Noelle nodded, glancing shyly at Charles, signaling him to let go of her hand. However, Charles acted as if he did not notice.Ronald quickly turned his head to the side, thinking to himself that he was really being tortured here. He had not even had breakfast yet and was already stuffed with their sweetness.Noelle pulled her hand away from Charles. "I'm going now!"Charles withdrew his gaze and gave Ronald a casual look. "Where are the things?""Here!" Ronald quickly handed a long box to Charles. "Mr. Quinn said it's an original piece by Zephyr Longbottom. You mentioned you wanted to give it to Sir Shaw."Charles glanced at Ronald, who immediately fell silent. "Mr. Quinn has restored it again. It's in excellent condition."Charles nodded, opened the box to take a look, and then closed it again. "And the rest?""I put everything else in your car," Ronald said. Knowing that Charles was going to visit Noelle's grandfather, Ronald had started gathering items since last night. Earl
Noelle noticed that Charles had many small habits. He particularly enjoyed playing with her fingers, though Noelle did not understand what was so fascinating about her fingers.Suddenly, there was a knock on the door of Elegant Pavilion. Soon, the manager pushed the door open. "Sir Shaw, please."Noelle quickly stood up, pulling Charles along to greet him. "Grandpa!"As he was supported by Eli and leaning on a cane, Samuel walked in. Samuel looked up after hearing Noelle's clear and warm voice, his dark eyes shining as he first looked at Noelle and then at Charles beside her.Charles met Samuel's gaze calmly. "Grandpa."Samuel narrowed his eyes, nodding. "Hello, hello.""Grandpa, don't just stand there. Please, come sit!" Noelle let go of Charles's hand and helped Samuel to a seat. Then, she said, "Grandpa, you remember Charles, right? He was there on your birthday and gave you a chessboard. Do you remember?""Hello again." Charles nodded slightly.Samuel laughed, patting Noell
Samuel was very satisfied with Charles. Although their swift marriage was a bit hard for Samuel to accept, he felt Charles appeared at the right time.Noelle's situation was quite special. Despite his protection, it was not entirely comprehensive. Samuel would be more relieved if Noelle could find a strong protector to stay by her side.From the small details, it was clear that Charles treated Noelle very well. More importantly, Charles' status and background were enough to protect Noelle."Let me be blunt, about Xavier...""Are you worried that I might be biased because of Xavier?" Charles smiled. "I'm sure you understand that in large families like ours, things can get complicated with so many cousins."A gleam flashed in Samuel's eyes as he reassessed Charles. This young man was truly exceptional. He understood Samuel's concerns and managed everything so well.Samuel had nothing more to say."Grandpa, you don't have to worry. I said the same thing to Grandpa Jones. Since I ma
Samuel did not oppose Charles being with Noelle, but their marriage had been a bit hasty. In this matter, Charles was at fault.Knowing that he had not introduced Noelle to his parents before getting married and that neither side of the family was informed, made the situation more delicate.Samuel was a traditional man who valued certain formalities, especially when it came to Noelle."Grandpa, you can just call me Charlie," Charles said as he poured Samuel a cup of lemon tea. His movements exuded the elegance of a nobleman, setting him apart from ordinary people.Charles did not rush to explain but calmly handed the cup to Samuel before speaking slowly. "Actually, I've known Nelly for quite some time. You may not know, but Grandpa Jones was my teacher. I graduated from Vista University, and I met Nelly when she was little."Samuel was momentarily taken aback but quickly resumed examining the cup of lemon tea in his hands. "So, you're saying your feelings for Nelly didn't develop
Samuel looked at Charles in surprise, then nodded in understanding. "Young man, you handle things with great determination. I used to worry that Noelle would suffer if she faced the Shaw family alone. But now, it seems my concerns were unnecessary!"Charles smiled. "My marriage with Nelly involves certain benefits, but that was not my intention. As for the Hoffman family, Nelly can visit whenever she wishes. Plus, I have the means to resolve the issues you're worried about.""That's very reassuring!"While the two conversed happily inside, Noelle was outside, pacing anxiously. Every few minutes, she glanced toward the Elegant Pavilion, wondering what Charles and her grandfather were discussing.Knowing her grandfather's temper, she was worried that he would make things difficult for Charles.Eli saw Noelle's anxious pacing and could not help but smile.Noelle pouted and looked at Eli. "How can you laugh at me? Aren't you worried about what Grandpa and Charlie are talking about?"
Noelle had not expected the initially tense situation to turn so oddly. She had no idea what Charles and her grandfather had discussed, but it was clear that her grandfather's attitude toward Charles had become even better than his attitude toward herself.Then, the two men talked about business matters that Noelle could not quite understand, effectively leaving her out of the conversation. Feeling bored, she focused on eating while Charles managed to converse with Samuel and still take care of her.Whenever her plate was empty, Charles would refill it, and he even peeled shrimp for her, placing everything in front of her.These actions were not something that could be easily faked. Having seen much in his life, Samuel could tell that Charles genuinely cared for Noelle. This realization completely put his mind at ease.By the end of the meal, Noelle was thoroughly stuffed. Throughout the meal, she had been preoccupied with wondering what Charles had said to her grandfather. She end
"Yes, sir." Eli nodded. "It's in two days."Eli seemed a bit unwilling, adding, "Sir, doesn't Mr. Julian realize that Xavier and his father Joseph have always coveted our family's shares? What could he be thinking to let Ms. Winter marry Xavier? Xavier was Ms. Noelle's boyfriend before, and yet she still...""Let it go, Eli," Samuel shook his head. "These are matters beyond our control. You know that son of mine has always resented me for adopting Joshua."When he mentioned Joshua, Samuel's face showed rare melancholy. "That child... He's been through a lot.""Don't say that, sir. Mr. Joshua understands your difficulties. He left because he knew it'd make things easier for you. He's grateful for your kindness, so you don't need to worry.""Yes, but it has been many years." Samuel, now old, rarely showed such a despondent look. Eli, who had been with him for many years, understood his thoughts completely. "If you miss Mr. Joshua, you could call him back.""Forget it. They alread
"You sure are a good talker, young man," Samuel said, clearly pleased. He signaled Eli with his eyes. Eli then handed Ronald an envelope."Mr. Wells, you must be very busy, so I'll handle these things," Eli continued."Thank you very much, Sir Shaw," Ronald replied. His manners were impeccable, which only increased Samuel's satisfaction.After Ronald left, Samuel leaned on his cane and said, "If Julian asks about these things later, just say that I bought these myself because I was feeling happy today.""Yes, sir!" Eli replied.Sure enough, as soon as Samuel and Eli entered the house, Jade saw Eli carrying large items into Samuel's room.She immediately knocked on Julian's study door. "Jule," she called."What's the matter?" Julian put down what he was working on and frowned at Jade's sneaky demeanor. "We're in our own house. What's with the sneaking around?"Jade glanced down the hallway before speaking. "Guess what the old man brought back just now?""What could he have brou
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
"I understand," Liliana said quietly, though deep down she wanted to retort, "You're not my real brother, so why do you care so much?"She truly did not want Sean meddling in her business. It would only make her overthink things. Especially when he reached out and ruffled her hair again, it only made her heart more chaotic.Sean looked at her expression and seemed to realize he might have overstepped. "Your brother isn't here, and you're out here alone. I'm his best friend. Of course, I should look after you."Liliana gave a faint, bitter smile. She knew it. Sean was only kind to her because she was a Hoffman and because she was Charles' sister."It's getting late. Have you finished eating?" Sean asked, rubbing his temples. His head throbbed a little—probably from the alcohol he'd had during the earlier dinner.He ran his long fingers through his thick hair, massaging his temples for a while before easing up. When he noticed Liliana staring at him, he looked up. "What is it?"Lil
By the time Liliana and Adalee left the factory, it was already evening. Adalee noticed that Liliana had been unusually quiet, so she tapped the notebook in her hand and asked, "Any thoughts?"Liliana blinked and replied, "Not really… Ms. Cobb, do you always handle everything personally like this?"Adalee found the question amusing. "Do you think getting to this position just means sitting comfortably behind a desk?""I didn't mean it like that!" Liliana's cheeks flushed slightly. "I actually admire you a lot."Adalee did not seem very old, yet she held a managerial position, which proved just how capable she was.Adalee waved a hand casually. "I was just lucky, and I worked hard for it. With time, you'll get there too.""I hope so."Liliana did not say more, and Adalee, thinking she might be hungry, brought her to a well-known seafood restaurant in Cascade City. "This place is pretty decent. I used to come here often when I traveled for work. Try it."Perhaps Adalee saw a bit
The first thing Liliana did after returning to the hotel was take a shower. When she came out, she noticed a missed call from Keith.She immediately called him back. "Keith? Sorry, I was in the shower when you called.""It's fine. I just wanted to check if you arrived safely."Keith sounded busy on the other end. He majored in computer science, and after graduating, he naturally found work in a related field. Liliana never asked much about his job, though Tania had mentioned that the company Keith worked for was quite decent."Have you finished work?""Almost. Just a bit more code to finish," Keith chuckled. "What about you? Tired?""Not really. I just had dinner with my supervisor. Now I'm back and planning to rest," Liliana said, rolling over on the bed.Remembering what Tania had told her the night before, she hesitated a moment and added, "Um, Keith… When I get back, let's go on a dinner date."There was a long silence on the other end of the phone. Then came the sound of s
"That's right!" Liliana nodded.Tania suddenly let out a squeal. "Didn't Keith come looking for you? Or at least ask you out for a farewell dinner or something?""What are you talking about? It's not like I'm never coming back," Liliana said as she reached out and tapped Tania on the forehead."I still need to pack and check on the flight. You think I'm just sitting around with nothing to do?""No, no, that's not what I meant. You're going away for a whole week! Are you telling me you two can stand being apart for that long?" Tania looked at her in disbelief. "Don't tell me you're in some fake relationship!"Liliana paused slightly while packing, clearly affected by Tania's comment.She had not thought much of it at first, but now that Tania mentioned it... Even though she and Keith were "trying things out", it felt like he was the only one putting in the effort. Had she done anything at all?"Normal couples would probably go out for a meal before a trip, right?" Liliana reflect
Joanna's expression turned utterly sour. She had not expected Liliana to react that way. There was no admiration or envy, just a sharp, sarcastic jab that left her embarrassed.It was obvious Liliana meant to mock her, implying she had no authority to make decisions because she was not actually Sean's girlfriend.Joanna was furious with Liliana's attitude. She had thought that even if Liliana did not say much, she would at least show a bit of jealousy. Maybe she would act like her classmates earlier at the restaurant, casting admiring and envious looks her way.Liliana had no idea what Joanna was thinking at the moment, but if she had, she would probably think Joanna was out of her mind."Joanna, I've got something to do. I'll head off first."Liliana spotted a cab pulling up, waved it down, and got in before Joanna could even react.Joanna stood where she was, watching the car drive off with her fists clenched tightly. "Liliana, what are you so smug about? Even if Sean treats yo
"Ms. Cobb?""Mhm, Adalee was my student. If I didn't know her well, I wouldn't have recommended you to her." Sofia looked at Liliana's serious and focused expression."You're capable, but some personal matters affected your work recently. You'll be graduating soon. It's important to plan things out. Figure out what you want and how to get there.""Thank you, Ms. Chapman!"Liliana genuinely felt Sofia's concern. "I'll definitely keep your advice in mind.""Good, very good." Sofia nodded in approval, clearly pleased with Liliana's mindset. "By the way, that young woman who's often with you… Her name is Tania, right? How's she doing?""Thanks to you, she's doing well."Dinner went smoothly. Perhaps it was because Liliana realized she would soon graduate and that she would not have many chances to see the professor who had taught her for four years.After walking Sofia out, Liliana lingered by the roadside for a bit.Suddenly, a shadow loomed in front of her. Liliana turned her he