Even though Charles held the shares of City Ring Corp., it was Noelle who really had to run the show.Today, Ronald came from City Ring Corp. with some numbers for Noelle. "Mrs. Hoffman," he said, "Mr. Hoffman thinks that City Ring Corp. has taken a big hit. It's not going to be easy to get out of this mess quickly. We've got to deal with the projects from last year right away. Collosus Group will just have to put up some cash to cover the holes for everything else."Ronald explained while keeping an eye on Noelle. She was so engrossed with the reports that she did not even notice Ronald standing there. He waited quietly until she looked up.Noelle flipped through a few pages, her forehead wrinkling a bit. She glanced up at Ronald. "Mr. Wells, this... Mr. Wells, please sit down!"You can sit, you know!" she added, realizing he had been on his feet the whole time."That's okay, Mrs. Hoffman. I'm fine with standing!" Ronald said with a light smile. "Is something wrong?""No, nothin
"Okay!" Noelle shut her folder. "You've been working so hard lately, Mr. Wells. You should be with Charles now!" Ronald had been so busy with tasks at both City Ring Corp. and Collosus Group recently."Mrs. Hoffman, you must be kidding. I work for Mr. Hoffman, so it's my job to do these things. If there's nothing else, I'll be on my way!"Ronald quickly gathered his things and got up to leave.Noelle rubbed her forehead, feeling tired. Clarisse, who was coming down the stairs, noticed and said, "Feeling worn out? You're pregnant now, so you shouldn't worry about the company. Let Charles handle it."Over time, Clarisse and Noelle had grown to get along much better.Clarisse had come to see that Noelle, her daughter-in-law, was not as troublesome as she had thought. In fact, Noelle had been a big help with rekindling the emotional bond between her and her son, Charles.When Noelle saw Clarisse coming down, she stood up to straighten some scattered papers on the desk. Clarisse quick
It was Clarisse’s first time going out with Noelle, and they were heading to the hospital for a check-up. Clarisse felt a mix of emotions she could not quite put into words. However, while Clarisse was nervous, Noelle seemed calm. They got to the hospital where Margaret was already waiting. She looked a bit surprised to see Noelle walk in with a middle-aged lady. "Mrs. Hoffman!" Noelle nodded. "Dr. Ellison, thanks for seeing us." Margaret smiled and glanced at the woman beside Noelle. Noelle smiled back. "Dr. Ellison, this is my mother-in-law."Margaret nodded in understanding. "Just a moment. I'll go check on Mrs. Hoffman!" With that, she led Noelle into the examination room.Noelle was almost five months pregnant, and her belly was starting to show. After a quick check-up, Margaret smiled. "Everything looks great. Just make sure you don't sit around too much at home. It's good to walk around a bit!""Okay!" Noelle slid off the bed, her smile as warm as sunshine. "Thanks a lo
"Yeah. You don't look too shocked to see me," Winter said with a frosty stare at Noelle. "It's all your fault, Noelle. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't be in this mess!""You're the one who killed Suzy?" Noelle noticed the handkerchief in Winter's hand. She intended to use that very handkerchief to cover Noelle’s mouth and nose, and then...Noelle's gaze was sharp as she slipped her hands behind her back, swiftly pulling out her phone from her bag. She pressed the buttons from memory, all the while locking eyes with Winter. "Did you also make Grandpa so mad that he passed away?""What if I did?""Grandpa was your own family, and Suzy was your best friend. How could you hurt them, Winter?"Noelle knew she had to stay calm. She could not let Winter spot any weakness, so she kept talking, trying to needle Winter and distract her.It worked. Winter started laughing wildly. "Family? Did he ever really treat me like family? You know, when I visited him in the hospital, I thought that
Noelle’s belly was bulging. She did not dare to tug hard against Winter. However, Winter was different. She was ready to die with Noelle, so she yanked on Noelle with all her might, especially aiming for Noelle's belly. She raised her foot to kick, but Noelle pushed her away. Noelle's bag hit the ground, and her phone tumbled out.Winter's gaze fixed on the phone. Her eyes turned wild. "Calling for help? Do you think it'll make a difference?" She seemed to lose her mind, pulling out a syringe from behind. Her eyes filled with venom as she aimed for Noelle.Noelle held onto Winter's hands with all her might, pulling with all the strength she could muster. However, Winter was coming at her without any care for her own safety. As Noelle's strength started to fade, the needle got dangerously close to her. Clenching her teeth, Noelle turned her head just in time, and the needle ended up stabbing into the sink. In that instant, Noelle let go, and Winter, caught by surprise, stumbled as if
Charles was in the middle of a meeting when he heard Noelle's special ringtone. He picked up the phone quickly, but no matter how much he talked, Noelle did not say a word back. He could barely hear her voice. It sounded like she was talking to someone else.Charles stopped the meeting with a wave of his hand, especially after he heard Noelle say the name ‘Winter’ over the phone. He stood up so fast that his chair almost fell over. "This meeting is over!" he said and rushed out of the room. Ronald, who had been taking notes, jumped to his feet and called out, "Mr. Hoffman!""Find out where Mrs. Hoffman is right now, and check on where Andrew is too!"Charles's face was serious as he strode to the elevator, gripping his phone so hard his knuckles turned white. Ronald knew that was bad news. He quickly called Andrew, and just as the elevator doors were closing, he slipped inside with Charles. "Mr. Hoffman, Andrew found out she's at the hospital!"The hospital?A fierce look flashed
"Where is she?"Charles looked from Sean to Andrew, then suddenly kicked Andrew in the chest.Andrew stumbled but caught himself. "Where is she?" Charles demanded again."Mr. Hoffman!"After another kick, Andrew could not keep his balance and fell back, ending up on one knee. "I deserve the worst, Mr. Hoffman. I've let you down.""Find them! Even if you have to dig three feet into the ground, find them!" Charles roared like a lion in a rage. Nobody dared get too close, afraid they would be the next to feel his wrath.Everyone had seen Charles in all sorts of moods, but they had never seen him this scary. His face was so icy it made everyone's heart race. He kicked out his leg and gave Andrew another hard kick.Andrew slammed into the wall and coughed up a mouthful of blood.The bodyguards behind were so frightened they looked at each other, all of them clenching their fists, worried they might be next on Charles's list."Charles, look at this!"Sean picked up a syringe from t
Charles rubbed his forehead, his eyes flashing with an intense glare.The news about Noelle's disappearance spread fast, reaching both the Hoffman and Smith families. The Smiths came to the Hoffmans, looking for answers from Charles. However, Charles was not at Hoffman Residence.In the deepest, darkest hallway of The Majestic Lounge, a man stood watching a woman, his gaze fierce and unforgiving."Mr. Hoffman!"Andrew burst through the door. "She's awake. The guys gave her a lesson, and now she's pretending to be out cold!""Pretending?" Charles's voice was ice-cold. "Let her learn what real suffering feels like!" He spoke without a hint of feeling, and his words made Winter, who was lying on the floor, tremble.She tried to rise but fell back down, too weak to stand. "Charles, picking on a woman doesn't make you a hero!""Still talking tough when you're about to die?" Andrew kicked her again, yanking Winter's hair. "Remember, you're not even worthy of saying Mr. Hoffman's name.
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