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Chapter 458
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The Cherished Wife Chapter 459
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
The Cherished Wife Chapter 460
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
The Cherished Wife Chapter 461
"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
The Cherished Wife Chapter 462
At the doorway, both Sean and Arnold looked over at Noelle, their eyes brimming with gratitude. Noelle paused, caught off guard by the sight of the pair. She could handle Arnold's puppy antics, but Sean's face was too much. She could not help but laugh. "Charles?"Charles just glanced at her coolly. "It's either me or Arnold. Make your choice."Damn!Sean's mind was racing with frustration. He could not believe Charles had stooped so low as to compare himself to a dog. Winning that kind of contest was no victory at all. Sean did not wait for Noelle's answer. He stormed off with Arnold. Arnold might have been able to deal with their PDA, but Sean could not!Noelle watched Sean leave, dumbfounded. She turned to Charles with a scowl. "Really? Sean’s your brother, and Arnold’s your pet dog.""Nothing matters more to me than you!" Charles had a way with words that could melt any heart.Noelle felt her irritation melt away with his sweet talk, and she shook her head with a wry smile.
The Cherished Wife Chapter 463
The buzz about Suzy was everywhere that morning. Everyone from Brookville and the whole country seemed to be in on the gossip. For Suzy, the scandal was a crushing blow.Charles smiled wryly and gestured for Noelle to come over. She put away the ointment she was holding and got up, walking into Charles's open arms. She nestled quietly against him, her fingers nervously twisting his sleeve into a spiral."I've got Ronald on it," Charles said, his voice thoughtful. "When that video leaked, the faces were all blurred, and you couldn't really make out who was who. It was all guesswork, and nobody was sure." He paused, then added, "Suzy doesn't want to press charges."Noelle's brow creased in concern, but she quickly nodded in agreement. "I get where she's coming from. If she went to court, it would just keep the drama alive. It wouldn't just be those two people and their families caught in the storm; Suzy and her family would be under the microscope too. The media would have a field day
The Cherished Wife Chapter 464
Charles spun around, grinning from ear to ear. "Sure!”They did not leave the house until thirty minutes later. Charles had phoned Ronald, asking for extra backup at the horse ranch. Upon their arrival, they were not just greeted by Ronald's hired muscle; Sean and Peter were there, too.Noelle often bumped into Sean, the last time being recently at the Phoenix Tree Residence. Peter, however, was a new face.She had heard whispers about Peter, but they had never actually met.Noelle stepped out of the car hand in hand with Charles to find Sean and Peter leaning against the door. Sean watched them with a look that was nothing short of intrigued. Despite the scrapes on his face, Charles still oozed charisma.Charles arched an eyebrow, his gaze flicking from Sean to Peter, then his forehead creased ever so slightly. "What brings you two here?""Charles, come on. You could have been a bit more thoughtful. I just whisked Arnold away, and here you are, showing up at the horse ranch with
The Cherished Wife Chapter 465
The horse ranch lay on the outskirts of town. It was a vast and open space frequented mostly by the sons and daughters of the rich. Noelle had heard Rowena talk about it plenty of times, yet she had never seen it herself.Rowena's family was not rolling in dough, but they had enough to be comfortable. Back in the day, Noelle had big dreams for Rowena and would often whisk her off to fancy spots where the rich and famous hung out. However, Rowena once told a story about coming to this ranch at fifteen years old and almost getting stomped into the ground by a horse. That scare kept her away for good.Noelle was excited at first, dreaming about galloping around. However, when push came to shove, she got cold feet. She had only seen horse riding on television and had never been on one herself before. She had seen some pros in competitions, but that was a whole different league.Charles picked up on Noelle's jitters and gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. "Don't sweat it. I've got your b
The Cherished Wife Chapter 466
Caught in an awkward spot, Noelle reached out and shook Charles's hand slightly. "Hey... Charles, weren't you going to show me how to ride a horse?"Her words sliced through the weird silence like a sword, and Charles let out a light laugh, nodding. He playfully tousled Noelle's hair. "Sure thing. Let's get you into some riding gear, then we'll go find you a horse."With that, Charles and Noelle headed off, leaving Sean staring after them, a storm brewing inside him. After a while, he finally let out a gruff, "Sorry!"Peter narrowed his eyes thoughtfully, and his hand fished in his pocket before pulling out a pack of cigarettes. He offered one to Sean, who just shook his head. "I quit!" Peter might not have known that Sean had kicked the habit years ago, though sometimes he would still hold onto a cigarette for old times' sake.Catching the cue, Peter pocketed the cigarettes again and twirled one between his fingers. His gaze drifted off into the distance. "I'm in the wrong, too. I
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The Cherished Wife Chapter 2129
"Sean, stop messing around. Let go of me first," Liliana tugged at Sean's arm, realizing how tightly he was holding her. "You're choking me."Only then did Sean loosen his grip slightly, though he still did not let her go. His forehead rested against hers, and he panted softly. "Liliana, do you remember what you said to me in the fire?"Liliana's face turned red, and she awkwardly turned her head away. "N-No, I don't remember. What did I say? I don't think I—mmph..."Before she could finish, Sean kissed her, swallowing the rest of her words with that one stubborn kiss.Liliana raised her hands and smacked Sean on the shoulder, trying to push him away. "Sea—mmph, what are you doing? Let me go..."She shoved him hard, and Sean stumbled back, clutching his chest. Liliana's face went pale, and she rushed over. "Sean, what's wrong? Are you okay? Did I hurt you somewhere?"Nonetheless, Sean took the opportunity to wrap his arms around her again. That feeling of holding her tightly
The Cherished Wife Chapter 2128
Noelle raised an eyebrow. "I didn't say that."Then, she added, "That knot in Liliana's heart can only be undone by Sean."What happened back then had always been a shadow between the two of them. Noelle had noticed it these past few days. Though Liliana stubbornly claimed she no longer cared, she clutched her phone every single day, obviously waiting for a call.Liliana's social circle was small. Noelle and the others knew everyone she knew. Who else could she be waiting for but Sean?Charles furrowed his brows. "If Liliana can't have the best, then she's better off with nothing."Noelle could not help but laugh. "Alright, alright. I know you're still holding a grudge against Hayes and Savannah."Honestly, Noelle shared the sentiment. "Savannah really crossed a line with how she handled everything."Charles reached out and gently pinched Noelle's knuckles. "That's not what I meant."Noelle chuckled, exasperated. "I know."Outside, the sound of a car engine drew their attentio
The Cherished Wife Chapter 2127
Sean shoved Hayes away. "Dad, if you're just like Mom and trying to stop me from being with Liliana, then don't even bother. If I can't marry Liliana in this lifetime, I won't marry anyone else."With that, Sean lay down decisively. Hayes frowned. "Sean, this isn't about what we want anymore. It's about Liliana and Charles now."Truthfully, Hayes did not have many opinions about Sean and Liliana's relationship. He was always too busy with the company to pay attention to such things. Even the events from four years ago were only now becoming clearer to him."If you insist on marrying her, I won't stop you. But from what I can see, the problem lies with Liliana and Charles."Sean's gaze sharpened as he clenched his fists. "That's impossible. Liliana already forgave me back when the fire happened. She promised that if we both made it out, she'd marry me."Hayes sighed. "Your mother… She misunderstood Liliana and said some harsh things. Just rest for now. Once you're better, we'll go
The Cherished Wife Chapter 2126
Sean spat out a mouthful of blood. One hand gripped the bedsheet tightly, his gaze turning darker than ever."What do you mean by that? What do you mean she doesn't want to marry me? She promised me. She said that as long as I was willing to walk out of that fire with her, she'd be with me. You're lying to me, aren't you? Tell me you're lying to me."Sean's bloodshot eyes locked on Savannah's. "Tell me."Savannah was momentarily stunned by the sheer force of Sean's gaze. This was the first time she ever felt fear in front of her own son. "Sean, I…""Where's Liliana?" Sean demanded."Sean," Hayes called out as he pushed open the door and stepped in. "That's no way to speak to your mother.""Then how should I speak to her?" Sean's voice turned icy."Did you know it was Joanna who drugged me nine years ago? And while I was under the influence, I forced myself on Liliana? I misunderstood her, and as a result, she had to hide in the countryside for years."Four years ago, it was me
The Cherished Wife Chapter 2125
The operating room door swung open, and Liliana spun around. She saw Saxon step out. Not caring about anyone else’s opinions, she grabbed his hand. "Mr. Holt, how's Sean?"Saxon looked down at their hands, noting how soft and warm hers was. He met her eyes and nodded. "The patient is out of danger now. He should wake up by tomorrow."Hearing that, Liliana let out a sigh of relief and then suddenly fainted."Liliana!"Charles rushed over and wrapped Liliana in a tight hug, but his eyes quickly darted to Hayes and Savannah. "Now that Sean is safe, Sean's fate is no longer Liliana's concern, nor ours," he declared, speaking for the Hoffman family.With those words, Charles carried Liliana away. Saxon was tugged along by Linda. "Saxon, you should check on her. The young lady seemed off to me. She's been hiding her pain. Besides the wound on her shoulder, I think she breathed in a lot of smoke."Saxon's eyes shimmered for a moment. "Yeah, I'm aware."Liliana had been pushing through
The Cherished Wife Chapter 2124
"Charles, you…""Stop it!" Hayes was taken aback by Savannah suddenly slapping Liliana. He did not particularly like or dislike Liliana, but she was part of the Hoffman family, and their family commanded much respect. Besides, Noelle was still Charles's wife, and they had to be careful about their actions.Hayes turned to Charles. "I'm sorry, my wife acted without thinking. But what in the world happened today?"Hayes had been told that his son was hurt, but he did not know the details. When he arrived and saw Liliana was there and injured too, Hayes and Savannah could not help but think that Liliana must be connected to Sean's injury.Charles gave a sharp look. "It was Joanna's doing.""Joanna? No, that can't be!" Savannah was shocked to hear the name Joanna, and she quickly objected, "Joanna is such a sweet girl, she couldn't possibly...""Oh, sweet indeed!"Liliana, who had been silent until then, finally spoke. She narrowed her eyes and stood up, ignoring the pain from her w
The Cherished Wife Chapter 2123
"Liliana!""Get up quickly!" Liliana used all her strength to pull Sean up from the ground. "Can you walk?""Uh-huh!" Sean had been hit by a falling piece of wood on his leg when he tried to push Liliana out earlier. That was why he could not get out in time and could only hear Liliana's loud calls from outside.He had wished so badly for Liliana to leave quickly, but she had come back for him.Sean bit down hard and pushed himself up.Even if it was hard to walk, he had to try because Liliana wanted him to stand.Liliana slung Sean's arm over her shoulder, noticing his injury. Her eyes were red with tears. "Sean, hang in there. If we both make it out today, I'll forgive you. You can ask me to do anything.""Really?" Sean's eyes sparkled, and he smiled. "Liliana, I don't want you to do anything." In his heart, he added, ‘I just want you to marry me.’"The fire is licking at our heels, and you two are still dawdling," came Charles's icy voice from up ahead. In a flash, he was be
The Cherished Wife Chapter 2122
"Sean, where are you? Didn't you just say you love me?" she cried out. "How can you leave me like this, saying you love me and then j-j-just giving up? What am I supposed to do now?"Sean, you took our child from me. How could you think I'd just forgive you? If you don't make this right, I swear I'll never forgive you," Liliana yelled outside, her voice filled with madness. Inside, the plant was engulfed in flames. Shaking from head to toe, Liliana's screams slowly turned into a whisper. She clenched her hands tight, staring blankly at the fire. "If you're gone, what's left for me here?""Liliana!"Charles rushed over and saw Liliana moving toward the flames. He grabbed her and pulled her back. "What are you doing?"Liliana looked up, dazed, and saw Charles. She quickly stood up and grabbed his hand. "Charles, please. I'm begging you. Help me save Sean, please!"Charles's brow creased as he looked at the fiery red inferno, his fingers tensing. "Liliana, the fire's too big. Sean mi
The Cherished Wife Chapter 2121
Liliana shoved Sean aside and covered him with her body, taking a knife stab from Joanna. "Ugh..."Pain whitened Liliana's face, and blood dripped onto Sean's face. Reacting quickly, Sean rolled over, picked Liliana up in his arms, and seized Joanna's neck, twisting it hard until it cracked. Joanna's eyes bulged in disbelief as she stared at Sean."You..."She had not thought Sean would actually snap her neck. Her eyes were wide open, one hand clutching a knife, and the other holding a lighter.With her last breath, she tossed the lighter.A loud bang followed, and flames started to spread from that spot.Sean's eyes darkened as he carried Liliana and dashed for the exit. However, how could he outrun the swift spread of the fire while burdened with Liliana's weight?Liliana's eyes widened as she saw the flames creeping up behind them. She pushed Sean, urging him, "Go now, or it'll be too late!"However, Sean's eyes turned a deep red with emotion. "Liliana, I won't let go of you
