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.
"Honestly, your husband is truly amazing. Charles Hoffman is so powerful!" Rowena exclaimed after learning that the invitation cards and tickets were all arranged by Charles.Her admiration for him seemed endless. According to her, if Charles ever needed her help in the future, she would be ready to assist him without hesitation.Noelle could not help but laugh. "If Charlie heard that, he'd definitely get smug. Don't let him hear you.""Why not? I think he has every reason to be smug!" Rowena replied confidently.Noelle sighed and shook her head. "Aren't you here to see Shirley?""Oh, right! My idol is the priority!" Rowena quickly remembered and dragged Noelle and Teresa toward the inner venue.The premiere was grandly organized, with the event heavily promoted several days in advance. Given Shirley's status, the organizers spared no effort in ensuring perfection—everyone was counting on Shirley's popularity to bring in significant revenue.Due to Noelle's special identity, the
"Shirley! Shirley!"The chants from the crowd surged in waves even after Shirley entered the backstage waiting area. The cries for Shirley continued unabated.Noelle and her friends were thoroughly impressed by the overwhelming enthusiasm of the fans. Rowena, in particular, could not contain her excitement."All those other so-called stars are just trash. My idol is the real deal, the true icon! This level of popularity and national recognition is unparalleled! Even though she's not based in this country, her legend lives on here!""Alright, we get it. Shirley's your queen!" Noelle cut Rowena off with a laugh. "I always thought only female fans went crazy for male idols. Who knew you'd be just as wild over a female star?" Noelle chuckled at the thought of Shirley, well into her 40s, still commanding such a devoted and intense fan base. Clearly, she had undeniable charisma."Of course! Shirley is worthy of my eternal adoration!""Alright, the press conference is about to start,"
The Majestic Lounge was Charles's next stop after leaving Phoenix Tree Residence. He had agreed to meet there and went straight to the private room. Sean was there, drinking non-stop.Charles walked up, took Sean's drink from his hand, and looked over at Peter. "What's happening?"Peter's eyebrow shot up. "Wow, drama!" He could not help but chuckle. "This is the first time I've seen him so worked up, acting like it's the end of the world, and he won't even tell us why!"As he spoke, Peter poured a glass of wine for Charles. Charles squinted and shook his head. "No thanks, I've stopped drinking."Peter's mouth gave a quick twitch. "Come on, really?""For real, I've quit!" Charles insisted. "I've got kids now, and I need to be a good role model for them!"Charles said it with such a smug tone that Peter almost wanted to toss a wine bottle at him. Sean, with his heart recently broken, just could not take it. He looked up, his eyes red with emotion, glaring at Charles as if he was
Charles gently tousled Noelle's hair. "Weren't you just saying how tired you were? What happened? Not sleepy now?" He teased her as she acted all wiggly and giggly like a little kid.Noelle blinked her big eyes. "Nope, I just want to hug you!"Charles smiled softly. "Okay then!" He closed his eyes. "Time to sleep!""Alright!" Noelle closed her eyes, too.When she woke up, Charles was gone. Noelle looked around, got out of bed, and after getting ready, she went to check Ice and Glitter's room, but they were not there.She went downstairs and found Maxwell holding Ice and Glitter, playing together with a caregiver nearby.Noelle was surprised. "Grandpa, when did you get here?""Ah, Noelle, you're up?" Maxwell smiled warmly and waved her over. "Come sit with me!""Where's Charles, Grandpa?" Noelle asked since she had not seen Charles since she woke up."Oh, he just said he had some stuff to take care of and went out," Maxwell said, not too worried. "I haven't seen the kids for a
"You don't need to lose any more weight," Charles said, playfully squeezing Noelle's waist. His eyes grew serious. "It's not good to be too thin."He preferred her with a little more weight, looking strong and huggable. "Being a bit plump is nice. It's comfy to cuddle!""Oh, stop it!" she protested, feeling he was teasing her.Blushing, Noelle looked down, too shy to meet Charles's gaze.Even after being married for so long, whenever Charles playfully teased her, Noelle's heart would still skip a beat. It raced so fast she could hardly keep up."I'm doing all this for you!" Noelle snuggled against Charles's chest. "You only get one wedding day, and I want to be the most beautiful bride!" She sighed, tilting her head. "You wouldn't believe it, but the wedding dress and gown mom and Aunt Nancy picked out yesterday were all too tight!"Remembering yesterday's dress-fitting fiasco, Noelle felt a twinge of frustration. "I told Mom my size from before I got pregnant. I could fit into i
"Look at this, look at this, now you're mad at me!" Maxwell started to make a scene. Charles held his head, feeling a splitting headache, "Noelle and the kids are asleep, do you want to wake them up?"Hearing that, Maxwell immediately quieted down, "You little scamp, why didn't you say so sooner? If you wake Ice and Glitter, I'll tan your hide!"Maxwell pretended to swing at someone in the air while Charles gave him an annoyed glance and then asked the servants to bring Maxwell's bags inside.Then Maxwell started ordering the servants around to get his room just right. After a lot of commotion, he finally settled down and asked for some coffee.Charles, nursing a headache, asked Maxwell, "What brings you here?" "Hmph, didn't you hear? Your dad and Uncle Henry don't want me anymore. So what's it going to be? Are you going to start looking down on me too?""No way!" Charles thought Maxwell was really getting too cranky with age. "This isn't like the old family home. There's no one
Kelly got it, "So, Grandpa, you're planning to?""I'm going to stay with Charles for a bit." He added, "Or you could come with me. I could have the driver drop you off at the school to take a look first?""No need, Grandpa, I'll take Seth myself. I've already talked to the folks there.""Alright then!" Maxwell nodded, "That's fine, but does Yves know about the school thing for the kid?"Maxwell was not just concerned about Charles and Noelle's wedding. He was also anxious about Yves and Kelly's situation.Since Maxwell had made his feelings clear last time, he would not let Yves and Kelly leave the family home, insisting they stay. Kelly could not argue with Maxwell and had to agree.Kelly nodded, "He knows, he's been really busy lately, I'll go have a look myself!""Oh yes, he's swamped since he took over the Collosus Group. There's so much he has to do himself. However, dear, if you don't want him to overwork, just tell me, and I'll get Charles to go back and lend a hand!""N
"Okay."Seeing that, Ronald breathed a sigh of relief. "Well, I'll be off then, Mr. Hoffman."Once Ronald was gone, Noelle spun around and gave Charles a stern look. "Why don't you go to work? You're always just hanging around the house, getting in the way!" Noelle noticed that Charles had changed a lot since Ice and Glitter came into their lives.He used to be so passionate about his job, often bringing work home and staying up late in the study. However, then? He was always cuddling with Glitter, eating, napping, and not doing much else.Ronald was his assistant, after all. However, what about then? That look of disdain he had just given him.Charles squinted and raised an eyebrow. "Are you tired of me, Noelle? Don't want me around?"Noelle pressed her hand to her forehead. "That's not what I'm saying. I'm trying to have a serious talk with you, you should know...""I know, you're jealous!" Charles cut her off, stood up with Glitter in his arms, walked over to Noelle, and wrap
Although Charles and Noelle were not in a rush to plan their wedding, the Hoffman and Smith families certainly were. Everyone was eager to make sure every detail was perfect as no one wanted anything to go wrong.Clarisse, who had initially been preoccupied with the Bakers' situation, found herself too busy with the wedding preparations to think about anything else. Once she got caught up in the planning, there was simply no time to spare.Meanwhile, Nancy's health had improved significantly. Given how significant this wedding was for the Hoffman family, she naturally wanted to be involved.However, Henry remained concerned about her physical condition, only allowing her to oversee the decorations and review the guest list rather than taking on anything too strenuous.Charles and Noelle's wedding had become one of the grandest social events in Brookville's elite circles. Ever since the news of their marriage broke, countless socialites had secretly mourned the loss of another eligi
Sean felt a deep irritation rising within him. Savannah always assumed that Liliana was still clinging to him, unaware that she had long stopped loving him.Now, she probably wished he would disappear from her sight altogether. How could she possibly still be chasing after him?Yet every time Savannah spoke like this, it felt like a knife twisting in his heart, making it even harder to bear.He desperately wanted to find an escape, some way to let go, but he could not do it no matter what he did. He simply could not bring himself to let go.To Savannah, his impatience only added to her displeasure toward Liliana. "I'm talking to you! Are you even listening?" she snapped. I don't care what that woman does. I'll never approve of your relationship with her, so you'd better give up!"Sean's eyes remained fixed on his phone. On the screen was a private message from Charles. It was a video taken just moments ago in the Hoffman family's living room, where they had been discussing Liliana
Liliana flinched slightly. "Grandpa, I'm really not in a hurry right now.""How can you not be?" Maxwell sighed. "Look at the rest—they're all married. You're the only one still single in the Hoffman family. How can I not be worried?"He let out another heavy sigh, shaking his head. "I'm getting old. I've spent so much of my energy worrying about you all."Liliana could not help but smile wryly. "Grandpa, don't say that. I really have been thinking about it. Once Bobby recovers, I'll take my future more seriously.""Really?" Maxwell's eyes lit up. "Well then, don't you worry about Bobby's illness. If you don't want to go to the Smith family's hospital, that's fine. I'll find an even better hospital for him."I'll make sure someone takes care of it. You just focus on yourself, and leave the rest to me."Liliana chuckled. "Alright." She gently patted Bobby's back, soothing him as he drifted off to sleep.Once he was completely asleep, she stood up. "Grandpa, Bobby is asleep now. I