Noelle was nestled in the backseat of the car, her heart still racing from the night's chaos. She had scooted her seat back to match Charles', while Sean had taken on the role of chauffeur. Sean caught Noelle's silence, shot a look at Charles, and raised an eyebrow. "Noelle, why so quiet?"She let out a sigh, her thoughts snapping back into the car. "I just don't know what to say.""Tired?" Charles reached over and took Noelle's hand in his, gently squeezing it. "Your hand feels like ice," he said, his brow creasing with worry. Sean, can we turn up the heat in here?"He turned back to Noelle, his voice tinged with concern. "Didn't you think to bring a jacket before heading out? It's not the dead of winter, but the nights are still chilly."Noelle laughed softly, feeling the warmth from Charles's grip. "I'm tougher than I look," she assured him, but her smile faded as the night's events replayed in her mind. "You know Winter's friend, Suzy? Today, she was..." The words got stuck in
Charles's gaze was icy, filled with an intimidating power. With Noelle by his side, though, he quickly softened his fierce look.Noelle could still sense the edge in Charles, though. She gave his hand a reassuring pat. "I'm alright. And you know what? This whole mess has wiped any last shred of sisterly love I had for Winter. I can’t forgive her time and again for the hurt she's caused. So don't hold back on my account. There are things I used to avoid or think were beneath me. But if she's not going to stop coming after me, then I'm done playing nice. Some battles are mine to fight!"Charles's lips twitched into a smirk. "Alright!""Don’t worry. I'm not the same Noelle who used to get pushed around. I'm going to stand tall and get stronger, so you won't have to be concerned about me all the time!""Attagirl!""Hehe!" Noelle's smile was bright. "I've got it all figured out."Winter had promised that the secrets of last night's wild party would stay under wraps, and Xavier had wor
Annie was on the warpath, scolding Winter, who was too shocked to speak. Her face drained of color. "Annie, just hear me out. I swear I didn't know about this until now. I don’t know why they—""You had no idea? Really, Winter? After everything Annie and I did for you, you ditch us when it counts, and now you've leaked those private photos and videos. How can you expect me to trust you?"Suzy grabbed the phone and screamed at Winter, her calm shattered by this morning's headlines. She was like a wild beast, lashing out at Winter. "Do you really want to do me dirty like this?""Suzy, hear me out. I swear I didn't do this! I never saw this coming. It's all that snake Noelle's fault. She was the one who was supposed to be in the hot seat yesterday, not me.""Cut it out, Winter." Suzy, fed up with Winter's excuses, felt a wave of disappointment. "You're the one with the paparazzi on speed dial, but you're blaming Noelle? Do you really think I'd buy that? Why drag me and Annie into your
After a while, the door finally opened. Suzy peeked out, giving Cody a once-over before fully opening the door. She looked up at him with a timid expression and croaked, "Cody." Her voice was hoarse, and she appeared utterly exhausted.Cody shot Suzy a quick nod, a shadow of a smirk flickering in his eyes. "Don’t worry. The coast is clear, and my car’s parked out back. We'll slip away, and no one will be the wiser."Suzy's tension melted away. "Thanks, Cody!""Don't mention it," Cody said, shrugging off his jacket and handing it to Annie. "Wrap up in this, Ms. Atherton. Let’s leave now. I've thrown them off our trail for now, but who knows when they'll catch on?""Okay, Suzy. Put on my bro's jacket, and we’ll leave!"The trio made their escape through the hotel's back door. Suzy was still on edge in the car, her eyes glued to the rear window, half-expecting to see someone following them.Seeing Suzy's panic, Annie felt a pang of guilt and squeezed her shoulder. "Hey, Suzy, do you
"Right!" Cody nodded with determination. "I'm taking you to meet Charles!""Meet him?" Annie's voice trembled. "Brother, do I have to go?" Fear gripped her at the thought of Charles.Since she learned that Noelle's husband was Charles, Annie had even started to fear Noelle. She knew firsthand the kind of terror Charles could unleash. It was a fate so grim it made death seem merciful. That was exactly what Charles would do."Don't worry. You're practically a hero for saving Noelle this time. He won't lay a finger on you!""But...""Believe me. Besides, we might need his help with Suzy's situation. You don't want Suzy to spend the rest of her life hiding away in that villa, unseen, do you?" Cody saw the hesitation in Annie's eyes and gently urged, "Listen to me."Cody led Annie to The Majestic Lounge, which haunted her memories. It was the very spot where her nightmare had begun. Stepping out of the car, she felt that old fear creeping in, but Cody was with her, gripping her hand f
The room fell into a hush so profound one could hear a pin drop. Annie's hands were balled into tight fists, her gaze locked on Charles. She was scared stiff of him, but she would walk through fire for Suzy. She had to give it a shot.Annie was not the only one with her heart racing; Cody was on edge too. They were in the presence of Brookville's very own VIP, Charles. Cody might not have witnessed Charles's full repertoire before, but he had gotten a taste during Annie's ordeal. He knew Charles had some serious chops.Charles's lips quirked into a sly smile as his eyes finally settled on Annie. He let out a soft chuckle, his long fingers flicking a card in his hand. "Are you sure about this, Annie? A favor from me isn't something to take lightly. I always keep my promises, but do you really want to use up this chance for someone who doesn't even matter to you?"Annie's breath hitched, but her voice was steady. "Suzy might just be a nobody to Mr. Hoffman, but she's my friend. I know
Charles tossed aside the cards in his hand, his long fingers brushing over the base of his other hand. "What do you think?"Annie shook her head. "I don't know!"Annie was on pins and needles, and though he would never admit it, Cody was just as eager to hear what Charles would say. It felt like an eternity before Charles's cool and detached voice sliced through the silence. There was an edge to it, icy and menacing. "If she had crossed me, she'd be in a far worse spot than she is now!"Annie's face drained of color, and she stumbled backward. She would have fallen if not for Cody's quick reflexes catching her.Cody guided the shaken Annie out of the room with a comforting arm around her. Ronald trailed behind them and quietly shut the door.With a playful wag of his finger and a thoughtful stroke of his chin, Sean teased, "Charles, you've really mastered the art of giving someone the creeps."Charles lifted his gaze, giving Sean a challenging sidelong glance. "Are you saying you
"You know the dog's ruining our private time, yet you still won't take him away!"The argument heated up, and fists started flying. It had been a blur who swung first, but suddenly, they were both in the thick of it, adrenaline pumping, trading punches and kicks in a fierce standoff.Charles was going for the knockout, targeting every hit, but Sean was not about to give up. He ducked and dodged, looking for any chance to strike back.The pair drew after a few rounds. Both were roughed up, and neither had gained the upper hand. It had become obvious Sean was taking the brunt of it, with more than a few marks to show for it. As for unseen bruises, they both had plenty of those too.Sean had always warned Peter about Charles, calling him sneaky and not to be underestimated.Beyond the punches to Sean's face, there had been the blows to the waist and legs. Even if they left no mark behind, Sean was still sore. Charles had also taken his share of hits, but he was quick enough on his
Although Charles and Noelle were not in a rush to plan their wedding, the Hoffman and Smith families certainly were. Everyone was eager to make sure every detail was perfect as no one wanted anything to go wrong.Clarisse, who had initially been preoccupied with the Bakers' situation, found herself too busy with the wedding preparations to think about anything else. Once she got caught up in the planning, there was simply no time to spare.Meanwhile, Nancy's health had improved significantly. Given how significant this wedding was for the Hoffman family, she naturally wanted to be involved.However, Henry remained concerned about her physical condition, only allowing her to oversee the decorations and review the guest list rather than taking on anything too strenuous.Charles and Noelle's wedding had become one of the grandest social events in Brookville's elite circles. Ever since the news of their marriage broke, countless socialites had secretly mourned the loss of another eligi
Sean felt a deep irritation rising within him. Savannah always assumed that Liliana was still clinging to him, unaware that she had long stopped loving him.Now, she probably wished he would disappear from her sight altogether. How could she possibly still be chasing after him?Yet every time Savannah spoke like this, it felt like a knife twisting in his heart, making it even harder to bear.He desperately wanted to find an escape, some way to let go, but he could not do it no matter what he did. He simply could not bring himself to let go.To Savannah, his impatience only added to her displeasure toward Liliana. "I'm talking to you! Are you even listening?" she snapped. I don't care what that woman does. I'll never approve of your relationship with her, so you'd better give up!"Sean's eyes remained fixed on his phone. On the screen was a private message from Charles. It was a video taken just moments ago in the Hoffman family's living room, where they had been discussing Liliana
Liliana flinched slightly. "Grandpa, I'm really not in a hurry right now.""How can you not be?" Maxwell sighed. "Look at the rest—they're all married. You're the only one still single in the Hoffman family. How can I not be worried?"He let out another heavy sigh, shaking his head. "I'm getting old. I've spent so much of my energy worrying about you all."Liliana could not help but smile wryly. "Grandpa, don't say that. I really have been thinking about it. Once Bobby recovers, I'll take my future more seriously.""Really?" Maxwell's eyes lit up. "Well then, don't you worry about Bobby's illness. If you don't want to go to the Smith family's hospital, that's fine. I'll find an even better hospital for him."I'll make sure someone takes care of it. You just focus on yourself, and leave the rest to me."Liliana chuckled. "Alright." She gently patted Bobby's back, soothing him as he drifted off to sleep.Once he was completely asleep, she stood up. "Grandpa, Bobby is asleep now. I
Yves had no objections. If anything, he was eager to marry Kelly as soon as possible. With a smile, he nodded and instinctively glanced at Kelly.Kelly, however, was caught off guard as she looked around at everyone in confusion. She had not expected the conversation, which had been about Noelle and Charles, to suddenly shift to her and Yves.She had been trying to minimize her presence, but somehow, Maxwell had turned his attention to their relationship.For a moment, Kelly felt flustered. "I…""Kelly, what are you still thinking about?" Maxwell said persuasively. "Yves is such a good man. Besides, you two already have a child, and Seth is growing up fast. Do you really want him to grow up without a complete family?"No one knew where Maxwell had picked up his knack for emotional persuasion, but his words left Kelly speechless.Seeing her hesitation, Maxwell turned his gaze to Seth, who stood between Yves and Kelly. "Seth, tell Great-Grandpa—do you like Daddy?""I do!" Seth nod
"What are you talking about, Grandpa?" Noelle protested, clearly displeased. "You have to stick around and watch the little ones grow up!"Maxwell chuckled, delighted by her response. "This girl always knows what to say! But you and Charlie have been married for so long without a wedding or a banquet. Now, you don't even plan on hosting a proper celebration for the babies. What's the point of me staying around if I can't see these things happen?"Noelle was momentarily stunned. She had not expected him to steer the conversation in this direction, leaving her at a loss for words.Maxwell's statement quickly gained support from the others. Mateo and Henry both agreed that a wedding should be held."Exactly! You two have been married for ages, and there are still plenty of people out there who don't even know Noelle is part of the Hoffman family! Now that you've had kids, isn't it time to make things official?"Mateo turned to Charles. "And you, kid—say something! Your wife gave birt
Charles had done everything he could to help, but the emotional knot between them was something he could not untangle. If Liliana ultimately chose to walk away, he would step in to put a stop to Sean's silent pursuit.Yet every time he looked at Liliana's face, he was reminded of that gentle woman he had once sought out in the misty waterways.The Hoffman family had wronged her, yet she never harbored any resentment. Instead, she had only one request, which was for him to take care of Liliana, to watch over her, and to ensure she lived a safe and peaceful life.That woman had never asked for anything in her lifetime. In her final moments, her only wish was for Liliana to grow up in good health, without longing for wealth or status.Liliana seemed to sense someone watching her. She lifted her gaze but saw no one, so she quickly looked away, shifting her attention back to Bobby.She reached out and pinched his chubby little cheeks. "Do you like Uncle Charles' Phoenix Tree Residence
Noelle was speechless.Could someone please tell her why there was such blatant favoritism between two children born to the same parents?The people nearby had also noticed the situation, and soon, muffled laughter spread through the crowd.Even Yves and Kelly could not help but chuckle. Charles was clearly a devoted husband and a doting father—but only to his daughter.As for his son… It seemed Connor now had the lowest rank in the family.Yves shook his head and glanced down at Connor, who had stopped crying. The little boy simply stared at Glitter as if watching her intently.Noelle sighed, feeling both exasperated and amused. Was Charles being biased? Connor was just as adorable!Meanwhile, on the other side of the hall, Clarisse had previously reached out to Liliana in private, hoping she would return to the family.At first, Liliana had remained noncommittal. Later, even Maxwell had personally approached her, expressing his desire for her to come back, admitting that the
"What else could it be?"Noelle did not even need to look to know exactly what Charles was up to. She sighed as she glanced at her sister, who was still oblivious.Meanwhile, Yves and Charles seemed to have reached an agreement on stage. The two men shook hands before stepping down together.Charles walked straight to Noelle's side and, without hesitation, took Nora from her arms. The moment Nora saw him, her bright eyes sparkled with excitement.She let out a series of delighted coos, clearly overjoyed to be in his arms. She was barely a month old, yet somehow, she was already showing favoritism.Noelle could not help but feel a little jealous. She had been holding Nora just moments ago, yet the little one had not shown this level of enthusiasm.Pouting, she reached out and gently pinched Nora's cheek. In response, Nora turned her head away, ignoring Noelle entirely. Instead, she snuggled into Charles' chest, continuing her happy babbling.Noelle scowled. "Hmph, ungrateful litt
Charles chuckled. "Are you sure?"Yves narrowed his eyes and leaned in close, lowering his voice so only the two of them could hear. "Charles, what the hell are you up to?"Charles smirked. "Nothing much. I just want to make sure you're certain about this."His gaze suddenly shifted toward Kelly. "Tell me, do you think my dear sister-in-law might find someone better?"A sharp glint flashed through Yves' narrowed eyes. "Charles, aren't you afraid I'll take over Collosus Group entirely?" His teeth clenched as frustration flickered across his face.Charles simply shrugged, utterly unbothered. "I'm just afraid you won't.""You—" Yves could feel the vein in his temple pulsing.He never expected Charles—renowned for his ruthless decisiveness—to be such a schemer! He was utterly devoid of a moral compass. "Where is your conscience?"Charles arched a brow. "Can't help it. I have a wife and kids to take care of. I don't have time to waste.""And I do?" Yves shot back, clearly irritated