Jade quickly let go. "I'm so sorry, sweetheart. Are you okay?"Winter shook her head. "Why are you telling me to keep it a secret?" She had been hoping to use that secret to persuade her grandfather to change his mind.Jade looked sad. "Have you forgotten about Simon?""Simon York?" Winter gasped as the memory of that man flashed through her mind. She remembered the day she had brought Noelle to Simon. It had been a perfect chance, yet somehow, Noelle slipped away.Noelle was drugged that day. Winter had seen her mom double the dose in the coffee. Winter figured if Noelle ended up with Simon at Samuel's birthday party, Samuel would be let down by Noelle and Xavier would think less of her.If Noelle made a scene at Samuel's party, she would be just as disgraced as Simon.Winter had thought figured out, but no one expected Noelle to slip away. Simon did not catch Noelle. Instead, Noelle turned the tables and injured him, landing him in the hospital. That mess caused City Ring Cor
Julian's brows creased with worry. "What about Noelle?""She has never repaid us with anything. It's only fair she helps the Shaw family now," Jade's biting words floated to Winter, who was surprised but kept listening.Julian was getting upset. "You've lost it! I told you we're not talking about this again. Do you want the whole world to find out?"Jade shrugged. "Why worry? I'm over it, and it's not even your problem." She added with a scowl, "We never should've brought that troublemaker home. Look how Dad's acting now."Julian cut her off, "That's enough! I need to think this over.""What's there to think about? Don't forget about the Yorks...""Enough. I've got to figure out how to bring Noelle back home!" Julian glared at Jade. "I know you don't like her, but do you think I do? Dad's no fool, and he knows what's going on."Jade stopped talking, though she was clearly upset. She could not help but take her anger out on Noelle.Winter lingered outside the door, listening.
Ava could not shake the feeling of injustice, believing that those who did not know the truth should not speak. Yet, she knew that when many voices joined together, the noise could be overwhelming, and things were rarely as simple as they seemed."Time to get back to work!""Alright," Ava replied, her energy drained. However, as she turned, she caught sight of Xavier, and her expression turned complex.Noelle caught sight of Xavier as well, and her eyebrows knitted together in a slight frown. Their relationship had changed so much that she hardly ever spent time with him anymore. Xavier, however, did not seem to realize that things were different now.Xavier walked over, his lips pressed tightly together. He was not happy when he saw Noelle's look. "Yesterday, you..."Noelle interrupted, looking up, "What? Is there something you need, Mr. Harris?"Xavier's brows were creased with worry. "Why didn't you come home last night? You're a girl, and you didn't come home all night. Don't
Noelle had wanted to earn Xavier's affection through her own hard work, so their romantic relationship was a secret to almost everyone. She never imagined that a single mistake would turn into a weapon for Xavier and Winter to use against her.Only their families knew the truth about them, but to everyone else, it was a mystery.Winter, a celebrity in the spotlight, had an engagement party with Xavier that drew in hordes of media. The story that Noelle had come between Winter and Xavier seemed to be confirmed.Noelle did not know who had managed to keep the story quiet in the end, but she was sure she would be left with the blame.Her eyes darkened as she locked eyes with Xavier. "What's done is done, and I can't change the past. But please don't come looking for me from now on unless it's work-related, especially not for these insignificant things!""What's not important?" Xavier was puzzled. He and Noelle had been so tight before, and she used to say yes to everything. Now, she
"Let me go!" Noelle squirmed, feeling sick as she looked at Xavier. She swung her hand and slapped him hard across the face. "Snap out of it, Xavier! Look at me—I'm Noelle, not Winter. If you've lost your mind, go chase after Winter.""Noelle, I made a mistake. You know you're the one I love. With Winter... I just lost control. She lured me in, Noelle." Xavier suddenly wrapped his arms around Noelle. No matter how much she wriggled and squirmed, he would not let go.Xavier's grip was so tight that Noelle could barely catch her breath. She felt gross all over, especially hearing his words. "Let me go, Xavier! If you don't, I'm going to scream for help.""Go ahead and scream. I'll just tell everyone you like me and that we're a couple. Noelle, I know you're mad about Winter, but you've got to understand that she has shares in City Ring Corp. I had no choice." He gripped Noelle's arms, continuing, "After I marry Winter and get the shares, I'll divorce her. Then, it'll be just you and m
"No, he's not some kind of wild man," Noelle said without thinking. After catching a glimpse of Xavier's face, she took a deep breath. "Xavier, this is the last time I'm going to say this—stop doing things that gross me out."She reached out and peeled Xavier's fingers away one by one. "We really should keep our distance at work!""Noelle!"Xavier watched Noelle walk away. Feeling frustrated, he punched the elevator door, startling the nearby employees. "Mr. Harris!""What are you doing here?" Joseph's voice came from behind Xavier, making him panic. "Dad!"Joseph gave Xavier a fierce look. "How many times do I have to tell you to behave at the company? You're engaged to Winter, so leave Noelle alone!" Joseph was so disappointed with his son, wishing he could just shape up. "You need to know what you really want!"Xavier scowled. "But Dad, Noelle and I really love each other." He did not want to be with Winter. He just wanted her shares and the company. Even though he was att
Noelle's heart clenched sharply as she gripped the phone tighter. She closed her eyes, taking a moment to calm herself. "Mom, do you really not understand the reason why I haven't been going home?""You..." Jade had not heard Noelle say a word until then. She had thought Noelle was still the same old pushover, easy for her to control. However, to her surprise, Noelle cut her off. "What the hell are you trying to say here?"Noelle said with a sad smile, "What do you think, Mom? You know exactly what I mean. Why did you call?" Noelle knew her mom well. Jade would not bother with her unless it was something big.Jade snapped, "Come back home! Don't you forget, this is your home. Your grandpa treats you so well, you—""I'm really busy right now!" Noelle cut in without hesitation. She would definitely visit Samuel because he had always been kind to her. However, he understood her and would not ask her to come back, so Jade's excuse was not going to work.Jade said through clenched te
Noelle ended the call and felt like all her energy had been sucked out. She slumped to the floor, her eyes empty and unfocused.Ava rushed over when she saw her. "Ms. Shaw, are you okay?"Noelle forced a weak smile and shook her head. "I'm fine, really!" She told Ava to get back to work and made her way to her seat."Are you sure you're okay?" Ava asked, still worried.Noelle nodded, and Ava reluctantly went back to his desk.After sitting quietly for a moment, Noelle pulled out her phone and looked up Charles' number. She paused when she saw his name, then quickly changed it to 'The Man at Home.'She tried calling Charles, but there was no answer. It seemed he was busy, too busy to pick up the phone.…Charles was in the middle of a meeting, with his phone on silent mode, so he missed Noelle's call. The atmosphere in the meeting room was tense, with the recent trouble involving Robert causing a split among the group. Some supported Charles, but others were upset with him, es
Kelly had been spending the past few days with Seth, whose health had improved significantly. After the recent incident, Kelly stayed in Brookville for a while, using the time to reflect deeply. One of the reasons she had not left Brookville was because of Seth's biological father.It had been almost four years. Not too long, yet not short either.Kelly thought she had let it go, but the DNA report comparing Seth with Maxwell made her hesitate once again.She always knew Seth was not Charles' child. She was fully aware of who the father was, yet his true identity remained a mystery.During those months four years ago, that man had stayed by her side, sharing a deeply unforgettable time with her. It was so unforgettable that she had pushed aside questions about his identity or purpose, choosing instead to immerse herself in the moment with him.Yet she was nothing more than a pawn for him to use against the Hoffmans in the end.Strangely, Charles had been absent from Brookville du
Grant's expression turned ice-cold in an instant. "What are you planning to do?""Kelly is Noelle's biological sister. Sean said only enzymes extracted from close relatives' blood might save Noelle. Whether it works or not, I have to try," Charles replied. His gaze was intense in a way Grant had never seen before.Grant had not expected to ever witness such an expression on Charles' face. He frowned deeply but eventually nodded. "I'll try, but she still doesn't know she's part of the Smith family.""You didn't tell her?" Charles was visibly surprised. He had assumed Grant would have already told Kelly the truth.Now, hearing that Kelly had no idea about her connection to Noelle or the Smith family, Charles was taken aback."I'll bring her over as soon as I can. Give me some time.""Fine, but don't take too long. Nelly can't wait," Charles said firmly. He understood that revealing the truth to Kelly and convincing her to help Noelle would not be easy. However, since Grant had ag
Sean emerged with a somber expression. "Margaret has confirmed that there's a fresh needle mark on Noelle's arm. That shadow from earlier must have injected something into her, which likely triggered her immediate symptoms."Charles clenched his fists, the sound of his knuckles cracking filling the tense air. "What's the plan?""Before the virus spreads too deeply, we could try using blood from Noelle's close relatives to extract certain components that might counteract it," Sean explained.Charles narrowed his eyes. "Be clearer. What are you suggesting?""This idea isn't fully tested. I only came across it in medical literature, and there's no guarantee it will work. If the virus hasn't invaded her bone marrow, we might still have a chance."Charles' expression eased slightly, but a hint of apprehension lingered. He glanced at Sean, who hesitated before continuing. "We need to call in Uncle Harrison and Shirley. Ideally, we should also bring Kelly here.""Fine!"Harrison arrive
"Make sure to cooperate well with Dr. Ellison, alright?"Charles leaned down, planting a soft kiss on Noelle's forehead before stepping out with Sean. "What's going on?"Outside, Peter, Tania, and Brandon were waiting. Brandon kept peeking into the room, and his curious eyes were wide with concern. "Uncle Charles, what's wrong with Aunt Noelle?"Charles' expression softened immediately. He reached out to tousle Brandon's hair gently. "Aunt Noelle is fine. She's just feeling a little sick.""Oh, then Bran will give Aunt Noelle some candy. If Auntie eats candy, she won't hurt anymore," Brandon said with childlike earnestness, pulling a few candies from his small bag and handing them to Charles."Uncle Charles, give these to Aunt Noelle!""Alright."Charles accepted the candies, his gaze drifting back to the room. He watched through the window as Noelle cooperated with Margaret's examination. His chest felt unbearably tight with worry."Have you figured out what to do yet?""Wh
"Mm, you didn't cry," Noelle said with a faint smile.Her face was still pale, but it was clear she had passed the peak of her pain.She placed her hands gently on Charles' face, slowly pulling herself up. After finding a comfortable position, she leaned into him, her head nuzzling against his chest like a mother soothing her child.Her delicate fingers traced the contours of his face. "You didn't cry."Charles could not help but tremble slightly. Lowering his gaze, he found Noelle looking up at him. She cupped his face with both hands, her body leaning closer, and her forehead was lightly pressing against his.She rubbed against him gently. "You were just worried about me," she said softly. Then, she placed a gentle kiss at the corner of his mouth."Our Charlie is the best, the strongest. How could he cry? Crying is my job."Noelle's smile was so tender and warm that it seemed to melt the storm brewing in Charles' heart.He carefully wrapped her in his arms, brushing his face
"She has the virus too?" Tania gasped sharply. She had never experienced an outbreak herself, so she did not realize how excruciating it could be. Seeing Noelle in such pain now, Tania froze. "Then, we...""Peter, take Tania and Bran outside!" Charles shot Peter a look. Peter nodded and led Tania out of the room.Charles took a deep breath, then grabbed Sean forcefully by the collar. "What do we do now?""Charles, calm down. Just calm down. I don't know the right treatment yet. I can only...""What did you just say? You don't know how to treat her?" Charles' voice was a growl, his eyes blazing with fury."Do you realize how much pain Nelly is in right now? You're a doctor, and you're telling me you don't know how to help her?"He lifted Sean off the ground by his collar, his entire body trembling with rage. "Look carefully! The person lying there is Nelly. She's your cousin. And you're telling me there's nothing you can do?"Charles' bloodshot eyes reflected his desperation as
"Yes, and coincidentally, the registered name is Yves Hoffman!"Charles' expression instantly darkened. "What did you just say?""The hospital keeps these records confidential, but I managed to pull some strings. Yves is someone from the Hoffman family!"Charles' gaze turned cold and sharp, locking onto the name. His tone was steely. "There's no one by that name in the Hoffmans."If such a capable person existed within the family, he would have known by now.Although the Hoffmans were a vast family, Charles was familiar with anyone who had notable skills or influence.The existence of this Yves puzzled him. If someone like this was truly from the Hoffmans, there was no way he would not have known.Peter's face grew serious. "If Kelly was indeed abducted and later gave birth to Seth, then this man could very well be Seth's biological father."If he's connected to the Hoffmans, it explains why Seth's DNA matches someone from your family."Charles nodded. "That was my theory as w
"What are you even saying?" Noelle reached out, gently pushing Charles aside and pulling him to sit next to her.Her delicate hands rested on his cheek, then traced over his brow bone. She shook her head with a soft laugh. "You're the one who saved me."Charles moved his lips as if to speak but swallowed his words when he met Noelle's eyes. "I just blame myself for not protecting you this time," he murmured."You can't blame yourself for that. The one to blame is the person who captured me. They were in the shadows while we were in the light. How could we know what they'd do next?"Don't dwell on it too much. Look at me—I'm perfectly fine now," Noelle reassured him, her hand lightly caressing his face. "You haven't been resting well these past few days, have you?"Her earnest gaze landed on him, leaving Charles no room to deflect. He nodded. "I missed you too much to sleep.""What a sweet talker!" Noelle smiled shyly before admitting, "I missed you too.""Charlie, do you know wh
Charles narrowed his eyes slightly. "Alright, understood."Ronald was still stiff from fear, and he felt as though his entire body was frozen. He was terrified Charles might lose his temper and send him flying with a single kick.He had not forgotten how Andrew had been on the receiving end of several kicks from Charles that day. Despite being much tougher than Ronald, Andrew was still nursing his aching chest from the encounter."Mr. Hoffman, I'll take my leave now," Ronald blurted before making a hasty retreat.Leaning casually against the edge of Noelle's bed, Sean scoffed, "Charles, look at you. Your subordinates are scared to death of you."Charles lifted his gaze, coldly sweeping his sharp eyes across Sean's face. "Aren't you leaving yet?""Damn!" Sean cursed under his breath. "Talk about burning bridges!"Turning to Noelle, he complained, "Noelle, look at your husband! Treating his cousin-in-law like this—give him a good scolding for me!"Charles cracked his knuckles, an