"I..." Winter shook her head sadly. "I just don't know anymore. I've told you everything I know. Please, you have to let me go!"Charles's eyebrows came together in a frown as he held the monitor tightly. "Andrew, you take care of this."With those words, Charles left the shadowy room. Ronald had been waiting outside. Seeing Charles, he quickly caught up. "Mr. Hoffman, we still haven't found Mrs. Hoffman!"Charles felt a cold shiver run through him, but he passed the object in his hand to Ronald. "Trace this back!""What's this..."Ronald looked at Charles, puzzled. "You have two hours.""Understood!""Charles, you need to come here now!" Charles had just left The Majestic Lounge when Sean's call came through. "Come to my lab!"Charles's face fell. "Is it the medicine in the syringe that's the problem?""Yes!" Sean was sitting in his lab chair, looking very serious. Anyone paying attention could tell that Sean was feeling very grave. "Get here now!"Charles was not used to he
The more Sean tried to explain, the gloomier the lab felt. At last, Charles pounded his fist on the lab table, his eyes red and angry. He glared at the list of numbers and codes in Sean's hand, grinding his teeth. "I need the right answer, now!""Charles, where are you off to?"Sean was worried Charles might do something reckless, but there was no stopping him now. With no other choice, he called Steven. "Mr. Fischer, wherever you are, you'd better come to Brookville quickly and keep an eye on Charles. I've got a bad feeling something's about to go down." Anything involving Noelle was always serious business.Steven's brow was creased with worry as he hung up the phone with Ronald. He had just learned the details of a troubling situation, and then Sean was on the line, bringing more bad news. Steven's face was stormy as he listened. "Okay, I understand. Where are you right now? What's happening?""Noelle might have been injected with the same virus that Tania and Bran were!""What
Starting anew with Peter and spending so much time with Bran had made the three of them a very happy family. They were having so much fun that Tania nearly forgot why they came there in the first place.However, just a moment ago, while playing a game with Bran, Tania noticed Peter's serious face. It was scary.With a deep frown, Peter stared at Tania for a while before saying, "We might need to go back home.""Is something wrong? Did something happen back home?" Tania felt uneasy. "Who is it?""Noelle," Peter replied. "Sean called. Noelle's gone missing, and nobody knows what's going on or why!""What?" Tania was shocked, staring at Peter. "Are you sure? Who would... What's really happening?""We don't know who's involved or what they want. However, Noelle's gone, and Sean sounded like it was bad. There's something else..." Peter paused. "Noelle might have the same virus as you."Tania was too anxious to sit still. "Noelle is pregnant. Who's the guy doing this?" She was upset.
"Just eat your food. I'll be back to clean up after you're done," the servant said, and with a loud slam, the door shut behind her."Who are you people? Why have you brought me here? What do you want?" Noelle shouted, rushing to the door and pounding on it with all her might. However, her cries fell on deaf ears. No one came for her.Noelle shouted for help, but it was like she was invisible. Her throat hurt from yelling, and her stomach growled with hunger. She looked around the room. It was nicely decorated, which made her think the person who brought her here must be rich.At first, Noelle did not want to touch the food. What if it was poisoned? What did her captor want with her?Then she realized that if they wanted to hurt her, they could have done it at the hospital. They did not. They just made her pass out and brought her there. That meant they did not want her dead, or not yet, at least.She had to stay calm for her own sake and for the baby she was carrying.With a dete
Noelle did not know how long she had been in her room, but as evening fell, the door suddenly opened. It was the old woman again. She looked at Noelle. "Time to eat downstairs."Noelle was taken aback but knew she could not let her true feelings show. She just watched the old woman, who did not even glance back at her before walking away.Noelle quickly followed the old woman downstairs. She was eager to explore and uncover the secrets of the place she was in. Despite it being summer, a sharp chill greeted her as she descended, making her shiver.Frowning, Noelle was led to the dining table where a man in black sat at the head, his attention seemingly on the newspaper in his hands. Approaching, she noticed a shiny silver mask covering his face, hiding any expression."Who are you? What do you want with me?" Noelle asked.She reached out to remove his mask, but the man stood up and dodged with such speed that she was left startled."Do you think I want something from you?" Jethro
Was Winter just a pawn for this guy, and he was using her to get what he wanted? However, he could have just had his own people take care of things. Why send Winter, another woman, after Noelle? That was what Noelle could not wrap her head around.His guys could have easily dealt with her without Winter getting in the way. "Are you using Winter to reach some goal of yours?"Jethro just frowned and stayed quiet.Noelle gripped her knife and fork tighter. "I've gone through City Ring Corp.'s books. There've been issues for two years now, but they were too small to notice at first. It wasn't until last year that the big problems started to show up. And then there was the trouble with my grandpa. Did Winter go to upset him at the hospital because of you? Was it you she met in that shady spot?"Noelle did not know why, but as she put the pieces together, she felt sure he was behind it all. "Why are you after City Ring Corp. and the Shaws?"My grandpa never did anything to you! And Wint
Noelle's fists were clenched tight. "Who are you, really? What do you want?" she demanded."You'll find out soon enough," came the reply.After Jethro left the villa, Noelle, having finished her meal, thought about making a run for it. However, she quickly realized escape was next to impossible.Guards were posted all around the villa, and several masked men in black had appeared inside. They were skilled, and their faces were hidden, leaving them unrecognizable.Noelle felt a surge of anger as she pinched her palm and glared at them. She decided to head upstairs and come up with a long-term plan....In the lab, Sean finally finished analyzing the contents of the syringe. He immediately called Charles. "It's the virus from Bran, Charles!"Charles's face turned serious as he held his phone tightly. He quickly looked over at Steven. "How long until we can find them?""We've got it. They're in..." Steven's eyes were glued to the screen, then he said sharply, "Cascade City!"Casc
"Let me guess. You're not suggesting someone is hiding there, are you? But..." Sean was clearly skeptical, but he paused and looked over at Charles, who was gazing at the house with a thoughtful expression and a glint of something mysterious in his eyes."Charles?"With his lips pressed together, Charles turned to Bob. "We didn't bring many people with us. Do you have enough folks to help out?" Charles seemed remarkably calm.Bob smirked. "What's the catch for me?"Charles squinted slightly. "What kind of reward are you looking for?" He spoke so evenly that one could not tell he was upset, let alone that someone had kidnapped his wife.Bob's eyes twinkled with amusement. "I haven't thought of anything yet, Mr. Hoffman. You can just owe me a favor.""Sebastian!" Charles said sharply, and Bob's face stiffened. He met Charles's look with narrowed eyes, his smile disappearing. "Mr. Hoffman, what are you getting at?""Mr. Bob Smith, did your grandfather have a brother by any chance?"
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