Ronald knew Charles to be decisive and unforgiving, just like Steven. He never held back against his foes, which made his current actions all the more puzzling.Charles just smirked. "Seems like using Mr. Fischer's tricks once in a while isn't a bad idea!"Steven?Ronald's brow creased as he remembered a story about Steven. He had wanted to turn a woman into a top-notch agent. He supposedly threw her into a den of snakes and wolves, making her fight for survival among the beasts every single day.He kept the woman close, finding joy in breaking her spirit every day. Eventually, she turned into his most powerful ally. She served the heartless man as a tool for others and for herself.Ronald never understood why Steven liked to be so cruel, but Steven sure seemed to love it. Charles and Peter usually did not agree with Steven, but Charles was acting just like him now. Ronald felt sorry for Winter. She had made an enemy of the wrong guy."Just killing her would be too easy," Charles
"Really? What did you write in that note?" Charles asked with a light laugh, teasing her because he was in a good mood. "Tell me!""Uh, do I have to say it?" Noelle's cheeks turned pink as she thought about the name she had written down. It was one thing for her to look at it, but the idea of Charles seeing it made her squirm."If you won't say it, then you didn't write anything!" Charles said, sounding let down. "You don't even want to lie to me now?""I..." Noelle felt like crying, but no tears came. She had not expected Charles to be so difficult. "I really did write something down. Oh, please, can we drop this? Don't you have work to do? And... just because you're the boss, it doesn't mean you can slack off! How are you supposed to be a good role model for your employees like this?"Charles laughed. He could almost picture Noelle's flustered face, but he knew she got embarrassed easily, so he decided to let it go. "Okay, we won't talk about that anymore."Noelle let out a reli
Noelle had mentioned craving certain dishes, but she did not really intend to eat all those rich and heavy foods at once. They decided to shop for ingredients together at the supermarket. When they got back, Charles had some work to do, so Noelle volunteered to cook. Charles was happy with the arrangement and said just one or two dishes would be plenty.When Noelle finished cooking, she went to find Charles. However, he was not in his study. She was surprised to see some papers on his desk. She picked them up and looked at them, puzzled.Charles walked in just then and saw Noelle's concerned expression. He smiled and, seeing the papers in her hand, said, "Go ahead and ask me anything!""You're planning to sign Winter? I mean, did you invest in a movie company or something?" Noelle felt a bit confused. She thought she knew Charles pretty well after all this time.Charles took the papers from her and gently squeezed her wrist. "Did you come to tell me dinner's ready?"Noelle nodded
Now that she understood Charles's reasons, Noelle felt her frustration fade away.Charles then sat down beside her, gently holding her hand on his knee. He cupped her face in his hands, and they looked into each other's eyes, understanding each other without words.Noelle's heart raced a little. She looked away, but Charles gently turned her face back to him. "Trust me, okay?"She nodded. "I trust you!"Charles gave a small smile. "Time to eat!"They both enjoyed their meal. When it was over, Noelle got up to clear the dishes, but Charles stopped her. "I'll take care of it. We're in this together, right?"Feeling a warm glow, Noelle did not argue and stepped aside to watch Charles clean up the table and start washing the dishes.Then, her phone rang. It was Jade. "Noelle, you need to come to the hospital right now!"Noelle's brow furrowed. She did not want to deal with Jade, but she could not ignore family. Jade's mention of the hospital made her anxious. "What's wrong?""You
"Grandpa's in the hospital. I have to go see him!" Noelle said, grabbing her car keys and heading for the door. However, Charles grabbed her hand. "Hold on. I'll come with you!""There's no need." Noelle pulled away. "If you show up now, the Shaw family might get the wrong idea. They're the ones who upset Grandpa so much that he ended up in the hospital. It’s because of this whole mess with the shares. I have to sort this out!" The thought of her grandpa being in the hospital because of her made Noelle's heart ache.Charles's eyes sparkled with concern, yet he held her hand tighter. "That's exactly why I should be there.""But..." Noelle had her reasons for not wanting Charles to come. She was afraid he would get caught up in the family drama, just like Simon did before. The Shaws would latch onto Charles, and he would never hear the end of it.Noelle knew her parents all too well. They were definitely the type to stir up trouble."No more 'buts'. I'm coming with you. I'll just wa
"You..." Jade stumbled, nearly falling, but Xavier was quick to catch her. "Madam Shaw, are you okay?"Xavier shot a worried look at Jade, then glared at Noelle. "Noelle, that was too much. Apologize to Madam Shaw now!""Apologize?" Noelle's mouth twisted into a half-smile. "Is this really the time? Grandpa's still in surgery, and you're all blaming me? We'll see who's really at fault when Grandpa wakes up."Noelle did not want to deal with them, so she quietly walked to the other side.Winter bit her lip and gently pulled on Jade's hand. "Mom, Noelle's worried about Grandpa too. Please don't be mad. And Xavier, Noelle didn't mean to do that." Winter walked up to Noelle and asked, "Noelle, are you okay?" Noelle squinted her eyes. She had to admit that Winter was pretty bold. This was why Charles always said she could not beat Winter—Winter was a much better actor. When Noelle did not respond, Winter reached out and tugged at Noelle's hand with a sad look. "I know you're still u
Noelle glanced back and saw Winter holding her hand. "Noelle, can we please talk?"Noelle pulled her hand away, feeling a bit annoyed. "There's nothing to talk about. I can't stay with Grandpa tonight, so I'm heading home. I'll visit Grandpa tomorrow!"Noelle tried to leave, but Jade wouldn't have it. "Noelle, stop right there!"Noelle hesitated, then kept walking without looking back. Jade, who was in a huff, yanked Noelle's hand so hard she nearly stumbled. Noelle braced herself against the wall and looked at her with a frown. "What do you want now?""We're going to clear this up today, or you're not going anywhere!" Jade was fuming. Feeling ignored by Noelle, she remembered the upsetting things Samuel had said that evening again. Her anger flared up. "Spill it! Did you trick Grandpa into giving you City Ring Corp.’s shares?"Noelle squinted her eyes. "Trick?" She thought Jade was being ridiculous. "What are you trying to say, Mom?""What do you think I'm trying to say? Grandpa
"Jerk! Noelle, you...""That's enough!" Julian shot Jade a fierce look. "Aren't you embarrassed enough? I sure am!" Julian clenched his fists. "Break it up, everyone. We'll come back tomorrow to check on Grandpa."Xavier kept his gaze on where Noelle had vanished, his fists tightening at his sides.If Noelle really did have some of Samuel's shares, then... Could he still have a chance with her?"Xavier?"Winter shook Xavier's hand. "Time to go!"Xavier snapped out of it and gave Winter a reassuring smile. "Grandpa will be okay. Don't worry too much."Winter tried to smile, but she could not hide her sadness when she looked at Xavier. She knew he was not really paying attention to her. "I'm sure Grandpa will be okay," she said. "But why can't we talk things out? We're family. Grandpa gave all his shares to Noelle without telling anyone. No wonder Mom and Dad are upset. They think Noelle did something wrong, but she...""Don't worry," Xavier said, giving Winter's hand a gentle sq
Grant noticed Kelly's reluctance to look at the documents and frowned slightly before speaking in an indifferent tone. "You don't have to look at it if you don't want to. After all, it's your decision whether to accept it or not."He placed the file on the table, his tone calm and detached, as though this matter had nothing to do with him.However, Kelly was far from calm. She glared at him, her voice trembling with suppressed anger. "If that's the case, why did you bring it here? Why did you agree? Why…"Her voice grew louder as she yelled at Grant, her emotions spiraling out of control. The noise startled Seth, who was sleeping in the other room.Hearing Seth's cries, Kelly immediately pushed past Grant and rushed into the room to scoop him into her arms. "Seth, don't cry. Mommy's here!""Mommy!" Seth clung tightly to her, his little hands grasping at her clothes."Yes, Mommy's here," Kelly murmured, cradling him as she gently patted his back. She hummed a soothing tune into hi
Kelly's feelings toward Grant were complicated. Growing up, her impression of him was not strong, and they certainly could not be described as having a close sibling bond.Later, Grant left the Andersons, disappearing to places unknown. When he finally returned, Kelly did not stay in Capiton for long before coming to Brookville.After that came the incident that changed everything, ultimately sending her abroad."Aren't you going to invite me in?" Grant glanced inside.Kelly frowned slightly. Although she seemed reluctant, she did not refuse and stepped aside to make way. "Come in. But I don't have much here, so I'm afraid I might not be the best host.""No problem."Grant noticed how much colder Kelly's demeanor had become. As he stepped into the modest apartment, he casually observed its simple layout.It was hard to reconcile this Kelly, living in such a sparse place, with the pampered young woman who once never lifted a finger.Feeling somewhat uneasy, Kelly closed the door
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