Noelle was just about to step out when the door swung open, and there stood Sean, easily grinning and with curious eyes as he took in the scene before him. His gaze lingered on Noelle, a playful arch to his brow.She had not expected Sean to be the one showing up. Charles had assured her it was fine to come, which probably meant he had filled Sean in.Sean's eyes crinkled with a smile, that mischievous twinkle in his almond-shaped eyes. He leaned against the doorframe, hands in pockets, and teased, "Hey, where're you off to in such a hurry, Ms. Shaw?"Jade, spotting Sean, rushed over with a flurry of excitement. "Mr. Smith, you're here! Noelle was just getting antsy and wanted to come out to greet you.""Really?" Sean's eyebrow quirked up as he locked eyes with Noelle. She bit her lip, holding back words. Jade, desperate, pinched Noelle and hissed just loud enough for them to hear, "Get it together and say hi to Mr. Smith, will you?""Mr. Smith, take a look at Noelle here. She cam
Noelle's brows knitted together, her annoyance plain to see. She rose abruptly. "Sorry, I need to use the restroom."Ignoring Jade's calls, she strode away without a backward glance.Jade turned to Sean, her smile faltering. "My apologies, Mr. Smith. I've spoiled Noelle rotten since she was little. She didn't mean to be rude—she's just shy. You know how some girls can be a little too modest. But between us, she's confessed she's quite fond of you and even dreams of marrying you!"Sean choked, the tea he had been sipping spewing out in disbelief.Jade was taken aback but did her best to stay cool, even offering a tissue to Sean. "What's wrong, Mr. Smith? Is the tea too hot? Noelle, how could you serve such scalding tea to Mr. Smith?"Not a single kind word about Noelle escaped Jade's lips, leaving Sean to question whether her intentions were truly to play matchmaker for Noelle and Bob. However, Jade's eagerness seemed to suggest she was keen on the idea of Noelle marrying Bob. Howe
"You..." Jade was taken aback. She had not expected her first stumbling block to be not Noelle, but 'Bob'. "How dare you talk to me like that! I’ve been around long enough to know how things work!""I've been holding back out of respect for you as an elder and as Ms. Shaw's mother. I really admire Ms. Shaw and would like to be her friend, but Mrs. Jones, since I've arrived, you've done nothing but pick apart Ms. Shaw. Maybe it's just me, but if Ms. Shaw is as flawed as you say, why are you so eager to have me marry her so quickly? What are you trying to do?" Sean's face grew stern, and his smile vanished, a clear sign that a storm was brewing.Even Noelle, who was quietly observing, felt a chill watching Sean's transformation. She was used to seeing Sean as the epitome of warmth and courtesy. Even though he was always calculating, he rarely showed his temper. It looked like Jade had finally crossed the line."You...""Ms. Shaw is quite the catch, and I'm sure there's a whole host o
"You ungrateful brat..." Jade's hand was raised, poised to strike, but the door swung open again, halting her mid-slap. "Hey, what's going on here?"Sean leaned casually against the doorframe, his eyes a narrow slit as they locked with Jade's. Her hand hung in the air, awkward and motionless.Noelle's lips twisted into a wry smile, but she did not give Jade another glance. Instead, she turned to Sean. "Back so soon, Mr. Smith?"Sean's smirk was loaded with unspoken amusement. "I just remembered something I needed to hash out with Ms. Shaw. Lucky me, walking in on such an entertaining scene." Jade's face drained of color as she quickly dropped her hand. "Mr. Smith, was there something urgent you needed to discuss with Noelle? I was just...""Mrs. Jones, I've got eyes. I can see for myself!" Sean cut Jade off, his voice icy. "I had no clue that Miss Noelle of the Shaw family had always been treated like this."Jade's face went red as if she'd been slapped, stinging with embarrassmen
Sean got Noelle back home without a hitch. Charles was holed up in his study, buried in work, but the distant purr of the engine had him pausing. His face set in a serious line, he shelved his work and headed downstairs.No sooner had Sean and Noelle stepped inside than Noelle caught sight of Charles on the stairs. She rushed toward him. "Charles!""Yeah?" Charles shot a quick look at Noelle, and seeing her unharmed, he let out a sigh of relief before fixing his eyes on Sean. Sean quirked an eyebrow. "Done and dusted. But seriously, Charles, how'd you figure out someone was lurking outside?""Someone?" Noelle's head shot up, her eyes narrowed in confusion. "What are you guys whispering about?""It's nothing!" Charles said, smoothing Noelle's hair affectionately and giving her cheek a little nudge. "You must be tired. Head on up and get some rest. I've got to chat with Sean for a bit.""Alrighty!" Noelle agreed with a nod and started up the stairs. "I'll leave you to it, then!"On
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, what's this about hiding someone? For your information, I'm a gentleman, alright? I'm swamped as it is. I can barely look after myself, let alone Arnold. And let's not forget, Arnold was yours to begin with. You and that woman... Look, it doesn't matter. Arnold can't go back now, period!"With those words, Sean took the opportunity to bolt out of there.He had only himself to blame, though. Why did he even mention that woman? Everyone knew she was a sore subject for Charles.Sean might not know the whole story, but ever since that woman left, no one had dared to bring her up around Charles. Just the mention of her name would ruin Charles’ mood, though it was not enough to make him lose his temper.Meanwhile, Charles sat in the living room for a long while before he finally looked down at Arnold by his feet. Arnold seemed to sense his mood, nuzzling against Charles's leg, whimpering softly for attention.Fresh from the shower, Noelle stepped out of the bathroom a
Out of nowhere, Noelle felt a reassuring weight on her shoulder. She looked straight into Charles's eyes.Charles gave her shoulder a comforting pat. "Remember, you've got me!" Noelle's face split into a wide smile, and she covered his hand with hers. "I know!" Without Charles, she would be lost, unsure of who she would even be.She had only teamed up with Charles to dodge the Shaw family curse, never expecting to actually fall for him. Charles was an unexpected surprise in her life, but she was not about to push him away."Hey, don't sweat it. I'm not the old Noelle anymore. I've got my eyes wide open now. What's bugging me is Mom pushing me at Bob non-stop. You can't keep sending Sean to bail me out! And what if Bob's parents catch wind of this?""Don't worry, Bob's got this!" Charles said, squeezing Noelle's hand before he turned, sat down, and pulled her close. He gently dried her hair. "You don't need to stress over this.""Speaking of, Sean was pretty intense with my mom tod
"Mom!" Bob cut her off, his eyes narrowing, a trace of annoyance flickering through them. "I know what I'm doing. Cascade City can wait. It's mine, anyway. Are you really worried I won't be able to handle it?""Alright then!" Yitty pressed her lips together and placed her glass on the table.Bob realized that this was a conversation where he and Yitty would just go around in circles. "You should get some rest, Mom. I'll head out now."Once he stepped out of Yitty's tastefully decorated room, Bob dialed Sean's number. "What have you been up to today?"Sean had just gotten home and was about to crash when his phone buzzed with Bob's call. The tone was pure interrogation. He quirked an eyebrow and replied, "What could I possibly have done? I went to see Noelle, just like you asked, didn't I?"Bob squinted suspiciously. "What did you tell Jade? She's called my mom, and she’s absolutely livid!""She actually called her?" Sean was taken aback. "That woman... Well, I didn't really say m
"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
The shocking news spread like wildfire. Milo, the head of the Baker Group, had an illicit relationship with his adopted daughter, Janet, four years ago.Not only had they engaged in a secret affair, but they had also given birth to a child, only to cruelly abandon it.The scandal did not stop there. People quickly dug up an old case from years ago when Janet accused Charles of assaulting her.With the two incidents placed side by side, the public began speculating that the real perpetrator back then was not Charles, but Milo.Though this was only a theory, sometimes speculation carried more weight than the truth. The explosive news did not just shake Capiton, even Brookville was in an uproar.…Noelle had been brought back to Phoenix Tree Residence to recover. Under everyone's careful care, she was already in good health. Her daily routine now mostly consisted of eating, drinking, and occasionally exercising.Since her pregnancy had caused her weight to skyrocket, she was now ac
Charles could not help but laugh. "Alright. We'll decide together after the doctor checks on you. How about that?""No!" Noelle tightened her grip on his hand. "Charlie, I had a dream… I feel like I've been asleep for so long. Don't go!""Alright, I won't go!" Charles' voice sounded choked with emotion as he held Noelle's hand tightly. "I won't leave, not ever!"He immediately picked up his phone and called Sean. "Come over right now! Nelly is awake!"Within a minute, the news of Noelle waking up had already spread to everyone. Sean arrived quickly, bringing Margaret along.After a thorough check-up, Sean finally said, "She's fine now. Just make sure she gets plenty of rest and proper care."Both he and Margaret let out a breath of relief.Linda soon arrived with Saxon. After examining Noelle, Saxon handed Charles a small bottle of medicine. "Once she finishes this, the toxins in her body should be completely eliminated.""Thank you." Charles took the medicine, opened it, and g
Jace was telling the truth, but Milo still looked at him suspiciously. "Really?""What else? But Father, someone just made a good point. Isn't Janet supposedly cured? Why did she suddenly have another episode?"Milo's expression remained grim. "How would I know? Let's wait for the doctor."The doctor arrived quickly but could not determine what had caused Janet's sudden outburst. "Based on her condition, as long as she isn't provoked, she shouldn't relapse. Did anyone agitate her?""No. She just lost control around 6:00 am," Jace replied, eyeing the doctor. "Are you sure there's nothing wrong?""Nothing at all." The doctor, who had years of experience, genuinely could not find any abnormalities. "What about the medication I prescribed?""Here." Milo handed over the bottle that had been placed on the nightstand. The doctor examined it briefly. "The medicine is fine. The real question is—has she been taking it regularly?""Of course. She takes it every day," Milo said firmly, frow
Janet lost her mind again, this time without any resistance. Early the next morning, a piercing scream shattered the quiet dawn before the sun had even risen. It came from Janet's room.Since Jace's room was also on the third floor, he was the first to arrive while the rest of the Bakers were still deep in sleep.The woman who had appeared composed and elegant just yesterday now looked completely deranged. Janet shrieked hysterically as her face twisted with madness. It was more terrifying than any of her previous episodes.Jace was surprised by the methods of the young man who had claimed to be a doctor. He had not expected that just a few needles would be enough to push Janet over the edge.He did not approach her. He simply stood there, watching with cold detachment.Soon, the servants arrived, and Milo followed shortly after. It was not long before nearly all the Bakers had gathered. Seeing Janet's crazed state, they did not seem particularly shocked, but their frustration was
Liliana never expected to run into Sean when she visited the babies. She nearly turned on her heel and left, but Sean was not about to let her walk away that easily.The moment he spotted her, Sean reached out and clasped her wrist. "Liliana!"Liliana froze, her eyes darting to Sean's hand on her arm. "Let go!" she demanded through clenched teeth.Sean's hand tensed, and he looked a bit embarrassed. "I... Did you come to see the babies too?" He was at a loss for words and blurted out the first thing that came to mind.Liliana's face went white, but she held back her feelings. "What? I'm not allowed to visit?""No, that's not it, Liliana. You know I didn't mean that. I just..." He wanted to talk to her.Liliana seemed distant as if she were a thousand miles away. Sean struggled to find the right words. “Charles mentioned that you know Saxon?”Hearing that, Liliana turned back around, her icy gaze fixed on Sean. A faint, indifferent smile adorned her lips. "Why do you care?""Lil
"Ms. Holt, Mr. Hoffman and Mrs. Hoffman are at the hospital," a servant informed them."The hospital? What happened?" Linda stood up quickly, but Saxon's piercing gaze made her sit back down. "They're having babies," Saxon said simply and started his meal.Linda was about to say something, but she noticed Saxon did not seem to care. So, she kept quiet.She wondered if something had gone wrong with Noelle's delivery. Remembering what was in that package before, Linda's eyes grew distant. Someone was still trying to hurt Noelle.Linda chewed thoughtfully on a pie as she stared at Saxon. "Did you save Noelle?" she asked.Saxon just gave her a quick look and stayed quiet. Linda figured Noelle was okay then and started to eat her meal with relief.Sean was not feeling so calm. He rushed to the hospital as soon as his plane landed. After learning about Noelle, he visited her first. She had not woken up yet, but Charles assured him that the poison was gone and the babies were born safe