The hall was bustling with guests. It seemed like everyone had made it.All eyes were on Noelle as she helped Samuel settle into a quiet corner, with Charles and Sebastian taking seats nearby. The unflappable Charles naturally became the center of attention, and by association, so did Noelle.Everyone was whispering about the girl who was helping Samuel. Some knew her and started whispering among themselves that Charles was sitting with Samuel and Sebastian. It looked like the two old men wanted to introduce her to Charles.Winter and Xavier walked up to them just in time to catch the whispers. They both gripped their glasses tighter, looking upset."Grandpa, Granddad, you made it!" Winter said, beaming as she took Xavier's hand. "Noelle, you're here too!"Samuel and Sebastian just nodded and did not say much. Winter stood next to Noelle, smiling wide. "I'm so glad you could come, Noelle." Then she looked at Charles. "And Charles is here too!"Noelle gave a tiny shiver, almost lo
Noelle poured a cup of coffee and handed it to Winter. "I haven't been feeling great, so I'll skip the wine. Sisters are supposed to stick together through thick and thin too, right? Let's have coffee instead!" Noelle lifted her cup. "Here's to my sister and brother-in-law. I wish you two a joyful marriage and a lifetime of happiness together! May you be blessed with children soon!"Noelle's voice was calm and sincere. She really was happy for Winter and Xavier.However, Winter could not shake off her discomfort. No matter what Noelle said, it felt like a jab to her. Clutching her cup, Winter stared at Noelle, trying to read between the lines of her calm expression.Noelle quirked an eyebrow. "Aren't you going to drink, Sis?"Winter lifted her head and sipped her coffee. "Thanks for the blessing, Little Sis. You gave me something you love, so I promise to keep it safe and sound. No one's going to steal it away."Noelle's frown showed she was not quite happy with what Winter said.
"Seriously, an uncle that young? That's got to be a joke!" Everyone had figured out who Charles was, but they were surprised by how young he looked. "Rowena, what are you trying to say? Do you mean he doesn't really see Winter as family?"Rowena smirked and said, "I didn't say anything. I don't know a thing!"Winter and Xavier moved on to toast with a few more tables. Winter had had a little too much to drink and was wobbling, so she leaned against Xavier, looped her arm through his, and snuggled up to him. "Xavier, aren't you happy?"Xavier felt a pang in his chest as he realized Winter was flirting with him. He gently removed her hand. "There are so many people around. What are you doing?"Winter made a face. "It's our wedding day, but why do I feel like you're not happy?"Xavier was at his wits' end. "I'm just tired from saying hello to everyone all day," he said, looking down at Winter, whose cheeks were rosy as if she'd had too much to drink. "Feeling sick? Let me help you in
Noelle was visibly taken aback by Jade's request. Winter had just left, and now, Jade had arrived. If Noelle still did not understand their intentions after all these years, then she would have lived her twenty-some years in vain.Noelle gazed at Jade with eyes that seemed to say a lot without speaking a word. Jade felt a weird twinge of guilt when Noelle looked at her like that, but she shook it off quickly. She glanced around at everyone and said, "Noelle, it's been ages since mom last saw you. What's the matter? Don't you want to talk to me even a little bit?"Inside, Noelle just laughed calmly. She thought Jade was pretty good at pretending—she wondered if Jade had learned that from Winter, or if it was the other way around. Noelle did not let anything show on her face, though. She just sat there, silent.Jade was annoyed on the inside, but with Samuel, Sebastian, and Charles there, she did not think it was a good idea to get mad at Noelle. So, she smiled and said, "Noelle, Mom'
Jade would not pass up such a chance and quickly agreed. She had been trying to figure out how to send Noelle away, but Noelle had agreed all on her own. Jade's face broke into a relieved smile. "Alright, come with me!"She held Noelle's hand tightly, as if worried she might back out. Noelle felt a chill and tried to pull away, but Jade's grip was firm. "Dad, Grandpa, I'll take Noelle now!"Noelle added, "Granddad, Grandpa, I'll go with Mom for a bit and come back later!" She gave Charles another look. "Mr. Hoffman, see you later!""Goodbye, Ms. Shaw!" Charles's voice was clear and cheerful.Jade was determined to take Noelle away and did not even notice Charles's gaze turn icy when she grabbed Noelle's hand. If Noelle had not called out to him, he would probably still look as scary as before.Jade pulled Noelle out of the banquet hall and into the hallway. Suddenly, she let go of Noelle's hand, and her face grew stern. "When I called you over, you brushed me off, didn't you? I'm
Noelle's lips were pressed tightly together, her determination clear. "If those people want to marry him, they can go ahead. But I won't marry him, not in a million years!""Could you repeat that?""Madam Shaw?"Out of nowhere, a voice that sounded a bit familiar cut through Jade and Noelle's argument. Jade paused, shooting Noelle a sharp look. "You’d better watch how you talk to me!" Then, with a smile, she asked, "Is that Yitty's kid, Bob?"Noelle blinked, confused. She saw Jade smiling warmly at someone behind her. With a slight frown, she turned around. When she saw the man standing there, her mouth twitched.He was dressed in a light brown suit that fit him perfectly, making him look very handsome. The man wore a polite smile, looking relaxed but also giving off a vibe of someone important.If Noelle did not know him, she might have been fooled by his looks.With a mix of feelings playing across her face, Noelle looked at the man and started to say, "You...""Hello, I'm Bo
Noelle had an ‘aha!’ moment. Sean and Bob were related. That was why Charles had figured it out earlier."But if Bob is your cousin, how come..." Noelle was still a bit confused. She had not heard the name Bob around Brookville. If he was someone important, she thought she would have known about him.Sean smiled and gestured for her to sit. "Noelle, have a seat!" He seemed totally at ease as he made her a cup of coffee. "He's my aunt's son, and he’s actually named Andy. You've probably heard of him. My aunt married into the Jones family in Cascade City a long time ago, and my cousin is the heir to the Jones family."Noelle understood a little bit. "Andy? So why does everyone call him Bob?" She was still puzzled.Sean continued, "That's an old story. My aunt cut ties with the Jones family a long time ago. My cousin visits every year, and everyone calls him Andy there. But you know how it is with us Smiths—if I don't take charge, then it falls to my cousin. Grandpa was so set on him
Sean smirked, raising an eyebrow. "Noelle, if I'm not mistaken, didn't your sister book this entire floor?"Noelle's cheeks turned pink as she caught the playful glint in Sean's eyes. She had heard the sounds too, and she was not a clueless kid. She knew exactly what those noises meant, and it made her feel second-hand embarrassment.She wanted to get out of there fast, but the sounds only got louder, making her ears feel like they were on fire. "Um...""Shh!" Sean whispered, putting his finger to his lips. "Don't you want to check out the show?""No way!" Noelle shook her head. "Let's get out of here!" They could not just stand around and listen to that. However, a loud cry pierced the air, "Xavier, harder!"Noelle's heart skipped a beat. She had no feelings for Xavier anymore, but hearing that voice during such an intimate moment was just too much. It was awkward, and there was a weird feeling she could not quite name inside her chest.Sean heard it too and looked at Noelle wit
The internal issues that had previously emerged within Collosus Group had gradually been resolved by Steven. The remaining risks had also been dealt with, thanks to Ronald, Raymond, and Lareal, who had sacrificed their rest time to finally clean everything up.Meanwhile, Charles was now leisurely sitting at home, drinking tea and keeping his wife company.The weather was nice today—warm, but not overly sunny. Charles had moved the chairs outside into the courtyard and carried Noelle over as well.She had objected, insisting that she could walk on her own. After all, she was heavily pregnant with twins, so her belly was round like a ball.Noelle was well aware of her own weight, but Charles, with his considerable strength, had effortlessly carried her over without so much as a breath of exertion.Once Noelle was placed in the chair, she rocked slightly. The man beside her sat down with a book held between his long fingers—a parenting guide.The small tea table next to him was stac
Back then, Kelly had desperately wished for Charles to give her a promise and publicly acknowledge their relationship.Yet thinking about it now, if that person was Noelle, then everything suddenly made sense.Kelly chuckled. "I never thought Charles would actually be rejected by someone. I've never heard of that happening before!"There was amusement in her voice.Noelle scratched her head. "Actually, it was because things were complicated at the time. The Shaws were watching closely, and I didn't want Charlie to get dragged into it."When I married him, it wasn't because of those external factors. I didn't want our marriage to be tainted by all of that. So…""I understand. You wanted to make sure that Charles and the Hoffmans knew that you married him for who he is, not because of his background. You wanted it to be purely about love."Noelle nodded. "As time went on, things kept piling up, and Charlie and I grew even closer. After that, I didn't think about it anymore. Then I
Noelle only turned around to seriously study Kelly once Charles and Yves had walked away. "Kelly, you really scared us this time!"That day, when Kelly had said her godfather had invited her out, Noelle had felt that something was off. The timing had been too much of a coincidence. Fortunately, she had been extra cautious and stayed alert, or else she would have regretted it for the rest of her life.Seeing how genuinely worried Noelle was, Kelly reached out and held her hand. "Noelle, I'm fine now. There's no need to worry!"She met Noelle's eyes and reassured her, "I'm doing great!"However, Noelle's eyes turned red. "You're fine now, but what about before?""Noelle! Some things are just beyond our control." Kelly sighed and tried to comfort her. "I didn't let your husband tell you because I didn't want you to worry. And look at you now…"Crying too much isn't good for your health, and it's definitely not good for the baby!"In the past, Kelly could never have imagined having
Charles paused for a moment. "Technically speaking, you're also one of the Hoffmans."He then said while looking at Yves. "What are your thoughts on that?"Yves pressed his lips together slightly. "Honestly, the surname doesn't really matter to me. Since Grandma doesn't want me associated with the Hoffmans, I think staying with the York family is just fine."In the past, his vision had been clouded by hatred, but the truth was that he had never cared about the Hoffmans' wealth or inheritance.Charles could tell what Yves meant, but he still said, "Personally, I'd like you to come back and help at the Hoffmans."Yves was momentarily stunned. He narrowed his eyes slightly as if sizing up Charles.Charles smirked faintly. "Grandpa wants to know when you and Mrs. Elmore will have time to visit the Hoffmans."He paused before adding, "And what about Simon?"Yves fell silent for a moment before answering, "Let's wait until Kelly recovers. Then, if you still—""Kelly is Nelly's siste
"Gaining weight is good. It's actually better for the baby," Kelly reassured.The two women continued chatting intimately, completely disregarding the two men standing right there.Charles and Yves exchanged glances instinctively, though their thoughts could not have been more different.Charles was thinking about how painful childbirth must be. When it was time for Noelle to give birth, he was determined to stay by her side. He would endure every moment with her and welcome their children together.Once the babies were born, he would cherish Noelle even more than before—ten times, a hundred times, or even a thousand times more. He would give her nothing but the best in the world.Yves, however, was struck by remorse. When Kelly had endured all of this alone in a foreign country, where had he been? He was simply blinded by hatred.All these years, he had missed out on everything. Things like being by her side, and watching their child grow.Regret washed over him as he listened
Noelle bit her lip, looking confusedly at Charles, who tapped her on the head. "You don't think Kelly has feelings for Yves?"This time, Noelle took a serious look at what was happening and her brows knitted together in worry. "Yves hasn't sorted things out with the Hoffman family yet. I'm not comfortable trusting my sister to someone like that!"Charles gave Noelle an exasperated look. "Seriously, who's the older sister here and who's the younger one?"Noelle's cheeks flushed with a sudden warmth. "I'm just worried about my sister, you know? She's had a tough few years, and I've only just gotten to really know her. I want to spend more time with her, and then there's Seth...""Sigh!"Charles had definitely caught on to Noelle's little worries by then. Otherwise, he would not have brought her along today.Yves had heard the commotion outside, too. He turned his head to look at the doorway.Seeing Yves notice them, Charles did not hesitate. He opened the door wide, took Noelle's
Kelly might not have realized her voice was shaking. "Yves, if you can't do it, don't make promises so easily!" She was scared, really scared. Promises about a future that might not happen were the scariest kind.She had thought that with Fred's death, Yves's troubles with Charles and the Hoffman family would be over. However, Kelly did not really understand what this 'over' meant or what it implied.Kelly was scared that seeing him then might mean she would not see him again.Yves was taken aback by Kelly's words. He had been waiting for days, waiting for her to say something, but he had not expected her to say that.Kelly seemed to catch herself getting too emotional. She calmed down and looked away from Yves. "Where's Seth?""He's at Phoenix Tree Residence with Bran. They seem to really like each other!"When Yves talked about Seth, his eyes twinkled with a smile. Kelly glanced over and caught the happy look on Yves's face. She was a little surprised at first, but then it made
Kelly gazed up at Yves. "There are caregivers, doctors, and nurses here. Even the servants will come!" She had told Yves clearly that he was not needed there, that he had no role to play.Yves understood what Kelly meant, but he was not upset. He just smiled gently at her. "You're still sick, and I don't trust them to look after you!"Kelly was at a loss for words and turned her head away, too frustrated to look at Yves.A shadow of sadness passed through Yves' eyes, but he quickly shook it off. "Dear, once you're better, you can tell me to leave."Kelly faced him again. "Don't you have things to do? What about the Yorks? The Hoffmans? How will you explain to the Yorks? How will you deal with the Hoffmans?" She could not understand. Did Yves no longer care about the things he used to chase? "Fred was your real dad. He's gone. Don't you care at all? Haven't you ever wondered why he was so into Hoffman's wealth, and you're part of the Hoffmans too, you...""Are you worried about me?
Charles opened the car door and stepped out first. Andrew, who had been driving, just shook his head. He finally understood why Ronald was always grumbling about not wanting to hang out with Charles, who was notorious for making single guys feel left out with his over-the-top romantic gestures. Andrew, a straightforward guy, had not really grasped what Ronald meant until then.Charles was really laying it on thick, showing off so much that Andrew felt like the underdog being teased.Charles reached out a hand to Noelle. "Come on out!"Taking her time, Noelle reached back. Charles gently took her hand and helped her out of the car, telling her to watch her step as if she were the most precious thing in the world.Andrew thought that the strong and respected image Charles had in front of everyone had crumbled. He could never look at Charles's serious face the same way again. Charles, who was always so serious and never joked, and even seemed a bit scary and super strict, could not