Autumn had painted Brookville in shades of gold and crimson when Noelle Shaw stepped off the plane. She grabbed her suitcase and walked out into the crisp air, a familiar sense of home wrapping around her.A whole year had passed since she left to pursue a corporate training program overseas, and now, she was back just in time.Her third anniversary with her boyfriend Xavier Harris was just days away, and she had been working nonstop to make it back early enough to surprise him.She hailed a cab and headed straight for Xavier's office. The moment she walked through the front doors, Alice, the receptionist, gave her a look of total shock. "Ms. Shaw? You’re back? Are you here for the CEO's engagement party?"Noelle's brow creased in confusion. "The CEO's engagement party? What are you talking about, Alice?""It's Mr. Harris's engagement party with your sister!""What?" Noelle's heart skipped a beat, and the happiness drained from her face. "Whose engagement party?"Alice seemed to
Noelle bolted from the hotel, her previously defiant face now streaked with tears.Out of nowhere, a black Cayenne screeched to a halt, its tires screaming against the pavement. Caught off guard, she tumbled to the ground.The driver gulped, his eyes darting to the man in the back seat, "Sir... Sir?"The man in the back, unfazed by the nearby accident, merely glanced at the passenger seat beside him. "Ronald, go see what happened.""Right away, sir." Ronald was out of the car in a flash, checking the front for any damage.About six feet ahead of the car, a woman sat on the ground with her eyes wide open, looking totally freaked out. Her cheeks were streaked with tears, and she had obviously been crying. "Miss? Are you okay? Do you need a ride to the hospital?"Noelle was scared out of her wits. She just gazed at Ronald, lost in shock, until she finally managed to pull herself together and stand up. Without a word, she tried to sidestep him, eager to get away.Ronald was puzzled
Trapped in the man's grip, Noelle struggled to break free, her body refusing to cooperate. Her vision was blurry as she glared at him. "What are you trying to do?""Just having a bit of fun..." He chuckled, his voice dripping with sleaze as he steadied her. "Let's go somewhere more entertaining, shall we?"Noelle might have been out of it, but she could still sense the danger in the man's tone. However, her whole body ached, and she knew she was no match for them. She scanned the area for anyone who could help her, but she was invisible to the passersby.She spotted a figure approaching through her haze. Acting instinctively, she shoved the two men aside and bolted, slamming right into the newcomer. "Save me!" she gasped.Her fingers dug into the fabric of the man's shirt, and she inhaled a sharp, clean scent. "Please, save me," she pleaded.Charles squinted, taking in the woman who had just collided with him. There was a flicker of something sharp in his gaze.Noelle did not let
At the top of The Majestic Lounge was a room that belonged to Charles alone. He swung the door open and carried Noelle in. She was feeling so awful that she hung onto Charles like she was trying to meld into him, her limbs all over the place with nary a hint of elegance.He managed to detach Noelle from himself with a bit of a struggle and gently placed her in the bathroom. Taking a deep breath, he dialed Ronald’s number. "I need ice, and make it quick."Once he ended the call, he saw Noelle trying to get out of the tub. He gently but firmly pushed her back down and turned on the cold tap. "Stay still!"His voice was firm and grew even more intense as he noticed how the water in the tub accentuated her figure. His gaze sharpened.Ronald was fast, arriving shortly with two buckets of ice. "Here's the ice, sir.""Hold on," Charles instructed Ronald. "Just set them down and leave, thanks." His tone was cool and detached.Ronald raised an eyebrow at Charles's unusual sternness. Howev
"It doesn't matter who I am. What matters is that I’m here to help." Charles tapped his cufflink, his gaze steady and serene as he watched Noelle.A wave of alarm washed over her. Something about this guy screamed that he was more complicated than he was making himself out to be. "I don't need your help.""Really? Then why were you here last night, trying to drink away your troubles? Your boyfriend is now your brother-in-law, your parents don't trust you, and now, you're the town's favorite punching bag. Did you miss the front page of the news?""That’s none of your business." Noelle's jaw tightened. "You helped me out yesterday, and yes, I'm thankful for that." She swung her legs out of bed and started searching for her clothes, but they were nowhere in sight. "Hey, mister!""Charles." He leaned against the wall with an easy grace, watching Noelle's panicked search. "That's my name."Hearing the name 'Charles' made her eyebrows twitch. It rang a bell. "Are you related to Xavier?"
He must have completely lost it! This guy must be out of his mind!"Charles..." Noelle was on the verge of exploding. "Are you even listening? I don't want to marry you. I don't know you, and I definitely don't love you.""Who loves you, then? Xavier? He's your sister's husband now," Charles said, slicing through the truth with a cruel edge. "You're not still pining for Xavier, are you?" He teased her chin with a taunting finger. "Hmm?"Noelle swatted Charles's hand away. "What is it to you? Why are you so set on marrying me? Can't you find someone else?""You're the first woman who doesn't make my skin crawl.""What?" Noelle was taken aback.Charles's lips tightened, and he let go of Noelle. She quickly stepped back, putting a safe distance between them.Charles watched her with a light chuckle. "It's quite simple. You ran into my arms last night, and I didn't mind it one bit."He squinted thoughtfully. "How about we strike a deal?"Noelle stayed silent, and Charles settled h
After leaving The Majestic Lounge, Noelle hailed a cab to get home. She had moved out of her childhood home a long time ago because of her messy relationship with her family and because it made it easier for her to go to and come back from work.When Noelle got out of the cab, she stood and stared dazedly at the neighborhood she lived in. Xavier had helped her move out back then, and they even had plans to get engaged and then married when the time was right. She never imagined the entire thing to be nothing more than a joke and to be later reduced to nothing more than the ‘instigator’.She felt like everything that happened yesterday was just a bad nightmare.“Are you home, Noelle?” When Noelle walked out of the elevator, she saw Winter standing by her front door with a worried look on her face. Her brows knitted themselves together instinctively, and she was about to turn and walk away when someone grabbed her arm. “Noelle.” Noelle froze and tried shaking her arm free of Xavie
“Look at how kind Winter is to you, Noelle. How could you…” “F*ck off. I don’t want to see you two.” It was only then that Noelle finally knew what Xavier thought of her.“Don’t do this, Noelle. No matter what happens, we’re still family. Do you know how angry Grandpa was when he learned about what happened? He… He wouldn’t want bad blood between us sisters over something as minor as this.” Winter grabbed Noelle’s arm, tears streaming down her face as she said passionately, “You know just how much Grandpa loves you, Noelle. What happened is all my fault. Please come home with me! Grandpa would be so upset if you didn’t!” Noelle's sadness only intensified when she heard those words leaving Winter’s mouth. “Grandpa? So, you know how disappointed Grandpa would be as well. If you knew that, you should never have done what you did in the first place. Why didn’t you think about how sad Grandpa would be when you did all this despite knowing Xavier was my boyfriend?” “Noelle, don’t yo
Charles nodded.Linda immediately brightened and picked up one of the dead rats to examine it. "I need to go to the lab. Oh, right, you should strengthen security at Phoenix Tree Residence. Also, be extra cautious with food and any outside contact. I think it's best to avoid unnecessary interactions. This virus spreads through wounds."Charles made a mental note before quickly calling Sean. "Come over right away!"At that moment, Sean was still at the Smith residence. Since Kelly and Noelle were both married now, he and Bob had become the main targets of the Smiths' relentless scrutiny.Sean found it agonizing, but Bob, on the other hand, appeared completely at ease. It was as if none of it concerned him.Sean slumped in his seat, fully aware that Bob's indifference came from the fact that he was not just a member of the Smiths—he was also the heir to the Jones family. He had nothing to be afraid of.Frustrated, Sean ruffled his hair and was about to leave when Savannah stopped h
Charles paused. "What's wrong?"Linda walked over, her brows furrowing even deeper."When did this package arrive?" she asked the housekeeper.The housekeeper replied unsuspectingly, "This afternoon, after Mr. and Mrs. Hoffman went out. There were only a few of us at home, so I took the liberty of accepting it on Mrs. Hoffman's behalf. Is there a problem?"She glanced cautiously at Linda, unable to understand why such a small package had created such a tense atmosphere. However, Charles understood. He frowned at Linda, who nodded in confirmation.Charles turned to Noelle, Tania, and Liliana. "Tania, Liliana, take your sister-in-law upstairs!""Why?" Noelle asked immediately.She had a bad feeling. Linda's reaction just now, coupled with Charles' behavior, made her uneasy. "Charlie?""Be good. Go upstairs," Charles said, exchanging a glance with Tania and Liliana.Tania and Liliana led Noelle upstairs. Once they were gone, Charles' expression darkened like never before. "What's
Noelle shot Charles an annoyed glance, but he simply held her hand and asked, "What's wrong?""Nothing!" Noelle did not feel like talking to him anymore.Charles studied her profile with a faint smile. "Sleepy? If you are, just rest for a bit. We'll be home soon."Noelle wanted to say she was not tired, but her body betrayed her. She yawned, exhaustion washing over her, and she leaned against Charles and closed her eyes for a quick nap without much thought.Half an hour later, the driver pulled the car into Phoenix Tree Residence and carefully glanced at the rear-view mirror."Mr. Hoffman, we've arrived.""Shh," Charles hushed the driver and glanced down at Noelle.He then gently gathered her into his arms and stepped out of the car.Noelle had actually woken up the moment the car stopped, but before she could open her eyes, she heard Charles instruct the driver to stay quiet.Now, being cradled in his arms, she felt warm and comforted but also a little guilty. She slowly open
After dinner, Charles took Noelle home. Initially, Noelle had wanted to stay longer, but given her pregnancy and how late it was, the Smiths did not insist on keeping them.Just as they were about to leave, Yves caught up with Charles at the door. "Thanks."Charles smirked. "No need for thanks. I prefer something more tangible."Yves raised an eyebrow, and Charles chuckled. "As her brother-in-law, you should be more considerate. Nelly is due soon, and I won't have time to oversee Collosus Group. So..."Yves let out a cold laugh. "You're playing this well. Aren't you afraid I'll just swallow up the entire Collosus Group?""That would still take some skill, wouldn't it?" Charles' sharp eyes glanced back at the house. "On the surface, things might look stable, but I suggest you take it easy. You'd be better off making use of Sean and Bob. A good relationship with your brothers-in-law will only help you. Anyway, I'm off."Yves watched Charles walk away, rubbing his chin. It was no
"Is it really not possible?" Seth's voice trembled. "Mommy, is it really not okay? But isn't he my daddy? Why can't I be with Daddy? Mommy, am I a child you just picked up? Does no one want me?"The moment Seth finished speaking, he burst into tears.Kelly's heart nearly shattered. She could not bear to see Seth cry like that. She immediately crouched down and wrapped her arms around him."Seth, baby, don't cry. I love you more than anything! How could you think that way?""But what about Daddy?" Seth still was not satisfied. His big eyes that were filled with hope turned toward Yves.Before Yves could say anything, Kelly raised her head to look at him. Their gazes locked, and for a moment, too many emotions swirled in those dark eyes. Feeling overwhelmed, Kelly quickly looked away."Daddy loves you too," she said softly."Really?" Seth still looked doubtful and turned back to Yves.Yves nodded. "Daddy loves you very much.""Then can Daddy live with Mommy and me?" Seth's eyes
Bob's sudden gesture nearly blinded everyone with its extravagance. No one had expected him to be so generous.It was Kelly who reacted first, quickly standing up to refuse."Bob, this really isn't necessary. Seth is still young; he doesn't need something like this. We're all family, so there's no need to give money or gifts."Even though no one here lacked money and Bob's gesture was not a big deal to him, Kelly still felt uneasy accepting it. But Bob simply shook his head."I'm giving it to Seth, not to you," he said before crouching down to meet Seth's gaze."Call me Uncle Bob, hmm?"Seth seemed a little nervous but blinked his big eyes and gathered his courage."Uncle Bob!" he said clearly.Bob smiled and handed the card to him. "This is from me, your uncle.""Thank you, Uncle Bob!" Seth happily took the card, then looked at Kelly.Since Bob had already insisted, Kelly felt it would be inappropriate to refuse again."If your uncle gave it to you, then you can keep it," s
"Sean, Bob, you're back?" Savannah was the first to stand up.Seeing her son return naturally made her happy.A moment ago, it had been all about Harrison's two daughters and their husbands. Savannah could not help but feel a little jealous.The Smith family was gathered so neatly, while her side had been somewhat neglected. Especially when she met Charles' cold gaze—she truly could not stay any longer.Sean noticed the entire family gathered together and saw Savannah walking toward him.However, he subtly stepped aside, letting Savannah lunge at nothing but air. Savannah immediately froze in embarrassment.It was Bob who stepped in to ease the tension."Aunt Savannah," he greeted."Bob, when did you get here?""Not long ago." Bob glanced at Sean before stepping inside."It's quite lively here," he remarked with a smile.His clear, observant gaze landed on Noelle first. He gave her a slight nod before shifting his attention to Kelly.Kelly had been a little nervous at first
Harrison smiled as he looked at Kelly and Noelle, clearly pleased."Sean is still busy right now, so we'll wait for him. Kelly, let me introduce you to the family. This is your second uncle, Hayes, and your Aunt Savannah."Over there is your Aunt Yitty, and you also have a third aunt, but she's not in Brookville at the moment. Your grandfather had some business to attend to today—he went to see an old comrade but will be back later. And, of course, you already know Noelle and Charlie.""Hello, Uncle Hayes, Aunt Savannah, Aunt Yitty," Kelly greeted politely.Yitty smiled warmly and nodded. "How wonderful!"She then pulled out an envelope with some allowance and handed it to Kelly. "When Noelle first came home, I gave her one, so I can't treat you any differently.""Thank you, Aunt Yitty!"Following her lead, Hayes and Savannah also handed Kelly envelopes. Then, seeing how delighted Seth looked, they gave him several as well.Seth had always been a reserved child, shy and withdra
Kelly froze as she stared at Seth in shock—especially at the moment he ran toward Yves and wrapped his little arms around Yves' leg. A strange wave of loss surged through her.She did not even know where this emotion came from, but it hurt. She never expected that in just a short time, Seth would already be calling Yves 'Daddy'.Kelly was not the only one stunned as everyone in the room seemed momentarily speechless.Even Yves himself had not anticipated Seth's sudden display of affection.Although he had spent the past few days bonding with Seth and knew the child liked him, Seth had always been a bit shy.He had never once called him 'Daddy' before. Yves felt a mix of emotions at that moment. Surprise, confusion—but mostly joy.He glanced at Seth before instinctively turning to Kelly, and just as he expected, her expression was tangled with conflicting emotions.Squatting down, Yves reached out and gently ruffled Seth's hair. "Be good. Mommy is coming home today, hmm?"Seth's