"Why not approach Yankel directly? Why go around in circles?" Charles could not understand Sean's roundabout method.Sean paused for a moment, then gave a bitter smile. "Liliana's situation is similar to Samara's. Right now, she treats Bobby as if he's her biological child. Even if Bobby is saved, she won't hand him over to Yankel. But do you think the Canfield family will let it go once they find out Bobby is their bloodline?"The matter was not as simple as it appeared. Sean would not be handling it so cautiously otherwise. "Moreover, Liliana…"Charles frowned. "What about her?""It's nothing!" Sean shook his head. "All I need is for you to help me connect with the Canfield family. I'll take care of the rest."Charles nodded. "Fair enough. Whatever is going on between you and Liliana, only the two of you can resolve it.""By the way, what did Andrew call you about just now?""It's about Nelly. Anyway, since you're fine here, I'll be heading out." Leaving Noelle alone did not s
"What papers?" Noelle pretended not to understand as she stared at Winter."The shares! The share transfer agreement for the shares of City Ring Corp. I told you to bring it!" Winter fumed at Noelle's apparent feigned ignorance. "Or are you not afraid I'll expose all your photos?""Go ahead, expose them. I'd like to see if you even dare!" Noelle snorted coldly. "As for the shares, I've already told you—I sold them a long time ago.""You're lying. That's impossible!" Winter refused to believe her. "Grandpa gave those to you; there's no way you'd sell them!""Well, the truth is, I did. I sold them more than six months ago. I even told you all back then, but you refused to believe it." Noelle spread her hands, watching Winter's face twist in anger. "Winter, hand over the photos.""Without the share transfer agreement, do you think I'd give these to you? Do you take me for a fool?" Winter took out an envelope and waved it in front of Noelle."Everything's in here. And not just here
Noelle furrowed her brows slightly. "It's nothing significant. I consulted one of the most renowned obstetricians. What was her name again… Dr. Margaret Ellison?"Winter froze once more, her composure slipping briefly before she retorted, "What does your doctor have to do with me? And what's so special about remembering a doctor's name?""I have a good memory, you see. I never forget a thing," Noelle said calmly. "That day, after my check-up, I rested for a while in Dr. Ellison's lounge. I happened to overhear something quite intriguing. Would you like to hear it?""Noelle, shut up!" Winter suddenly shrieked while glaring at Noelle with venomous fury. "You shut your mouth!"Noelle smirked. "Why are you so upset? I just thought it was an interesting story worth sharing with you."Winter abruptly stood up and reached for her untouched coffee, clearly intending to fling it at Noelle."Watch out!" Suzy instinctively moved forward and grabbed Winter, pulling her back. The scorching co
"What did you say?" Winter stared at Noelle in disbelief."That's impossible. Grandpa would never agree to let you sell those shares to someone else. Noelle, are you insane? What kind of grudge do you have against the Shaws that would make you sell our shares? What are you up to?"Even with her limited sense, Winter quickly pieced things together. If Noelle had really sold the shares, it would leave Samuel with only a small portion, and the shares originally under Noelle's name would now belong to an outsider.If anyone wanted to target City Ring Corp. or the Shaws, manipulating the company would be the fastest way to do so.Winter's eyes burned with rage as she glared at Noelle. "What's your game?"Noelle smiled faintly at her. "There's no game. I just didn't think I was suited for business, so I sold them to make a bit of money. If you're so interested in the shares, you can always buy them back.""You…" Winter stepped forward, clearly intent on causing trouble. Yet Andrew, who
Noelle had barely finished speaking when a car pulled up nearby. The door opened, and a man stepped out, his gaze immediately locking onto her.Seeing Charles, Noelle's face lit up with a smile. "Charlie!"Charles walked over and glanced briefly at Andrew, who immediately took the hint and excused himself.Noelle ran up to Charles, wrapping her arms around his waist and rubbing her head against him affectionately. "Why are you here?""Didn't I tell you to leave these things to me?" Charles replied while gently ruffling her hair. Seeing her kitten-like demeanor, his eyes softened. "What's that in your hand?"Noelle froze for a moment before shaking her head. "I'll show you, but promise you won't get mad?"Hearing this, Charles raised an eyebrow in curiosity. Without another word, he took the envelope from her hand."Hey!" Noelle tried to interject, but Charles already had his arm around her and was guiding her into the car."Andrew, drive," Charles instructed."Yes, Mr. Hoffm
Noelle reached out and held Charles' hand. "The reason I went to meet Winter today wasn't for anything else—it was because she mentioned something about the time I went missing. I suspected that she was involved, so I went to see for myself."When I was found back then, my clothes were in disarray, and Winter claimed to have taken photos of me. She used those photos to negotiate with me, trying to get the City Ring Corp. shares, so—""So, the photos we saw earlier were supposed to be of you?"Charles continued her thought as his hand turned to grip hers. His fingertips brushed softly over the back of her hand. "And you were worried I'd misunderstand you because of those photos?"Noelle swallowed hard, then nodded.He pulled her into his arms while holding her tightly. "Silly girl!"As he embraced her, his deep eyes flashed with an icy sharpness. "Even if those photos existed, I wouldn't misunderstand you!""But—""I already knew about your disappearance back then." Charles gent
Winter returned from her confrontation with Noelle, seething with frustration. The thought of Suzy siding with Noelle only fueled her irritation further, and she ended up directing her anger at Suzy during the ride back.Suzy endured Winter's scolding several times along the way but maintained a calm and composed demeanor. She gently said to Winter, "I think the key to resolving this lies with your grandfather.""My grandfather?" Winter looked at Suzy suspiciously, momentarily forgetting her anger. "What do you mean?""It's clear from what Noelle said earlier. Those shares must've been transferred with your grandfather's approval. Think about it—your grandfather would never let those shares leave the family unless they were going back to his hands or sold to someone he trusts."Winter pressed her lips together. "You have a point. No matter how much he likes Noelle, my grandfather wouldn't just let her hand over something like that to an outsider. Unless…""Unless those shares are
"If you're asking me, then let me make it clear. The moment I gave the shares to Noel, I never intended to take them back!"Samuel set down his brush. His expression was stern as he looked at Winter. "I know your mother has been feeding you these ideas since you were a child, instilling hatred toward Noelle. But Winter, no matter what, Noelle is still your sister—""She's not! My mother only gave birth to me. I'm the only daughter of the Shaw household. Noelle is absolutely nothing!" Winter could not hold back and simply cut Samuel off mid-sentence."Grandpa, you know Noelle isn't part of the Shaws, yet you gave her City Ring Corp.'s shares? You'd rather give these things to an outsider than to me?""So, it's the shares you're after? Didn't your parents already give you plenty?" Samuel's tone turned colder. "What's this? You're still not satisfied?""This isn't about satisfaction. It's about Noelle not being qualified!""She's qualified because I chose to give them to her!" Samue
This wedding was nothing short of spectacular. Every moment was meticulously recorded by a dedicated team, with cameras set up throughout the venue to capture every detail of the ceremony from all angles.Charles and Noelle barely had a moment to rest as they moved from table to table, toasting guests with endless glasses of wine. The atmosphere remained lively and joyous deep into the night. It was not until the early hours of the morning that Noelle finally helped Charles to a private lounge on the second floor of the hotel.Though many had stepped in to shield them from excessive drinking, there was no avoiding the celebratory nature of the occasion. The alcohol had inevitably taken its toll. After settling Charles onto the couch, Noelle fetched some honey water and a warm towel before returning to his side.Charles lay slightly on his side, propping his chin up with one hand. Noelle sat beside him and handed him the towel, but he did not reach for it.Sighing, she called soft
Sean clicked his tongue, shaking his head in amusement. "Charles, your body is here, but your heart is clearly somewhere else."Then, as if making an even bigger discovery, he gestured toward a spot not far away. "Oh, I say, Charles, this is a real crisis. See that?"With the enthusiasm of someone who thrived on drama, Sean pointed at Noelle and Grant. "I don't know, man. That guy doesn't look like he's here with good intentions."Charles raised an eyebrow, his gaze darkening as it settled on Noelle and Grant. He gripped his glass a little tighter, but his eyes refused to move away from them. Still, his words were dismissive. "He's just another big brother-in-law. That's all.""Yeah, right. Just admit it—he's a strong rival."The second Sean finished speaking, he felt an icy stare pierce through him. Charles' glare was sharp enough to cut. "Hmm? What did you just say?""Nothing!" Sean swallowed hard, instantly backtracking. Dear god, a jealous man was terrifying!"You think he's
Grant's eyes carried too many emotions—too many things unspoken. Noelle could not fully understand, but she could sense that there was something significant behind his words.The diary in her hands had to hold something important that was possibly related to the past she had forgotten. Perhaps they were the lost pieces of her memory that she had always assumed were not crucial.She had assumed so because otherwise, she would have recalled them after all these years. Besides, they had not seemed to affect her life in any meaningful way.Over time, she had gradually let go of the idea of remembering.Yet now, with Grant handing her this diary, an unsettling feeling crept over her as if she had forgotten something incredibly important—something she could not afford to lose.Holding the diary tightly, Noelle felt a strange mix of emotions that she could not quite describe.She hesitated before murmuring, "Thank you."In the end, she did not ask Grant where he had gotten the diary. I
"Alright!" Charles took the glass from Bob's hand and downed it in one go.Standing beside him, Noelle opened her mouth slightly and reached out to tug at Charles' arm. "Charlie… Take it easy!"With so many guests around, Charles had already had quite a bit to drink. If they kept pushing more onto him, how would he handle it?Noelle looked at him with concern, but Charles simply smiled and gently patted the back of her hand. "I'm fine.""Oh, wow, are you showing off your love for each other right in front of us? Are you trying to make us single folks suffer?"Simon chimed in, fueling the lively atmosphere. He had always been the laid-back type, and now, paired with Sean, the two seemed to hit it off instantly. They were like long-lost partners in crime. They exchanged a knowing glance, clearly set on making Charles drink more.Noelle wanted to say something, but seeing the calm look Charles gave her, she hesitated and eventually let them have their fun.With that, Charles was dr
Charles opened the gift box, revealing a pair of crystal flats. Noelle was surprised, but before she could react, Charles had already removed her heels and was carefully helping her into the new shoes.Gasps of astonishment rippled through the crowd, and Noelle could not help but feel a little embarrassed. However, Charles remained completely focused, his movements gentle and precise as he secured the flats on her feet before helping her stand again.The moment Noelle stood up, she immediately felt much more comfortable. However, a new problem arose.Her wedding gown had been tailored for the height of her heels, and now, with the flats, she had suddenly lost nearly three inches. It caused the hem of her dress to drag awkwardly on the floor. It looked far from elegant.Noelle shot a troubled look at Charles. Without hesitation, he crouched down once more. With a few effortless movements, he gathered the outer layers of her gown, tying them into a casual knot at the side.Noelle's
"Grandpa, Granddad!" Noelle called out, holding Charles's hand as they approached. Sebastian waved them over, "Noelle, come to my side!" Holding Charles's hand, Noelle walked up to Sebastian and let go to hug his arm, "Granddad!""There's my sweet girl!" Sebastian's eyes twinkled with joy as he looked at Noelle and Charles.Charles's lips were always tipped with a gentle smile, and he joined Noelle, saying, "Granddad!""Yes, wonderful!"Finally, the big day came—a wedding with a beautiful ceremony.Sebastian was really proud of Charles, his star student. Then, Noelle married Charles, and Sebastian felt a huge relief, as if a weight had been lifted from his heart.Sebastian felt a little sad thinking about Noelle getting married for real. He pulled a small box from his pocket and said, "Your grandma got this from her family when she was alive. Now, I want you to have it!""No, I can't take this!" Noelle said quickly when she heard it was from her grandma.However, Sebastian sh
"Wow, I can't believe that just happened!""Look at that! Charles is actually so considerate and gentle—it’s hard to believe!”Charles slipped the crystal shoes onto Noelle's feet and then scooped her up in his arms. With that, the noisy crowd made their way out of the place.Outside the place, a line of fancy cars waited. People climbed in, and they all set off for the hotel.As the luxury cars rolled away from the Smith residence, reporters followed, eager to capture every moment of the spectacle.Even though the Hoffmans and the Smiths had told the press to stay out of certain areas, they could not stop them from snapping pictures on the public streets. So, the day's big moments ended up all over the internet.In front of the hotel run by the Nexus Group, car after car pulled up and parked. The whole street had been cleared out just for today's wedding party.Charles, looking sharp in his white suit, stepped out of the car and turned his back to the door. A pretty figure in w
The church was alive with love and happiness, the air buzzing with laughter, congratulations, and heartfelt connections. For a moment, Charles stood still, holding Noelle’s hand, soaking in the overwhelming joy that surrounded them. It wasn’t just the ceremony that made the day special—it was the people they loved, the memories they’d shared, and the future they were about to build together.As the crowd slowly began to disperse, the newlyweds, still smiling and basking in the glow of their love, made their way out of the church, ready to begin the rest of their lives together.Just then, the bridesmaids—Kelly, Liliana and Linda—and the groomsmen—Sean, Peter, and the others—emerged from the church. They were all smiling, but especially Sean, who had his usual carefree, playful attitude. He walked up behind Charles as if he were about to give him a friendly shove.However, before Sean could do anything else, it was obvious that Charles was not pleased with him at all. With a quick mo
Meanwhile, Charles caught sight of his mother, Clarisse and father, Mateo, both of them beaming with pride. Clarisse's eyes were bright with tears as she dabbed at them with a tissue, while Mateo's face was etched with a quiet, proud smile."Charles!" Clarisse called out, her voice thick with emotion. She was barely holding it together, and her hands trembled as she waved him over for a hug. Charles went to her, his heart swelling, and pulled her into his arms. "I'm so proud of you," she whispered, and the emotion in her voice made his chest tighten. He pulled back, giving her a soft smile, and then hugged Mateo, who patted him on the back."Don't you go breaking her heart, Charles," Mateo said with a wink, making everyone nearby laugh. It was a comment Charles had heard many times before, but today, it carried a deeper, more heartfelt meaning.He turned to Noelle, and she smiled at him, her eyes crinkling at the corners in that way he loved. Her parents were waiting for her, and