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
They were more than just old-timers. However, Collosus Group's current structure dictated their composition. Even if Charles had great abilities, he could not completely change Collosus Group.The old-timers at the company usually did not do much work, and Charles thought it would be great if they just backed off. However, would they give up that easily?Charles had just handled a problem with Robert, taking over his and his buddies' company shares for himself. That was what really ticked off the old-timers. They kicked up a fuss today, trying to snatch the shares back from Charles or water them down so he would not have them all to himself.They were worried Charles would get too powerful and hard to handle. Charles was young, but he was sharp and knew how to play the game just as well as they did.Now that Robert was out, his department was up for grabs, and everyone wanted to put their own people in charge to get a piece of the pie.Ronald asked, looking over some papers, "Mr
Rowena was always blunt and did not like beating about the bush. When she heard what Noelle said, she got really upset. "And your husband? What does he think?"Noelle bit her lip. "He knows about it and said he'd take care of it. But just a day later, my mom showed up. I bet he doesn't even know yet! I tried calling him, but he was busy and didn't pick up. What should I do now?" Noelle looked worried."Your mom's being really weird, using that to threaten you. Shouldn't that stuff be destroyed? Shouldn't she go stand up to the York family?" Rowena was just as puzzled as Noelle about the Shaw family's behavior.Rowena did not hear anything back from Noelle and was worried her words had been too harsh. "I'm sorry, I..."Noelle shook her head. "It's fine, you're just stating the facts. I have to go there today, Rowena. Can you come with me?""Absolutely!" Rowena exclaimed, her hand on her heart. "What time tonight? And where?""Seven o'clock, at the Golden Oasis Hotel!" Noelle repli
Noelle shivered, unaccustomed to hearing such a tone from Charles. "And you promised we'd keep our relationship a secret for now."Charles sighed. There was a note of resignation in his voice as he said, "I know. It's like I've become someone who can't be seen.""Don't be like that, okay? I promise I'll introduce you to my friends next time!" Noelle could not help but laugh and shake her head, thinking Charles was being as sulky as a kid. "I'll go over with Rowena tonight. She's a reporter, so she can help me out!"Charles grinned. "That's true! Just be safe, alright?" He could not argue if she wanted to handle things on her own. "I'll be waiting for you at home!""Alright!"After hanging up, Noelle felt a surprising sense of relief.Charles, on the other hand, gazed at his phone for a long time after the call ended. He then pressed the intercom and asked Ronald to come in.Seeing Charles' serious expression, which was rare, Ronald thought about Noelle's earlier call. "Mr. Hof
Rowena was worried Noelle might not get it, so she went over it again and again. Noelle felt a bit lost but was warmed by how truly nice Rowena was to her. She was not fake like some of the Shaw family members."Why are you smiling?" Rowena caught Noelle zoning out after talking for so long. She gave Noelle a stern look. "This is important! You need to pay attention!""I understand." Noelle tucked the voice recorder into her bag and took a quick peek at the bag with the hidden camera that Rowena had nudged at, making a mental note. "Don't worry, I'll be careful!"Rowena pouted. "Alright, I guess I got worried for nothing. Just be sure to watch out for yourself, and don't just drink anything, okay?""I know." Noelle would not make the mistake of drinking something strange again, but she appreciated Rowena's reminder. Sometimes, trouble came when she least expected it."They're here!"Noelle spotted Julian and Jade stepping out of the car, and Winter was with them. She gripped Rowe
Winter tried to grab Noelle's hand, but Noelle dodged it smoothly.A look of hurt crossed Winter's face. She gave Noelle a sad puppy-dog look and said, "Noelle, I know you're still mad at me, but—"Noelle cut her off while stepping away from Winter with a smirk, "I'm not mad at you. What did you do that I should be mad over?"Winter was taken aback, not expecting that response. She bit her lip and looked over at Jade for help. Jade banged her hand on the table, saying, "What are you talking about? What could your sister have done to upset you? We should be the ones upset, not you."Noelle just looked at Jade, not saying a word. However, the corners of her mouth twitched. Her clear eyes locked with Jade's, and without a word, Jade felt a chill run down her spine for just a second.Jade stared at Noelle, giving her a sharp look. "Don't go thinking your parents are mean. You know the Yorks are a big deal in Brookville. Simon liking you is like winning the lottery, so don't miss out o
Even though Winter had seen Simon before, his face was not clear last time because of an injury on his forehead. Now that she was looking at Simon's face, which was prettier than any girl's, Winter could not help feeling dazzled and a little bit jealous. Why did every guy Noelle knew have to be so good-looking? First, it was Xavier, and then Simon. Even Charles had given Noelle special attention at the mall. Hidden from view, Winter gave Noelle a mean glare."Noelle, didn't you notice that Mr. York is here? Come and say hello!" Jade scolded Noelle, urging her to stand up. Noelle just pressed her lips together. "I'm not feeling too good. Mr. York, you won't mind, right?" she said, staying where she was.Simon just lifted an eyebrow, suddenly thinking Noelle was way more interesting than anyone else in the Shaw family. He flashed a grin. "Ms. Noelle, if you aren't feeling well, then stay seated!" he said, sitting down next to her.Noelle felt stiff all over and sat up as straight
"Nonsense! What are you blabbering about?" Julian banged his hand on the table when he heard Noelle's words. "Mr. York is right here! Stop talking rubbish and apologize to him!""Dad, can't you say anything else?" Noelle's voice dripped with sarcasm. "If you're so worried about Mr. York getting the wrong idea, you shouldn't have brought me here." She then glanced at Winter, who was sitting in silence, her eyes growing colder. "Since your precious daughter is here, she can be the one to look after Mr. York.""What nonsense are you spouting?!" Winter cried out, "Mom!""Noelle, come with me!"Jade shot Noelle a fierce look and yanked her hand, trying to pull her out of the room. Noelle was not having it and kept fighting back. The room turned into total chaos in no time, and only Simon was sitting back, calmly sipping the coffee Noelle had made earlier. "Mr. Shaw, your family sure knows how to make a scene!" Julian's face turned a shade of gray. He could not believe a dinner tha
Liliana's mind was a whirlwind. She found her key card fast, but just as she was about to shut the door, a big hand stopped it.She was not strong enough to close the door against Sean, who pushed it open.Liliana took a shaky step back, looking at Sean with a bit of fear. "Sean, it's late. I need to sleep."Sean just kept looking at her. "Liliana, what... what's wrong with your mouth?" he asked as he reached out, his fingers lightly touching the corner of Liliana's mouth. Liliana felt a rush of heat through her body, making her shake all over.In a swift motion, she knocked Sean's hand away. "Leave me alone."With his inscrutable eyes, Sean noticed the blood on his thumb and Liliana's unusual red cheeks. A flicker of surprise showed in his eyes. "Liliana, did..."However, Liliana was already clenching her fists, all pretense gone. She was shaking and crouching on the ground, her tears filling her eyes. "Sean, please. I'm begging you, just go, okay?"Sean's brow furrowed. His
Liliana could not make out what Sean was saying anymore. She felt awful and shut her eyes tight, not wanting Sean to notice.Sean thought Liliana had dozed off from drinking too much and had a headache, so he stopped talking.The car pulled up to Liliana's hotel, and Sean gently shook her. "Liliana, time to wake up. We're here."Liliana slowly opened her eyes and saw Sean's face close to hers. Her heart, which was already fluttering, started racing.She turned her head away, swallowing hard. "Are we here already?"Once she saw they were outside the hotel, Liliana quickly got out of the car and opened the back door to help Adalee. "Ms. Cobb, can you walk?"Adalee nodded. "Yes, I can."With a sigh of relief, Liliana told Sean, "Sean, we've made it. Ms. Cobb and I will head up now."Liliana rushed off, scared that any delay might make her lose her composure. She could not let herself fall apart in front of Sean again—not after what happened years ago.Sean noticed Liliana rushing
The moment everyone in the private room saw Bob, they were scared out of their wits.It was Andy, the favorite son of the Jones family in Cascade City! Even though he was the second child, he was the one everyone knew would run the company one day.Everyone felt a wave of relief, glad they had not messed with Liliana earlier. They knew that if they had, they would not just be outcasts in Cascade City, but probably everywhere else too.Sean gently put Adalee in the back seat of the car and then helped Liliana into the front seat. Noticing Liliana's pale face, he asked, "Did you have too much to drink?"When Sean touched her forehead, Liliana felt a wave of heat rush through her, like she was on fire. Sean's hand was cool, and the moment it touched her, she could not help but sigh in relief."Maybe," she said.Sean shook his head. "Where's your hangover pill? Take it now. Where do you live?"After Liliana told him the address, she saw that Adalee was already fast asleep.Sean tur
Sean nodded. "It's all done."He glanced at Adalee, who was next to Liliana, and said, "Hi, I'm Liliana's brother."Adalee, seeing a man of such stature had arrived, did not bother to question if he was truly Liliana's brother. Her main concern was to get out of there, so she nodded. "I'm sorry to trouble you.""It’s no trouble at all. Looks like you really enjoyed your meal!" With that, Sean took over supporting Adalee from Liliana.He was a big guy, so he steadied Adalee with no trouble at all. He turned to Liliana and said, "Liliana, grab Ms. Cobb's bag. We're leaving."Sean acted as if he did not even notice the other people there. He just finished speaking and started to walk away with Liliana and Adalee.However, the other guys were not just going to stand there. Even though Sean looked pretty cool, they had not seen anyone like him around Cascade City before.They thought they had these two women in the bag, but then this guy had come along and messed it up. "Mister, sinc
The others did not buy Liliana's story for a second.Adalee and Liliana were both from Brookville, and they were strangers in Cascade City. The idea of her brother suddenly showing up seemed far-fetched, so they did not really pay much attention to Liliana's claim.However, they had made a mistake because the brother Liliana mentioned was real, and his name was Sean.As soon as she felt things were going south, she had already reached into her purse and dialed Sean's number.Liliana was not sure if Sean would arrive immediately, but she was certain he would not leave her hanging.Seeing how Liliana acted, one of them smirked. "Do you have family here in Cascade City?"Liliana shook her head. "No, not really. But my brother came with me a few days ago for an academic conference. He's actually here having dinner too, and we planned to head back together."Liliana pulled out her phone with a small, nervous smile and waved it at everyone. She tried to keep her cool, always smiling.
As Liliana walked by Sean, he gently grabbed her arm, making her pause. "What's up, Sean?" she asked, puzzled."Don't drink too much," he advised, handing her a pill to help with the alcohol. Liliana looked at it, surprised. "What's this for? Don't you need it?""Nope, it's all yours!" Sean replied, a hint of concern in his furrowed brow. "Just remember to take it easy on the drinks, and give me a call when you head home, alright?"Liliana felt warmth radiating from where Sean had held her arm, mirroring the heat rising in her cheeks. Sean's expression remained unchanged.She wrapped her fingers around the pill, holding it tight in her hand, and nodded. "Okay."Back in the private room, Liliana found Adalee had been drinking heavily. Her face was paler than before. She waved her over and whispered, "I'll pretend I'm not feeling well in a bit, and you can help me get out of here."Adalee's voice was faint, and though Liliana did not know what was going on, she could tell she looke
After speaking, Liliana supported herself against the wall and headed to the restroom. Bob, still holding the bottle of hangover remedy, stood in place with a glimmer in his deep-set eyes.He smirked faintly, then chuckled and shook his head. Casually, he stuffed the remedy into his pants pocket and lingered there a while longer, lighting a cigarette before finally returning to the private room.Sean was inside drinking with a few others. They were all people brought in by Bob and were prominent figures in the pharmaceutical and medical industries.Truth be told, the entire dinner was simply Bob paving the way for Sean. Although these individuals were leaders in their fields, they still had to curry favor. The man they aimed to please was Bob—better known as Andy Jones, the second son of Jones Group.Though Bob was technically the second son, everyone in Cascade City knew he was the legitimate heir to the Jones family and, eventually, the Smiths as well. That made him a powerful fi
Liliana had not wanted to drink, but the other party insisted on making a toast. Under such circumstances, she could not exactly refuse. It was clear they would not even continue discussing the partnership unless she played along.She glanced at Adalee, whose expression was far from pleasant. However, given that they still had to maintain a working relationship with the client, Adalee subtly signaled Liliana to go along with it. Liliana understood—she could not say no.Hence, round after round, Liliana did her best to hold her own. She even tried to fake it occasionally, but she still ended up drinking quite a bit."Excuse me, I need to use the restroom," she said eventually, unable to take any more. Her head felt light, and her steps wobbled slightly as she walked.Though her alcohol tolerance was not exactly terrible, the combination of red and white wine tonight was rough. Even someone with a decent tolerance would struggle.She had not even reached the restroom when she stum
After finishing dinner, Liliana and Adalee went to pay the bill, only to be told it had already been paid for.Liliana instinctively suspected Sean, but Adalee, unaware, asked the cashier, "Who paid for it?""Are you Ms. Hoffman?" the cashier asked.Adalee shook her head and pointed at Liliana. "She is."The cashier smiled. "That's right. A Mr. Smith said to put the bill under his account."Liliana nodded. "Got it. Thank you."Adalee gave Liliana a curious glance. Judging by her reaction, she clearly knew the person. "Didn't you say you had never been to Cascade City before? How do you know someone here?"It was not until they got into the car that Liliana explained, "He's also from Brookville—a distant relative. I ran into him just now when I went to the restroom."Adalee nodded. Though she suspected things were not that simple, she did not press further.During their business trip in Cascade City, Adalee kept Liliana incredibly busy. Every day was packed to the brim, making