"Ms. Shrill, aren't you the least bit curious about why I'm here today?"Shirley kept her back turned to Sean, thinking that he would forget about it if he could not see her face.However, she was just kidding herself. Sean was not the type to throw in the towel so easily. If he wanted something, he would chase it down to the ends of the earth.Sean chuckled at the sight of her turned back. "Such a shame. I really thought you'd be dying to hear about Kelly. I guess I was wrong."The moment Shirley heard Kelly's name, she lost it. "What did you do to her?! Did Harrison put you up to this? Listen here! If you hurt her, I'll make sure Harrison regrets it for the rest of his days."Sean's eyebrow quirked up in amusement. "Really? If something goes wrong with Kelly, is it automatically Harrison's fault? Why are you so scared of my Uncle Harrison? Did you do something to him that you regret?""I haven't done anything!" Shirley shot back with a fierce glare. "Quit defending him. No matt
Andrew nodded. "Samara, the woman you had me dig into, is definitely gone. But before she left Brookville, she made a pit stop.""Where to?""Briskwater. She popped into some tiny clinic but bailed quickly. Next thing you know, she's overseas and bumps into Ms. Liliana!"Sean's nod was slow, lining up the dots with what Liliana had told him. "And her kid?""Samara wasn't doing too well after the birth, and then she was out of the picture. The kid's been with Ms. Liliana ever since." Andrew watched Sean's face cloud over, an uncharacteristic storm brewing inside him. "Mr. Smith?""Who was Samara close to before she left Brookville?""Well...""Seriously, you didn't even find that out?" Sean's voice was icy, his eyes slicing through Andrew like daggers. "Come on, Mr. Smith. You know investigations aren’t my thing. Why put me on the spot?" Andrew looked like he was about to cry. "Why not ask Lareal or Ronald?"Sean just shot Andrew a frosty look and dismissed him with a flick of
"Keep your eyes on the ground. He can't just vanish into thin air!" Charles snapped, his voice icy. "Anything else?""It's over." Sean could tell by the way Charles was clenching his jaw that he was in a foul mood. "He's my Uncle Harrison, and your father-in-law, for crying out loud!"Charles squinted. "Do you think I should be nice to him?"Forget it.Sean might as well not have mentioned it.Sean shrugged, fully aware of the source of Charles's rage. Regardless of what had happened in the past, Harrison and Shirley leaving baby Noelle behind was simply wrong.After a moment's thought, Sean decided to keep Shirley's treatment of Noelle to himself for then. If he found it infuriating, Charles might just lose it completely.It was baffling how Shirley could treat Kelly and Noelle so differently when they were both her daughters. Anyone could see the injustice of it...."Sir, Ms. Shrill is being discharged from the hospital today!"Ellis brought the news to Harrison, who had n
"Aren't you afraid? Your lady's been locked up in the hospital by your nephew for ages, yet you’re hiding in your shell like a spooked turtle." Shirley's gaze was icy as she faced Harrison. "Harrison, you're just a coward!""Hmph! You'll see soon enough if I'm a coward or not. But yeah, I did want you stuck in that hospital," Harrison said, tilting Shirley's chin upward with his fingers. "Judging by how much you've plumped up in just a week, I guess you're not a total airhead!""What's that supposed to mean?" Shirley inhaled sharply. "Harrison, what are you planning?""Going on a hunger strike was the silliest thing ever. Don't pull that stunt again. Even if you're itching for a dramatic exit, don't starve yourself. With your looks and that figure, it'd be a shame. Starvation is just plain ugly, and I bet even the underworld would reject you!""You're such a jerk, Harrison!" Shirley knocked his hand away. "What do you really want? Haven't I paid back what I owe you?""Not even clo
Shirley shuddered at Harrison's words as if the memories buried deep within her were being torn open, raw and bleeding. "Stop talking. You don't deserve to say things like that!”"And who does? Flynn, the married guy? Or John Anderson, the patriarch of the Anderson family?""You're a monster, not a human!"Knock knock!The sound of knocking on the car window cut through the tension inside.Harrison squinted, then caught the lazy tone of the man outside. "Uncle Harrison, after all these years, you greet me with such a big surprise. It doesn't seem quite right, does it?"Harrison's dark expression came into view as the window rolled down.Sean leaned casually against the door, waving a greeting as the glass came down. "Hey, Uncle Harrison... and the lovely little aunt!" Sean's grin was all innocence, his eyes twinkling with mischief.Harrison's gaze was sharp. "It's been ages, Sean.""Sure has! It’s been, what, over twenty years?" Sean stood easy and confident, taking in the sce
They were taking her back to the Smith residence?"No, I won't go!" Shirley looked at Harrison and Sean in terror. She never expected Harrison to show up, and even Sean got involved. Despite spending so many years by Harrison's side, Shirley hardly understood him. Well, she had never truly tried. She might have known him when he was younger, but after everything that happened, Shirley felt there was an unbridgeable distance between them.As for Sean, she knew even less about him. All she understood was that he was Harrison's nephew. Her recent interactions with him still left her uneasy as she was certain Sean was no saint."Aunt Shirley, one would think Uncle Harrison and I bullied you from your reaction," Sean said with a sly glint in his eyes. He glanced at the driver in the front seat. "You know where the Smith residence is, don't you?"The driver stiffened and instinctively glanced at the passenger beside him. "Drive," the passenger commanded curtly.The driver continued fo
Shirley's face turned pale at Yitty's words. "Ms. Yitty, are you here to accuse me?""How could I dare?" Yitty's expression remained cold, clearly showing her disdain for Shirley. "By the way, should I call you Shirley now, or Madison?"Shirley's expression shifted abruptly. "Well, Mr. Smith has finally returned home. As an outsider, I think I'd better leave.""Stop right there!" Harrison's expression darkened. "Don't you dare walk out!"Shirley froze in her tracks as Harrison's voice rang out. "If you don't want Kelly to trouble you in the future, you'd better do as I say."Harrison reached out and grabbed Shirley's hand. "Yitty, Savannah, this is my wife, Madison Jones."Yitty and Savannah were both stunned. Just as they were about to say something, Shirley reacted faster than they could.Shirley flung Harrison's hand away in shock. "Harrison, when did I ever marry you? I'll have you know, I'll never marry you even if it means I'll end up alone for the rest of my life!""Then
"Thank you for the trouble, Yitty," said Harrison."There's no need for formality; we're family," Yitty replied.As she watched Harrison drag Shirley upstairs, Yitty frowned and turned to Sean. "What's going on?"Sean, who had been silently observing, raised an eyebrow. "Oh, so Aunt Yitty finally noticed me?""Heh." Sean smirked. "What would you like to ask?""Your Uncle Harrison—what's the story? When did he come back? And why Shirley?"Sean paused for a moment, suddenly adopting a more serious tone as he looked at Yitty. "Aunt Yitty, this is a bit complicated. I only recently found out that Uncle Harrison had returned."As for why he's back and his entanglement with Shirley, it's a long story, and I'm still piecing it together. But Aunt Yitty, didn't you notice something unusual?""Unusual? About what?""Do you remember someone?""Who?""Noelle—Charles' wife, Noelle!""Noelle?" Yitty froze at the mention of Noelle's name, her eyes revealing a trace of astonishment. "Why w
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