as Madison was considered too frail to survive."This was news to Charles.Up until now, Charles had not even known Sebastian had two daughters. He had always assumed Sebastian only had Jade. The news about Madison came as a surprise."And what happened after that?""Well, Ms. Madison grew up to be a real beauty, adored by all the young men in her social circle. She had no
Missing with no news of her whereabouts?Charles caught onto the key detail and nodded. "Alright, for now, let's not tell Nelly. Once I've investigated everything thoroughly, we'll figure out how to explain it to her. I'm worried that learning this now might upset her mood and affect her health.""Yes, yes, that's exactly what I think too. Ms. Noelle is pregnant now, so it's best not to let her find out about these things. I'm worried that if she gets too emotional, it could cause trouble." May then sighed. "Mr. Hoffman, please don't tell Ms. Noelle about this for the time being." She hesitated and added, "By the way, Mr. Hoffman, there's something else that I'm not sure if I should say.""Please go ahead!" Charles showed May the utmost respect.May smiled lightly. "Ms. Madison… is back."Charles nodded knowingly. He had already guessed as much, though it had not been confirmed until now.Seeing Charles' calm reaction, May understood he must have already suspected it. "Sir Jone
In an instant, everyone's eyes focused on Noelle's stomach, especially Anna. After hearing what Chloe said, Anna turned her big, curious eyes to Noelle's belly.Carefully and full of wonder, she pointed at Noelle's stomach and asked, "Aunt Noelle, do you really have a baby in your tummy now?"Noelle was startled for a moment but then smiled as Anna continued, "Is it a baby as cute as me?"Noelle could not help but laugh. She reached out to hold Anna's little hand and gently patted her own stomach. "Yes, I have babies in my tummy, and the children are going to be just as cute as you, Anna!"She lightly pinched Anna's chubby hand. "Anna, will you like my little babies?"Anna tilted her head in thought, her adorable expression melting Noelle's heart. "Will they be as well-behaved as me?""They'll be just as well-behaved as you," Noelle replied warmly."But how can I see your babies in your tummy?" Anna asked, pouting as she stared at Noelle's belly with some frustration. "I can't s
Even so, the situation as it was now was entirely of Clarisse's own making, and there was no one else she could blame.Clarisse's gaze lingered on Chloe, Noelle, and Anna. Watching the harmony between Noelle and Chloe warmed her heart, but when her eyes shifted to Nancy, a wave of sadness flickered across them.Noelle, sitting directly across from Clarisse, easily noticed the change in her expression. When she saw the desolation etched into Clarisse's features, Noelle's lips pressed into a thin line.Truthfully, Noelle did not like Clarisse. In the past, Clarisse insulted her, even backing Janet's attempts to marry Charles.While Noelle was not malicious, she was not a saint either. She constantly reminded herself not to dwell on Clarisse's past actions, but if Clarisse insisted on stirring up trouble, Noelle would not back down.However, over the past few months, Clarisse had surprisingly avoided creating conflict. Instead, Noelle often felt Clarisse's gaze falling on her stomach
However, as she looked into Noelle's sincere eyes, Chloe found herself unable to say anything harsh.Noelle seemed to understand Chloe's hesitance and nodded. "As long as you don't blame me, that's all that matters."But Chloe, don't you think she deserves a chance? I'm not on her side—never was and never will be. But as Charlie's wife and she being Charlie's mother, I feel like there's nothing that can't be resolved if we all sit down and talk it out."Chloe let out a bitter laugh. "You won't understand.""You talk as if you're decades older than her." Nancy finally broke her silence.Her gaze alternated between Noelle and Chloe as she said, "I have to say I agree with Noelle on this. Families don't hold grudges forever. No matter how wrong your mother was in the past, that was then."People change. I've spent the most time with her here, and I can tell you that she's been trying to make amends. Shouldn't you at least give her a chance?"Chloe bit her lip, clearly torn. "I unde
Charles firmly clasped Noelle's hand in his, holding it securely in his palm. Then, he turned to Chloe and asked, "When did you arrive?""Just a moment ago," Chloe responded with a gentle smile. She could not help noticing how much Charles had changed since marrying Noelle.It was not a bad change; in fact, it was for the better. He seemed far more approachable and warmer than before.Chloe could sense that the cold and distant aura Charles used to exude had dissipated, at least whenever Noelle was around. He no longer let such emotions show easily in her presence.As Chloe thought about this, her regard for Noelle grew even higher. This woman had a remarkable influence on Charles, an influence that no one else could claim to have."Uncle Charlie!"Hearing Charles' voice, Anna immediately abandoned Clarisse and ran straight into his arms. Charles smiled warmly, crouched down to scoop her up, and listened as Anna exclaimed, "Uncle Charlie, Mommy said Aunt Noelle has little babie
Noelle stepped out of the lounge, rubbing her sleepy eyes. "I fell asleep again? When did you carry me into the lounge?"Charles saw her pouting and could not help but feel a slight catch in his throat. He waved her over. "Come here!"Noelle quickly walked up to him excitedly. "What's up?""Here, for you!" Charles handed her three tickets.Noelle took them and gasped in surprise. "These are tickets to the premiere of White Night! And the press conference too? Full access? Charlie, you're amazing!"Her face lit up with joy, her expression so radiant that Charles momentarily lost himself watching her."Huh? Why are there three tickets?" Noelle tilted her head in confusion. "Did Mr. Wells make a mistake?""Yeah, it's three tickets. They're for you and your two friends," Charles replied."What about you?" she asked instinctively. However, she soon realized something and nodded. "Oh, right, your identity makes it a bit tricky for you to attend!"Noelle waved the tickets excitedly.
Liliana's arm throbbed where Sean had grabbed it, but she bit her lip, refusing to give in. "I didn't do it on purpose. I had no idea she invited you.""Oh, you didn't know? Isn't she supposed to be your best friend?" Sean's voice was edged with sarcasm. "Or maybe this was your plan all along?""I didn't!" Liliana felt a tightness in her chest at his accusation.She pulled her arm free from his grasp, her face twisted with both anger and shame. "I truly didn't know.""Who knows what the truth is?" Sean said with a light laugh, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Tania doesn't know about us, and you think you're in the dark too? What if Tania found out who you really are? Would she...""Don't."Liliana's voice was loud and full of panic. "Please don't tell Tania." Deep down, she was being selfish. She did not want Tania to find out about her secrets.When she first became friends with Tania, all she wanted was a simple friendship. She did not want Tania to know about her embarrassi
The next few moments dragged on painfully for Liliana. She would have bolted if Tania, her best friend, had not been there.She felt that neither Sean nor Peter wanted to see her around.She did not want to be near them either.Peter was a mystery she did not dare to unravel, and as for Sean...Liliana snuck a peek at Sean when no one was looking. It had been over a month since she had last seen him, and despite herself, she was thrilled.She tried to bury her feelings in work every day, but she knew how hard it was to forget Sean completely.They had promised not to meet again, yet there they were. He could not possibly think she planned this encounter, could he?As Liliana watched Sean and lost herself in thought, she noticed him suddenly glance her way. She quickly turned away, dodging his gaze.Liliana felt like she was a thief caught red-handed when she unexpectedly ran into Sean.Upon laying eyes on Liliana, Sean could not quite figure out what he was feeling.They had
Tania's lips quivered, as if she wanted to say more, but seeing Liliana so determined, she held back.However, as Tania paid, she leaned in and whispered something to the cashier, then scribbled down an address. "Make sure it gets here, okay?"Tania settled the bill, grabbed the shopping bags, and linked arms with Liliana as they headed out. "Liliana, you're joining me for dinner tonight!"No backing out this time. You've canceled on me too many times already.""Okay, fine!"Liliana had no idea that Tania's dinner invitation also included Peter. If she had known, she would have stayed far away. When Liliana returned from the restroom, she found not just Tania and Peter, but also Sean sitting there. Her first instinct was to turn around and leave.She was about to do just that, her foot already inching backward, when Tania caught sight of her. "Liliana, where are you off to? We're right here!"Frozen in place, Liliana could not seem to move a muscle.Standing with her back to th
Seeing Joanna in a new light, her friend still tried to be supportive. "Joanna, don't listen to that lady's wild stories. You and Mr. Smith are the perfect pair. You’re both so smart and good-looking. Everyone at the hospital is jealous of you guys! I bet she doesn't even know Mr. Smith, and she probably doesn't have a rich boyfriend either!"As she spoke, Joanna's friend watched her closely. She saw Joanna's worry fade away after her words. Joanna replied with a hint of frustration, "I don't know why she said that. I wasn’t even in the same faculty as her, but we were involved in a school event together once. We were in a competition together back then. I never thought she cared about it that much!"Joanna mentioned the school beauty contest she and Tania were in, suggesting there might be some old rivalry between them.Joanna's friend knew exactly what was happening. She was getting to see all the drama for free but did not want to call Joanna out. After all, they were coworkers a
"Look, you’re my junior.” Joanna had not expected Tania to say something like that in front of her friend. It was impossible for her to maintain her dignity at this point.What would her friend think if she owned up to it? If she denied it, what was Tania going to do?Tania watched Joanna's face turn beet red, a smile playing on her lips the whole time.Truth be told, Tania did not have beef with Joanna. However, she was Peter's girlfriend, and she knew Sean, so she could not stand watching Joanna strut around, lying and using Sean's good name."Look, Joanna, I'm not trying to be mean or anything. I just think your friend isn’t really thinking about how you feel, you know? You say you're single, yet she's out here telling everyone you're taken. How's that going to help you find a real boyfriend, right?"Joanna's nails were digging into her skin, but she did not even notice. She was drowning in embarrassment, and it was all Tania's fault."I don't know what I did to make you mad,
Joanna looked a bit upset. She was used to being the star everywhere she went, with everyone always fussing over her.However, Tania and Liliana did not seem to notice her at all.Tania slipped out of her dress and had it neatly packaged. She strolled over to a quiet corner and began flipping through a magazine.Meanwhile, Joanna and her friend were browsing through racks of clothes, chatting about which ones were the prettiest. Joanna's friend could not stop mentioning Sean, insisting that Joanna would look stunning in certain outfits and that Sean would surely be impressed.Tania watched Joanna with a smirk and called out, "Hey, Joanna!"Joanna and her friend paused and turned to Tania. "What's going on?" Joanna asked."Oh, nothing, really. I’m just curious—Joanna, are you and Mr. Smith together now?" Tania asked with feigned innocence. "I thought Sean turned you down before!""You...""Turned her down? Don't make things up. Our Joanna and Mr. Smith are very much an item!" Jo
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