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
Noelle could not stop herself from raising her voice, and tears streamed down her face without warning. She reached out and pried Xavier’s fingers off the handle one by one before shoving him away forcefully. “If both you and Winter aren’t to blame, does that mean that I’m the one to be blamed? If you had been even the slightest bit considerate of my feelings, you wouldn’t need to be doing all this today. Xavier Harris, you could have told me you didn’t like me, and we could have broken up. I’m not the type of girl who’d give you trouble over it. As for you, Winter Shaw, you say time and time again that we’re sisters, but what have you ever done for me? You could have told me you had feelings for Xavier, and I would have given you two my blessings when I realized he liked you too. After all, I would not have survived till today if it wasn’t for what you did all those years ago. But does that mean I’ll forever be indebted to you? Huh?” Tears were flowing freely down Noelle’s face when
Noelle slept through the night, but she was not in very high spirits when she awoke. As she gazed at her pale face and puffy eyes reflected in the mirror, she vehemently splashed water at her eyes until some color returned to her cheeks. Then, she propped her hands against the sink dispiritedly and gazed at herself sadly. “Wake up, Noelle! There aren’t any hardships that you can’t get past!” After preparing herself mentally, she began putting on makeup. She heaved a sigh of relief when all signs of disheveledness could no longer be seen on her face. However, she frowned when she saw her grandfather, Sebastian, her maternal grandfather, calling her. She hurriedly answered, “Hello, Grandpa? What’s the matter?” “You haven’t forgotten that I asked you to come home today, have you?” Sebastian’s voice rang out. He might be getting on in age, but his voice was filled with as much vim and vigor as it had during his younger years. He had his many years of delivering lectures to students t
Sebastian caught on to what Charles was hinting at almost instantly. His face tensed for a split second before he regained his composure. "Noelle just got back from a trip, so she’s still mixing up timezones! Hey, Charles, you might as well stay for dinner since you’re here."He waved May over. "We need some groceries, May. Noelle and Charles are both dining in tonight, so make it snappy!" Sebastian handed her a wad of bills.May had been with the family long enough to read between the lines. With a knowing squint, she grabbed the cash and headed out the door. "You three have a good chat."Seizing the moment while Sebastian was busy giving May instructions, Noelle's gaze fixed on Charles. How on earth did Charles know her granddad?Charles's eyes, which were sharp and narrow, met Noelle's with a light-hearted laugh. "Ms. Shaw, you look like you’ve seen a ghost.""Give me a break. Aren't you the least bit shocked? You're really my granddad's student?" Noelle's skepticism was palpab
"Hmm? What's that supposed to mean?" Sean asked in confusion. "What exactly are you doing?""Nothing," Charles replied, his expression returning to normal. "What was the situation in Capiton before? The timing of Janet's breakdown doesn't seem right."It was not quite what he had expected, but it did not affect his plans.Sean smacked his lips. "Haha, speaking of that, you should ask that little brat Linda. Her acupuncture skills are seriously impressive. Just a few needles and she did more damage than the medicine I prepared!"He had to admit that the drugs he had mixed up were practically useless compared to what Linda had done. "But that little girl was pretty ruthless with it!""Ruthless?" Charles' gaze turned sharp. "Compared to what they have done, Linda went easy on them."If Noelle had suffered any real harm, he would have wiped the Bakers off the face of the earth.Sean caught the murderous intent in Charles' expression and raised an eyebrow. "So, what's your plan? Keep
Noelle nodded and pushed open the door to Connor and Nora's nursery. "What do you think, Mom? Charlie started working on this room as soon as I found out I was pregnant. Everything here, from the decor to even the smallest details, was his doing."Clarisse smiled as she stepped inside. Her gaze swept over the room, filled with warmth and tenderness. Her eyes grew misty as she took it all in. "It's beautiful—truly wonderful."Walking over to the crib, she saw the two babies fast asleep. Their tiny arms and legs were slightly lifted in the air.Noelle chuckled as she approached. "They sleep like this all the time. The doctor said it'll get better in a while."Clarisse nodded but could not hide a trace of guilt. "I never really took care of my own children after they were born. No wonder they aren't close to me now."There was a hint of regret in her voice.Noelle pursed her lips and then said playfully, "I was actually thinking about going back to work once I recovered. But what ab
Noelle placed the paper in front of Clarisse like she was presenting a treasure. Clarisse was slightly taken aback. Although her relationship with Charles had improved, she still felt a bit uneasy when facing her own son.At this moment, Noelle was acting as a bridge between them. It might not seem like much, but Clarisse understood that Charles' willingness to be even slightly cordial with her was largely because of Noelle.Her son was fiercely devoted—especially when it came to Noelle. Clarisse had started to see her in a new light.At first glance, Noelle seemed rather ordinary. But over time, her good qualities became more apparent. The more Clarisse got to know her, the more she realized just how remarkable she was."Mom, look! Charlie put so much thought into this," Noelle said while beaming."Yes… he really did," Clarisse murmured, her eyes growing slightly misty. The sadness she had felt earlier because of Milo had eased, replaced by a strange sense of warmth as she gazed
Clarisse's expression changed instantly, and she instinctively glanced at Charles.She had accidentally put the call on speaker, allowing Milo's words to reach both Charles and Noelle. Just as she was about to say something, Milo continued with a sharp voice, "We're family, aren't we? And yet look at what he's doing! He's trying to destroy me!"Clarisse remained silent, watching as Charles' face grew darker."Clarisse, don't blame me for being blunt. You may have married into the Hoffmans, but you're still a Baker. Now that the family is in trouble, are you really just going to stand by and do nothing?""Milo!" Clarisse sighed. "What do you mean by that? Stand by and do nothing? Haven't I done enough over the years? How many things have I done just because you asked?"I turned against my own son and daughter for the Bakers. I even cut ties with Charlie and Chloe because of Janet. Was that still not enough?""You—""Milo, it's not that I don't want to help you, but this time, you
Clarisse knew that even though Charles had forgiven her for what she had done in the past, it did not mean he would forgive Milo or the Bakers—let alone spare them.However, the Bakers were still her family. She could not just stand by and watch them be completely destroyed. "Charlie, I…"From the moment she arrived, her hesitation was obvious. Charles immediately knew she had something to say. Handing the babies over to the nanny, he instructed, "Take the twins to rest."Once the children were gone, Charles turned to Clarisse with an ice-cold expression. "I already know what you want to say. But I advise you not to say it because if you do, I won't even show you mercy.""Charlie!" Clarisse's face paled as she clenched her fists. "Does it have to be this way? He's still your uncle.""Is that so?" Charles narrowed his eyes. "It seems you don't know the full story yet.""What are you talking about?" Clarisse looked at him in confusion."Do you think Nelly gave birth early because
"I'm not crying!" Noelle sniffled, then lifted her chin defiantly at Charles, trying to prove her point. "See? I'm not crying.""Alright, you're not crying," Charles sighed. "So, we're going with these names?""What about Grandpa, Mom, and Dad?" Noelle did not mind, but she worried that the Hoffman family might have something to say about it.Charles, however, was unconcerned. "They're our kids, not theirs.""Pfft, if you say that, you'll break their hearts!" Everyone in the Hoffman family had been eagerly waiting for these two babies."It's fine. I already asked Grandpa, and he has no objections." Of course, Charles had not really asked—he had simply informed Maxwell. However, Maxwell had not made a fuss. To him, it did not matter what surname the children took. In the end, they were still Hoffmans.…In Capiton, the scandal involving Milo and Janet had sent shockwaves through the city. The child had been taken back to the Baker residence, and a DNA test confirmed that he was
"The boy is named Ice, like a diamond. The girl is Glitter, which shines brightly. Do you like it?" Noelle's eyes sparkled as they fixed intently on Charles.A soft light appeared in Charles' deep gaze. It slowly turned more intense as he looked at Noelle. He reached out, tilted her chin, and leaned in closer, his eyes locking on her flushed, rosy cheeks. "Mhm… I like them."Just like Noelle herself, always so glittery and radiant, as dazzling as a diamond."I think they sound great too!" Noelle beamed, reaching up to touch Charles' face. "Then what do you think their full names should be?""I've already thought of them.""Really?" Noelle was surprised. "That fast?""Yes."Before she could react, Charles lifted her into his arms. Instinctively, she wrapped her arms around his neck, her legs clinging to his waist. "Charlie, am I too heavy?""Not at all. You're light."Though she had gained some weight since giving birth, Charles thought it was perfect. She was softer now, mor
Noelle let out a startled yelp and instinctively wrapped her arms around Charles' neck. "What are you doing? You nearly scared me to death!"Charles only chuckled, his lips curling into a faint smile. He held her waist and gave it a gentle squeeze. "How could I ever bear to do that?"Noelle huffed, "Smooth talker!"Though she pretended to be annoyed, a blush still crept onto her cheeks. "I was asking you something serious. Was it really you?""Yeah."Charles did not deny it. "What about it?"Noelle shook her head. "I just didn't expect you to go after the Bakers so suddenly."She had thought that because Clarisse was part of the Bakers, Charles might show some restraint toward Milo. But clearly, he had not.Charles remained silent for a moment before speaking. "You might be willing to let them go, but they refuse to let themselves go. That's not my fault."His tone was cold, devoid of any emotion. The moment Noelle heard it, she knew that either Milo or Janet must have pushed
"Diamond?" Noelle's eyes sparkled. "Kelly, how about we call the boy Ice and the girl Glitter? What do you think?"She held her son's tiny hand. "Ice. That's your name now. You're Mommy's little diamond!"Just as she finished speaking, the baby girl in Liliana's arms suddenly let out a loud cry. Her voice was strong and clear, making Noelle turn toward her in concern. "What's wrong?"Liliana chuckled. "She's probably jealous!"Noelle was momentarily stunned before she found herself laughing too. "She's already learning to be jealous at this age?"Even as she spoke, she reached out to take her daughter from Liliana's arms. "Glitter, Mommy's little darling. Are you upset because I called your brother first?"As soon as Noelle held her, Glitter immediately stopped crying. She blinked up at her mother, her bright eyes twinkling like tiny gems.Noelle's heart melted. "Babies grow so fast. They change every day!"She had not even been out of the hospital for long, yet the twins alrea