In her dream, the man had seemed so real. He had called her Kelly in such a tender way.Kelly.She suddenly smiled.Throughout her life, no one had ever called her that name in such a way. People either addressed her as "Ms. Kelly" or simply "Ms. Anderson".Even during her closest moments with Charles, he had only ever called her Kelly in passing. That name, spoken with such familiarity, had only ever come from that man.Kelly raised a hand to her forehead and closed her eyes for a moment.After all these years, she rarely thought about what had happened four years ago, when she had been abducted.She had buried the memories of those months, refusing to revisit the pain and confusion. But ever since her meeting with Noelle the day before, ever since learning the truth about the man's watchful presence in her life, those unresolved emotions had come rushing back, leaving her overwhelmed and disoriented."Mommy!"Seth's small hand tugged at hers as his other hand rubbed his slee
"Of course. You're so adorable. Aunt Noelle will definitely like you," Kelly said, crouching down to Seth's level and gently pinching his nose."When you meet Aunt Noelle, remember to greet her properly, okay?""Okay! If Aunt Noelle likes me, I'll like Aunt Noelle too!""Mischief-maker!" Kelly chuckled. As they arrived at Noelle's hospital room, Kelly hesitated briefly before knocking on the door and pushing it open.Noelle was awake, and she was quietly reading a book. In the corner of the room, Charles sat on the sofa, engrossed in work on his laptop. Though neither spoke, the atmosphere between them felt harmonious.Kelly could not help but feel a pang of envy as she observed the scene. They looked so at ease together.Even while working, Charles seemed relaxed, a stark contrast to the cold and detached demeanor he often displayed around her.Kelly pressed her lips together, holding Seth's hand as they walked inside.Noelle set down her book and looked up, slightly surprised
Kelly felt a bit startled by Charles' sudden attentiveness. Even at the height of their relationship, Charles had never shown such consideration toward her.His polite and gentle demeanor now seemed almost surreal, making her feel like she was seeing a completely different person.However, Kelly quickly realized that this shift was likely due to Noelle. She nodded and replied, "Yes, we've already eaten. What about you and Noelle?"Charles nodded as well. "We've eaten."Yet the atmosphere remained somewhat strained, likely because of his presence. Kelly harbored complicated feelings toward Charles—she no longer loved him, but having once been obsessively infatuated with him, she could not help but feel awkward.Charles, perceptive as ever, glanced at Noelle. She smiled and said, "Charlie, I've been craving something sweet, especially those pumpkin pies from Celia's Bakery. Could you go buy some for me?"Charles looked deeply into her eyes, his expression softening. Feeling a littl
That would mean Charles had met her before she saved him, which explained why he looked so shocked when he woke up that day.Though Charles never said anything, his behavior toward her during that period was exceptionally kind. Whatever Kelly asked for, Charles would agree to it.Kelly stared at Noelle, who appeared just as puzzled. From what she remembered, she had met Charles only after Xavier's betrayal. Before that, Charles did not exist in her world—at least not in her memory.Given how extraordinary Charles was, Noelle did not believe her memory could be so bad as to forget someone like him. She could not fathom not remembering their first meeting.Noelle pressed her lips together, looking troubled.Seeing her expression, Kelly quickly interjected, "If you don't want to talk about it, that's fine. I was just curious. It's not something I'm fixated on."Noelle shook her head. "There's nothing I can't share; it's just strange. I can't seem to recall when we first met. Accordi
Noelle gently pulled Seth into her arms, her fingers softly caressing his cheek and little head. "Kelly, about Seth's father…"Kelly paused for a moment before replying, "I don't know who he is."Noelle nodded and, with a perceptive sense of tact, decided not to press the matter further.The two sisters chatted about anything and everything the entire morning. Their topics ranged from mundane to absurd, yet with each exchange, their bond seemed to deepen, drawing them closer than before.Meanwhile, in the adjacent hospital room, Charles and Sean silently watched the two women and the child through a monitor. Their mutual silence, rare for the pair, was charged with unspoken tension.Sean held a detailed analysis report of Noelle's medical condition in one hand, alongside Harrison's blood sample results."Shirley hasn't shown up. It seems we can't count on her. Harrison's blood analysis shows no immediate issues, but you know as well as I do that his body can't—""I know," Charle
"What are you two chatting about?"Sean was the first to push the door open and walk in. He saw Noelle and Kelly talking, and the sisters seemed to be in a good mood.Charles followed with a plate of pumpkin pie. When he saw the child in Noelle's arms, his expression softened.Noelle was softly touching Seth's cheek. When she saw Charles and Sean enter, she smiled and said, "Oh, it's just girl talk. That's not something for you guys to worry about.""Okay!" Charles nodded and walked over with the pumpkin pie. He cut a couple of slices and handed them to Noelle. "Margaret said this was okay for you to eat!" Then he gave the rest to Seth.At first, Seth was shy around Charles and seemed too nervous to speak. However, after seeing Noelle and Kelly's encouraging glances, he reached out, took a slice, and popped it into his mouth.The pie must have been delicious because after Seth finished one slice, he could not resist reaching for another, though he still looked at Charles cautious
Kelly was a bit surprised initially, but then she got what Sean was asking and nodded. "Sure. We can do it anytime!""Great. Come with me for a bit!"When Sean whispered something to Kelly and she started to leave, Noelle stopped them. "What's happening?""Oh, I'm just taking Kelly to the lab to check on something. Don't worry," Sean explained to Noelle. "Kelly is your real sister, and her blood type is a perfect match for yours."Noelle looked at Kelly with mixed feelings. "Kelly, the truth is...""Don't worry. Charles, can you please watch Seth for a little while? I'll be back in no time!" Kelly said as she gently caressed Seth's cheek. "Seth, I'm going to run some errands with your uncle, okay? You stay here and have fun with your aunt and uncle Charles, alright?""Mommy, where are you going?""Just to the hospital. I'll return before you know it!" Kelly gave Seth's cheek a soft squeeze. "I've got my phone with me. If you miss me, just give me a call!""Alright!"Once Seth
Sean was not worried at all. Kelly was part of the Smith family now, and she had not done anything really bad. He had no hard feelings toward her, and deep down, he was actually happy to see her getting along with Noelle."We'll head over in a bit! However, just so you know, we won't get the test results until tomorrow at the earliest, and I can't promise how well you and Noelle will match up."Kelly nodded. After popping a candy in her mouth, her dizziness started to fade. She looked at Sean with a serious face. "About what Charles said... The virus injection thing..."Sean was caught off guard. "You... You know, you could say no. Noelle wouldn't agree to it if she knew."Kelly shook her head firmly. "Please,l don't tell Noelle!"“But...""I'll be okay, I've already talked it over with Charles."Sean realized arguing was pointless, Kelly had made up her mind. He gave a resigned smile. "Alright, but we have to wait a little longer. Noelle still needs to have her blood taken, and
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