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
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 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
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
"Nelly, love doesn't always last forever," Charles said, his voice heavy with the weight of reality. Clearly, he meant that this was someone else's drama, and even though Tania was his sister, there was not much he could do. It was up to those involved to figure it out.Noelle got it and held onto Charles's hand as if it were her lifeline. "Charles, swear to me that no matter what goes down in the future, you won't ever leave me hanging." The fear of being betrayed was still ever-real for her. Once was enough for a lifetime. She knew she could not handle going through that again."I'll never let you go, unless you let me go first," Charles said, gripping Noelle's hand firmly. "Promises might not always hold up, but I intend to keep all of mine to you. No exceptions."Noelle nodded, her eyes shining. "I love you, Charles!""I love you too!" He kissed her gently on the forehead, smoothing away the tiny wrinkle there with his thumb. "Anything else on your mind?"She nodded again. "Li
"Do you like it?"Noelle caught Charles's eye. He was as silent as a statue, which made her heart race a little. She glanced down at her outfit, feeling out of place. She had never worn anything like this before, and she was pretty sure she had never seen these clothes in any period drama before. However, the intense spark in Charles's gaze immediately washed away her worries.She gave a small, hopeful smile. "How do I look?""You look amazing!" Charles whispered, his voice low but filled with warmth. He chuckled and reached out to straighten her outfit. "Head on out. I'll be right behind you!""Got it!"Stepping out, Noelle spotted Sean and Peter, already decked out in their new gear. They looked like they had stepped out of a different era. They looked so cool that Noelle nearly forgot Sean's usual goofball antics.Blinking in surprise, Noelle greeted them with a bright, "Hey Peter, Mr. Smith!"Peter gave a slight nod, but Sean was not having it. "Hold up, Noelle. You're on a
"Didn't you want to come?" Peter shot Sean a cool look. "You chose this. You can't blame anyone else for your misery." His tone was icy, and he did not bother to sugarcoat his words.After being subjected to Charles and Noelle’s lovey-dovey act and now getting a verbal jab from Peter, Sean decided he had had enough. He was done with this hangout. With his head held high, he walked off. Peter squinted, taking in his surroundings as memories of Tania flooded his mind. They had ridden wildly here once, and she had promised to stay by his side forever.Tania, Tania! Three years had gone, but she was still not back!Charles picked out a super calm horse for Noelle since it was her first time in the saddle. He was worried she might freak out or not be able to handle the horse, so he stuck close, holding the reins. Noelle, perched on the horse, gently patted its neck. "Charles, this one's a sweetheart!""Yep!" Charles glanced up, seeing Noelle's grin. "Should I let go and see how you do?"
Just then, Peter and Sean walked up. Peter glanced at Charles and asked, "So, we're not doing this?"Charles nodded. "Yeah. There's something up at the family residence that I need to check out. I've got no clue what it's about!" He glanced at Noelle. "Looks like I can't stick around with you. You might have to head back alone.""It’s fine. Your stuff is more important. Besides, you can hang out with me anytime!" Noelle was pretty chill. Charles could not help feeling a bit bummed, his eyebrows knitting together before he turned to Peter and Sean. "I’ll catch you guys later."Peter nodded. "Definitely. We'll hang out another time." He eyed Noelle. "If you're okay with it, how about Sean and I get dinner with you since it’s getting late? We can drop you off after."Peter's question seemed casual, but he was clearly asking for Charles's approval.Charles caught on and nodded. "That sounds good. I appreciate it." He gave Noelle's shoulder a reassuring pat. "I'd feel better if you wen
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
Before Winter could even finish her sentence, a series of rapid knocks echoed from the front door of the Shaw residence.Within moments, the door was violently forced open as a group of uniformed police officers stormed inside."Mr. Shaw, Ms. Shaw, this is a search warrant," the leading officer declared as he held up a document. "And this is an arrest warrant. Ms. Shaw, you're under arrest for attempted murder. Take her away!"With a subtle nod from their leader, the officers moved swiftly. Winter was subdued before she could react.For a moment, she was too stunned to struggle. It was not until they had escorted her outside and shoved her into a police car that she finally snapped back to reality."You can't arrest me! Let go of me! I didn't kill anyone!" she screamed, her voice filled with desperation.However, it was no use. She was quickly taken away. Meanwhile, Julian was also arrested for harboring a fugitive.All of this unfolded within a single night. By the time most pe
Through Janet's eyes, Milo seemed to see her mother again. It was the same clarity in her gaze that had appeared the moment she took her own life years ago.A sharp pain shot through Milo's chest, but before he could react, Janet's knife had already plunged into him."Monster! You're a monster! It's because of you that Charlie doesn't want me anymore! He abandoned me!"No matter what she did, Charles would never take her back.At that moment, Janet was utterly consumed by despair. She watched as blood gushed from Milo's chest, staining his clothes in deep red. Then, suddenly, she burst into hysterical laughter."Let's go to hell together!""You…" Milo's eyes widened in shock. He stared at Janet in disbelief.Then, as she pulled the knife out, he collapsed."Milo!"Raphael stood frozen as he watched Milo fall. Blood spread rapidly around him, pooling onto the floor in an uncontrollable flood."Somebody! Somebody call an ambulance! Call an ambulance—now!"His panicked screams
"My child, where is my child? Where is the baby Charlie and I had? Give my child back to me!"Janet's eyes locked onto Milo, and she immediately rushed toward him. "Father, give me back my baby! Give them back!"She clutched at Milo with frantic desperation. Her long, untrimmed nails, sharp from neglect, scraped deep into his skin, leaving red, bloody gashes across the back of his hand. "Father, where is my child?""That's my child with Charlie… Where is Charlie? Why isn't Charlie coming to see me?"Milo sucked in a sharp breath, startled by Janet's unnatural strength. However, the moment Janet turned and spotted Raphael, her expression darkened even further, and her gaze turned menacing."You… You old bastard! Give me back my son! Give him back!"She lunged at Raphael, gripping his arm and yanking at him violently.She was like a rabid animal, stronger than any of the doctors or caretakers combined.Janet ran wildly around the living room, knocking over furniture as the doctor
"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