Power?Winter's perspective shifted. "Yes, I have to find someone with the power to suppress the news. That's the plan!"Winter suddenly felt invigorated. "Jane, call Ruby and say... Never mind, I'll do it myself."Winter called Ruby, who had just seen the news about Winter. Ruby did not know what to think of Winter anymore.Ruby had received orders from Charles the previous day to keep Winter on board. From Charles and Noelle's conversation, Ruby gleaned some understanding of why. When Winter called, Ruby played hard to get.As she needed help, Winter was much more humble than the previous day."Ms. Clark, could we meet?""Ms. Shaw, you know how busy I am right now, right? And shouldn't you be dealing with your situation?" Ruby had seen the news about Winter and felt even more disdain for her."Ms. Clark, please don't misunderstand. The things online aren't true. Can we meet to discuss this? Or could you give me Mr. Hoffman's number? Mr. Wells' number would work too." Winter t
Xavier reached out and stroked Winter's silky hair. "I understand. I'll speak on your behalf, but this is the last time.""Alright. I love you, Xavier!" Winter kissed Xavier on the lips. "Do you want more?"Xavier's eyes darkened, but he shook his head. "We'll continue tonight."Xavier made his way to Collosus once again for Winter's sake. However, Charles was not as accommodating. In fact, Xavier could not see Charles right away.He waited at Collosus for an entire afternoon before Charles finally arrived.Although Xavier felt frustrated, he could not show it since he was the one seeking help."Two cups of coffee," Charles ordered through the intercom, instructing his secretary to bring two cups. He then squinted slightly, a smile playing on his lips as he motioned for Xavier to sit down.For some reason, every time Xavier saw Charles, he felt a sense of trepidation. He was always feeling inferior in Charles' presence."Sit," Charles said, his lips curling into a smile. "It se
"Go ask her if she wants to join Royal Star Entertainment," Charles said in an icy voice. Xavier was taken aback. He did not expect Charles to make such an offer. "Charles, are you really going to sign Winter?""She'll need to come here to discuss it herself. If she's interested, she should see Ronald. He's the one in charge of everything at Royal Star Entertainment. If you come to me, all I can do is introduce you two," Charles explained."Got it. Thanks," Xavier said, understanding what he needed to do.Xavier left feeling a bit rattled. He had braced himself for a tough conversation, but Charles had been unexpectedly bold.Winter rushed over to Xavier as soon as she saw him. "Xavier, what happened? Did Charles say yes?"He nodded, and Winter hugged him tightly, beaming with joy. "Dear, I just knew it would work out! You're the best," she said and quickly kissed Xavier.Xavier, a bit overwhelmed by Winter's excitement, gently pushed her back. "Don't celebrate too soon. Charles
No one knew what Winter's face would look like when she found out, but she was feeling great for now. She thought she would be set for success with Charles's support, so why worry about the future?Winter did not waste any time. She went straight to Ethan at Whitemoor Company to ask him to break her contract. Sure, Winter was not the star she used to be, but Whitemoor had spent a lot of time and money making her famous. They were not too happy about letting her walk away for nothing.However, Winter had some powerful friends. The Shaw and Harris families knew she was close to Charles, who was a big deal in their circles. Thus, they decided to help Winter talk to the big boss at Whitemoor.The boss did not want to let Winter go at first, but he got a phone call in the middle of their discussion, and whatever he heard made him change his tune. He agreed to let Winter out of the contract, but Winter would have to pay to leave the company.The Shaw and Harris families were ready to do
"You..." Winter said angrily. "This contract is unfair and invalid!""Unfair and invalid? Ms. Shaw, a contract is valid from the moment you sign it. I'm pretty sure you know that, even if you're not a business whiz," Ronald said, tucking the contract away with a sly grin. "You think this deal's bad for you? You need to understand the kind of gamble Royal Star Entertainment is taking by stepping up despite the way things are going for you right now. If you don't want to follow through with it, sure, the deal's off. However, if you’re going to back out after agreeing... Well, you’d better think long and hard about that.""You..." Winter was totally blindsided by Ronald's bold move. "I'm related to Mr. Hoffman!""Who are you talking about?" Ronald teased with a smirk. "Royal Star Entertainment is mine to run now that Mr. Hoffman has handed it over. "Winter's face lost a bit of color. "Does Charles know you're doing this?""Mr. Hoffman's name isn't something just anybody can throw ar
Winter let out a huge sigh of relief when she saw that. The way Royal Star Entertainment handled things was truly impressive.As Jade walked by Winter's messy room, she grew worried something bad had happened. "Winter, what's going on? Is there a problem with Charles?""No, Mom. Charles said yes, and I've signed the contract. Don't worry!" Winter replied, remembering the contract she had signed but choosing not to mention the details to Jade. "I'm all good now. Mom, I really have to thank Xavier for helping out this time. If it wasn’t for him...""My dear, he's your fiance. Of course he's going to help you. But you've got to step up too. Remember what happened back then..." Jade let out a sigh. "Now that it's all sorted, just keep the past to yourself. Thankfully, Xavier didn't make a fuss. And make sure you keep Xavier's dad happy too!""I understand!" Winter's eyes sparkled as she remembered how Xavier had treated her that day, and she clenched her teeth. "Xavier really loves me,
Noelle had not been back to Frotconn since her incident. It seemed like Frotconn was just waiting for her to quit on her own, and Noelle knew it. However, she was not about to give up and resign. She had been hanging out at Phoenix Tree Residence lately.Charles had Ronald show Noelle how Royal Star Entertainment had been doing over the years. Noelle had never worked with showbiz before, so she did not know much about it. However, now that she owned part of Royal Star Entertainment, she had to start figuring some things out.For the past few days, Noelle had been busy reading up on Royal Star Entertainment. She pored over files and learned about the stars signed with the company and the new projects they were launching.Ronald used to take care of all those details, only sometimes showing them to Charles for a quick check. Charles trusted Ronald completely and never really asked about the business.However, things had changed a bit recently. Ronald had started to report to Charles
"Who?" Charles asked, tapping on his desk."Winter's agent, Jane Gordon!" Ronald explained. "She used to work for Whitemoor Company, and she's not too happy with Winter. Now that Winter's cut ties with Whitemoor, Jane didn't stick with her!"Charles revealed a small smile and lifted an eyebrow, telling Ronald to go on. Ronald nodded and said, "The folks at Whitemoor Company found out that Royal Star Entertainment wants Winter, so they agreed to let Winter go. Whitemoor didn't say much about Jane. I figured that since she used to be Winter's agent, why not keep her on? She knows Winter better than anyone else!""Go ahead with handling these smaller matters," Charles said."Will do!" Ronald could tell Charles was happy with his plan. "Oh, and there's something else."Charles frowned and gestured for him to continue. "What is it?""It's about Madam's old place..." Ronald hesitated. "She never gave it up, so the landlord's been holding onto it. It wasn't a problem, but lately... Well
Seth nodded, tilting his head as he looked at Kelly. "Mommy, you cried."Though young, Seth was incredibly perceptive. Noticing Kelly's red eyes, his small, soft hand reached out to gently rub her cheek.He even leaned closer and blew softly on her face. "Don't cry, Mommy!""I didn't cry, not at all," Kelly said while patting Seth's back gently.There was an apologetic look on her face. "I just forgot to make dinner for you tonight.""Then, Mommy, let's eat out! Seth has money—lots and lots of money. Seth will treat Mommy to some meat!"Seth's sweet, innocent words made Kelly's eyes redden again, but she smiled and nodded. "Alright, Seth. Change your clothes. I'll take you out for dinner, okay?"Later that evening, Kelly sat holding Seth while watching TV, but her mind could not stop drifting back to Noelle's face.Grant's words replayed in her head: she and Noelle were full-blooded sisters, sharing both parents.Kelly looked down at Seth, her thoughts in turmoil. She could
"Are you sure it's a virus?" Kelly asked, her voice trembling slightly."Yes," Grant replied with a firm nod, his sharp eyes fixed on her.He could see the disbelief and shock in Kelly's gaze, along with traces of guilt and unease.However, Kelly suddenly laughed, and she turned her head to face Grant. "Noelle has a virus, so she should go see a doctor. Why are you coming to me? Ha! It's ridiculous that Charles still wants to get me involved when his wife is sick. Why?""Kelly, this virus is extremely rare," Grant explained, his tone steady. "Sean currently doesn't have a clear treatment, but he mentioned one potential solution."Kelly's eyes flickered slightly, betraying a crack in her facade. "If there's a solution, then try it.""Sean believes we need to extract active enzymes from the blood of her closest relatives. Harrison and Shirley should already be at the hospital."Kelly froze again, her lips pressing into a thin line."Oh," she replied, feigning calm, though her emo
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