Noelle could not help but smirk and shake her head. "Okay, Sean." She had just spaced out for a second. "But why are you looking for Charles? He's tied up in a meeting right now!"As she started to stand up, she asked, "What can I get you to drink?""Whoa, hold up! Don't even get up. If Charles hears that I had you, a pregnant lady, fetching coffee and water for me, he'd have my head!" Sean's face twisted into a comically horrified expression, making Noelle laugh and roll her eyes at him."Seriously, take a seat. I know my way around here like the back of my hand. I'll help myself!"With that, Sean grabbed a glass of water for himself and poured a warm cup for Noelle. "Remember, no cold water for you now that you're expecting!""Got it!"Noelle nodded. "You still haven't spilled the beans. What's up with Charles?"Sean was the type who would not show up without a good reason, so it must be something pressing.He glanced up casually. "Oh, it's nothing major. I just felt like dro
"No way!" Noelle quickly gestured with her hands. "That's not me!"She hesitated. "Well, do you think it's me?"Sean quirked an eyebrow. "If it’s not you, then who would it be?" The answer hit him almost instantly—Kelly. That woman.How had he overlooked it? Kelly and Noelle shared such a striking resemblance, so she looked a lot like Shirley too. “Did you go to that press conference yesterday about the scandal that’s all over the news?"Noelle nodded quickly, and just like that, everything clicked for Sean.That explained the late-night call from Charles. Even though Kelly was the one in the spotlight, Noelle must have had her doubts, prompting Charles to reach out to him.Putting two and two together, Sean got straight to the point. "Are you trying to figure out how you're connected to this Shirley? Or are you curious about your connection to Kelly, Grant, and the Andersons?"Noelle had harbored all these suspicions, but Sean's candidness still made her cheeks warm with embarr
"What?""Uncle had a fiancée back in the day.""Who?""Get this! It was Noelle's mom, Jade.""What?" A flicker of shock crossed Charles's narrow eyes. "You're telling me Uncle Harrison was engaged to Jade?""Yeah," Sean said, taking a sip of water and pausing momentarily. "I mean, it's wild how small our world is, right?" He was just as shocked when he first heard. "Jade is the last person you'd picture as a high-society debutante. But my aunt really thought she would be perfect for the part. Back in the day, Jade and my aunt were really close. I guess Jade wasn't as fiery back then! My aunt mentioned that Jade had a bit of a crush on my Uncle Harrison. But something went down, and Uncle Harrison took off to Capiton while Jade got married, as we know.”Charles squinted, caught off guard by the backstory. "What happened next?" He leaned in, eager for the rest of the story."There's not much to tell. Uncle Harrison never really came back after heading to Capiton. Word is that he s
"Don't worry. I'm on it. The Canfield family's after my project, and Yankel's gonna have to cough up something big in return.""Good, just hurry it up. Bobby's sickness isn't waiting for anyone." Sean's heart ached at the thought of Bobby in the hospital bed and Liliana's daily distress. "You don't want Liliana to go through another ordeal, do you? The nightmare from three years ago still haunts her. Bobby can't afford a crisis right now.""I've got it under control. Anything else?" Charles's tone was dismissive, clearly signaling the end of the conversation.Sean rubbed his nose, a bit miffed. "Don't get too comfy kicking people to the curb once they’re done helping you!"Charles's laugh was icy, his eyes glinting with a dare. "Oh, it can get even more satisfying. Do you want to give it a shot?"Grinding his teeth in frustration, Sean balled his fists and gave Charles a defiant wave. "You’re playing hardball, Charles. Just remember this when you come begging for a favor.""Isn't
Brian's expression turned odd, and he shifted uncomfortably under Noelle's steady gaze. "It's nothing, really. It's just that I've been trying to reach her, and she seems to be busy all the time. Or maybe she hasn't seen my messages?"Noelle's face lit up with realization. She figured that Teresa and Brian had not been in touch lately, and that was probably why Brian was on the lookout for her. Noelle's eyes twinkled with mischief, convinced that the pair must have good chemistry. She pretended to mull it over for a bit before saying with a touch of hesitation. "Well, it's not really a big deal. Teresa just went to some social event not too long ago, so she probably made a couple of new friends, you know?""A social event? New friends?"Brian zeroed in on those words, narrowing his eyes at Noelle. "Ms. Saunders went to some kind of social event?" He looked totally shocked, as if he could not wrap his head around the idea of Teresa going on what sounded like blind dates.Noelle ca
Brian had been away on a business trip just a few days ago. He was planning to pick up some gifts to bring home, so he reached out to Teresa to get some ideas, but she never got back to him.Brian tried contacting Teresa when he was back in town again, but his messages might as well have vanished into thin air. That was why he was testing the waters today, but he had not expected Noelle to hit him with such a bombshell.Teresa was seeing someone? Seriously? How had he missed that?He begrudgingly guessed it made sense, considering Teresa’s radio silence."If there's nothing else, Mr. Parker, I'm going to head out.""Sure."Brian nodded, his mind elsewhere. He only breathed a sigh of relief once Noelle walked out. He stared at his phone, wrestling with whether to call Teresa and congratulate her.Did he really want to congratulate her?Noelle left the project department with a grin she could barely contain. She wanted to burst out laughing, but this was the office, after all. Sh
"Well, that's not a given. Brian's always been the master of self-control. Maybe he's just not used to the situation yet. But if he figures out you're playing him, I bet...""Why overthink it?" Noelle brushed off Charles’ concern with a wave of her hand. "When it comes to love, someone's gotta make the first move. You've got to take a leap of faith, right? Did you forget how we got together? If you hadn't made your move, none of our amazing stories would've happened, would it?"Charles's gaze intensified. "You're right, as always!"Noelle's eyes crinkled with a mischievous glint, her playful look sending a tingle through Charles. He gently tousled her hair and let out a wistful sigh. "Here's to hoping your friend gets her happily ever after!""That's the spirit!""Yep!" Charles agreed with a nod. "It's time for Brian to step out of the shadows. Maybe your friend is the fresh start he needs!"Noelle's thoughts drifted back to a past conversation with Charles. He had mentioned that
"What's our next move, sir?"Ellis had been with Harrison for a long time, yet he still found it hard to predict his boss's thoughts, let alone make any assumptions about his desires.Ellis had long realized that Shirley was the only person who could ever shake Harrison's composure. At the same time, she always seemed to rub him the wrong way. Despite that, Harrison's dedication to her was unwavering.Harrison declared with a glint of mischief and malice in his eyes, "I can't see Grant keeping someone's loyalty for a lifetime. Start a rumor that Shirley's going to a movie premiere in a few days!"Ellis hesitated, looking at Harrison with concern. "Sir, with Shirley's health being the way it is, she can't possibly attend any event!"Getting Shirley on her feet was hard enough, much less getting her out the door!Harrison's gaze, sharp as ice, landed on Ellis. "That's not your concern. Just handle it. By the way, doesn't Kelly have a kid with her?""Yes. Rumor has it that he’s an
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