Seeing someone step forward to defend Shirley, Kelly let out a cold laugh. "And who are you to be standing up for her? Do you even know who she is?""I… Of course, I know her! Ms. Shrill is my idol! I've admired her for years. I know when she debuted, what movies she's been in, and even her favorite foods!" Rowena retorted with an indignant voice.Kelly sneered at Rowena, "Well, you certainly are her die-hard fan.""That's right!" Rowena responded without hesitation, though she noticed Noelle signaling her to calm down. However, Rowena's fiery temper refused to let anyone insult her idol. "You must be one of those crazy haters who's obsessed with her to the point of madness. You couldn't get her attention, and now, you're bitter and spreading lies!""Obsessed?" Kelly's tone dripped with disdain as her eyes flicked to Shirley on stage. "Is she even worthy? She's filthy!""Whoa…""Who is this woman?""Yeah, how arrogant can she be?""And honestly, her face doesn't even look lik
"Ms. Anderson, you said Shirley abandoned her child and ran off with her lover. So, who exactly is that child? And who was Shirley's lover?"In an instant, Kelly found herself surrounded by reporters and flashing cameras.Kelly, however, reveled in the chaos. She felt vindicated as long as Shirley suffered."That child? Well, it's me," Kelly declared with a mocking smile. "Yes, I'm the one Shirley heartlessly abandoned. Oh, and by the way, when Shirley was with my father, he already had a wife!" Kelly deliberately dragged out her words, savoring Shirley's visibly shaken state. "And guess what? I'm not Grant's full-blooded sister. I'm the illegitimate daughter of the woman who destroyed his family.""Enough, Kelly! Shut your mouth!" Shirley screamed into the microphone with bloodshot eyes. "Do you even realize what you're saying?""Of course, I do," Kelly retorted. Her voice turned sharper as she stared Shirley down. "I'm just curious, Shirley. After all these years, why did yo
After Grant and Kelly left, the massive venue did not quiet down. With Kelly gone, all the attention shifted to Shirley."Ms. Shrill, does what Mr. Grant Anderson just said have anything to do with you?""Ms. Shrill, did you involve yourself with the Anderson family in the past?""Ms. Shrill...""Get away! They're spouting nonsense.""Apologies, today's interview ends here!" Shirley's manager immediately stepped in. Without Grant's commanding presence, the manager quickly regained control. "Security! The event is over!"Shirley was escorted out of the venue in no time while surrounded by her team. Though the reporters were reluctant, they did not dare press further.As she observed the entire scene, Noelle shook her head and glanced at a visibly shaken Rowena. "Let's go," she said while patting Rowena's hand with a sigh.She could guess how upset Rowena must have felt and chose not to comment further. Sharing a look with Teresa, Noelle prepared to lead Rowena away.However, a
"If you don't clarify your relationship with Shirley, it'll be really difficult for us to—""Move aside! Move aside!"The manager had only left briefly to see Shirley off but found the scene escalating once again after returning. Initially, the manager thought the reporters would disperse after Shirley left, but instead, the commotion grew louder and more chaotic.When the manager looked closely and realized who was involved, he was startled to see none other than the VIP he had been instructed to handle with the utmost care.Panicked, he rushed over with staff to block the reporters. He apologized profusely to Noelle."Apologies, Ms. Shaw. This is our oversight. We didn't expect things to get out of hand like this."Noelle frowned slightly but gave a small nod. "Understood.""Ms. Shaw, I hope you'll put in a good word for us with Mr. Wells—or rather, with Mr. Hoffman. I…" His servile demeanor made the reporters gape in disbelief.Noelle raised her eyebrows faintly. "I want to
"Why are you here again? I'm warning you, I have nothing to do with you. You're doing just fine at the Anderson family now, so don't—"Noelle frowned and immediately understood. Shirley had mistaken her for Kelly, which explained her overly emotional reaction.She gave a wry smile. "Ms. Shrill, you're mistaken. I'm not Kelly.""Then who are you?""Noelle," she said with a faint smile. "Hello, I'm Noelle Shaw."The moment Shirley heard Noelle's name, her emotions spiraled even further. "It's you. It's actually you!"Shirley stared at Noelle in a daze. She was visibly shaken and nearly lost her balance. If not for her manager holding her up, she might have collapsed."Get away from me! You're all here to settle scores—every one of you!"Shirley shoved Ellen aside and dashed away through the side corridor.Ellen hesitated, her gaze lingering on Noelle for a moment before he hurried after Shirley."This is…" Rowena found herself stunned by the situation. She glanced at Noelle, st
As Grant escorted Kelly out of the venue, his expression was cold and unreadable. Kelly, however, could sense his anger. He was furious at her for publicly exposing the Anderson family's affairs.Once inside the car, Kelly sat stiffly. Her heart trembled when she caught a glimpse of his frosty glare. "I…""Do you even know what you're doing?" Grant suddenly raised his head, his icy eyes boring into her.His gaze held no warmth, and Kelly's fleeting courage dissipated instantly. She forced a bitter smile. "What does it matter to you what I do?""I'm your brother. Tell me, does it have nothing to do with me?" Grant shot her a frigid look. "I kept wondering why you refused to return, and now, I understand. It's because of her. What? Twenty years ago, she abandoned you, and now, you still want to go back to her?""I don't!" Kelly's eyes reddened with fury. "A woman like her? She's not worthy!""Then explain to me what you're doing right now.""Why does a hypocritical and shameless w
Just as Noelle and her friends left the venue, Charles received news of Kelly's disruption. The manager had already reported the incident in detail.At that moment, Charles was engaged in a video call with an international business partner. The moment Ronald informed him of the situation, Charles immediately ended the call and looked up at Ronald. "Speak.""It seems Mrs. Hoffman also encountered some trouble today," Ronald began, recounting the events he had learned from the manager.As he finished, he glanced at Charles, whose enigmatic gaze made Ronald hesitate slightly before adding, "Mr. Hoffman, Mrs. Hoffman—"Charles raised a hand, cutting Ronald off, "You're saying Kelly went to the venue? And Grant was there too?""Yes. Apparently, Shirley turned out to be Ms. Anderson's biological mother. Ms. Anderson announced it publicly in front of all the reporters—it's unquestionably true. As for Grant, he didn't say much, but he made a few pointed remarks before taking Ms. Anderson
Charles' eyes darkened. "Alright."After hanging up the phone, he stared at the now-dark screen, his gaze unfathomable.It seemed Noelle had indeed been affected. Her tone from earlier and her sudden suggestion to return to Phoenix Tree Residence—a place that belonged to just the two of them—were clear signs.Today's events had undoubtedly struck Noelle harder than he had anticipated. Her mind was likely in turmoil, the web of connections becoming more tangled the more she tried to make sense of it.Instinct told her today's drama was somehow linked to her. Shirley's and Kelly's appearances were not unrelated, and the reporters' claims were not necessarily baseless.Even Noelle probably could not help but entertain unsettling thoughts after seeing Shirley and Kelly. While her intuition gnawed at her, logic insisted otherwise. How could she, an ordinary woman, be connected to a famous star or the Anderson family?…"Noelle, are you okay?"Teresa was the first to notice something
It was not just a look-alike. It was him, for real!Noelle did not even want to admit she knew Rowena, the goofball.Teresa was super quick on her feet. She jumped up and asked the owner to bring over an extra chair. "Hey, you're here to get Noelle?"Charles gave Teresa a quick look and decided he liked her way more than Rowena, who was not behaving at all. He glanced at Rowena, who was still leaning on Noelle, and Noelle had not even pushed her away. This made Charles feel a bit colder, but he still managed to nod politely, "Mhm!"Teresa might have looked cool and collected, but inside, she was totally freaked out by Charles's super chilly vibe."Um... Rowena, sit up straight, will you?"Teresa caught the look in Charles's eyes, which seemed like he was about to lose it, so she quickly pulled Rowena over and held onto her hand tight.Charles finally seemed happy, and his face even looked a little friendlier. "What are you guys having?"Noelle could not help but give Charles a
Charles was speechless.He peered through the car window, his gaze locked onto the three women across the street. When he saw Rowena's hands still on Noelle's shoulders, his eyes practically blazed, "Tell your friend to get her hands off!""I..." Noelle glanced to the side and caught Rowena's hand, which was fidgeting on her. "Stop that!""Ooh, pretty girl, who are you talking to?" Noelle rolled her eyes, but Teresa jumped in quickly, "Is that Charles? Noelle, it's getting late. Did he come to pick you up? I wonder if he's eaten yet. Maybe you should invite him to join us for a bite?"Noelle peered across the street, her throat suddenly dry, and spoke into the phone, "Come on over, then!"Charles, phone in hand, watched Noelle from across the street. Teresa's words made him smile a bit, and he stepped out of his car, striding across the road with his long legs.Those days, Charles dressed in comfy clothes, like light gray instead of his usual black, to be gentle with the kids.
"Okay, okay, I'll be your good friend!" Rowena gave Noelle's shoulder a reassuring pat. "We've got that special bond, don't we? We wouldn't miss your wedding for the world!" Rowena gave Teresa a playful wink, and Teresa nodded with a smile, "Rowena's right, we wouldn't miss it. Now, let's have a toast!"After chatting for a bit longer, Noelle pulled out her phone from her purse. She saw a text from Charles asking, "Finished eating?"Noelle typed back, "Almost, I'll head back once we wrap up here.""Great, I'll be waiting for you!"Noelle read the message and felt a strange vibe. She glanced up and saw the eye-catching car parked across the street – the Rolls-Royce Phantom that Charles had recently gotten.The car parked on the side of the road was impossible to miss. Everyone walking by just had to sneak a peek. It was anything but low-key.Noelle pressed her hand to her forehead, looked down, and quickly texted Charles, "Why did you come out? And in such a flashy car!" It was no
The bridesmaid lineup was set: Kelly, Liliana, Linda, and Eloise. For the groomsmen, there were Yves, Sean, and Steven. They needed one more, and just when everyone was scratching their heads, Simon showed up. Just like that, the final groomsman spot was filled.The wedding was a whirlwind of activity, but it was also rewarding. Even though Noelle and Charles did not have to lift a finger, they were still super busy.Every day, Noelle worked hard to get fit for the big day. She wanted to look her best when she got married. However, all that work meant she was not getting much sleep.Charles could see how hard she was pushing herself, and it hurt him to see her like that. He knew Noelle was tough and always set high standards for herself.A few days before tying the knot, Noelle hung out with Rowena and Teresa again. She had wanted them to be bridesmaids, but they just wanted to watch their friend walk down the aisle. They would not have it any other way.So, the trio ended up at a
Liliana suddenly felt a knot in her stomach and quickly looked away.Noelle's brow furrowed with concern. "Why's Sean drinking so much all of a sudden? Did something happen at work?"Charles gave a soft chuckle and playfully tapped Noelle's nose. "You're so smart, but it's not about work this time. It's about a little trouble in love!"When Charles said that, all eyes turned to Liliana. The room went so quiet they could have heard a pin drop. Liliana's heart skipped a beat, and she looked a little pale. Holding her fists tight, she said, "Well, it's getting late. I think I'll take Bobby and head home now.""Hold on," Charles said, "since you're here, stay for dinner. Grandpa's here too!"Noelle chimed in, "Yeah, Liliana, Grandpa's waiting! Plus, it's late. It's not good for you to go back by yourself." She gave Charles a playful wink and a pinch, thinking he always brought up the most awkward things. However, she knew the situation with Liliana and Sean was not easy.As Sean's si
Charles flashed a sly smile. "You're going to be the best man.""The best man?" Sean eyed Charles. "And who's the maid of honor?"As expected, this guy!Charles eyed Sean back. "What's in it for me?"Sean clenched his teeth. "Charles, must you always make deals? I'm your wife's brother, and someday I'll be your brother-in-law!""Oh?" Charles rubbed his chin. "Even brothers should settle up clearly!" Charles was not one to be easily convinced. "It's decided."Charles then glanced at Peter. "Mr. Fischer should be okay, and then..."That was his and Noelle's wedding, a once-in-a-lifetime affair, and Charles was set on making it unforgettable for Noelle. So, instead of Sean's usual drinking and grumbling, it turned into Charles planning the perfect wedding for Noelle.Sean watched Charles show off his love life with such intensity that he almost wanted to throttle him.Later, Yves showed up, worn out from work, but Charles had summoned him with just a phone call.The bartender at
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