Janet bit her lip and hesitated, but then hurried after Becky, her pride not allowing her to back down. "Just so we're clear, I'm not intimidated by you. Everything I'm doing here is for Charles," she declared.Becky let out a dismissive snort and did not bother with a reply.To Becky, Janet was just another newbie who had never dealt with the grind of office life. She was someone who could not handle the heat.When they arrived at the office, Becky pointed to a cleared-out corner. "Ms. Baker, this is your new workspace. These papers on the desk are from the secretary before you. Mr. Hoffman thinks you're not ready for the important projects just yet. You'll spend this month getting up to speed with these."Becky thumbed through the top file from a massive pile of paperwork and pointed. "Ms. Baker, I hear you're a Capiton Finance Academy alum? Impressive school. This should be a walk in the park for you, then. Take your time. I've got my own work to handle!""Becky," Janet said th
"Don't you want to know what's going on?"Brian watched Arya zip over to another table to chat and snoop, while Noelle was contentedly focusing on her meal. He was a bit confused. "I thought you were close to the big shot upstairs?"Noelle took a bite of her food and looked up with a slight frown. "How do you expect me to answer that?"Brian realized Noelle was not wrapped up in the drama and chuckled. "Looks like I'm the one who's too curious for their own good.""Yeah, seriously. You're a big guy, so why are you so into the rumor mill?" Noelle chuckled, spotting Arya bounding over with a look of sheer excitement. "You guys will never believe what I just heard!"Arya was practically bouncing with enthusiasm, so Noelle played along. "What's the scoop?""That new girl who just showed up on the 27th floor today is Mr. Hoffman's uncle's daughter. But get this—there's no family tie by blood. She's not here to work; she's here on a manhunt!"Noelle hesitated. "A manhunt?"She did no
Grappling with this new insight, Noelle quickly looked away, her cheeks burning as she sneaked a peek at Brian. Sure enough, he was watching her, a wry smile playing on his lips. She shot him a desperate look, silently begging him to keep her secret.Brian tapped the table to catch Arya's attention, his face serious. "We can't just blab about Mr. Hoffman's secrets, can we? Come on, it's getting late. Let's wrap up dinner and get back to work!"Arya playfully stuck her tongue out at Noelle and dropped the subject. Meanwhile, Noelle could not help but wonder about Janet. Was it possible she actually had a crush on Charles?That question nagged at Noelle all the way to quitting time. She and Arya had been leaving work together lately. Like clockwork, Charles would call just before they clocked out, telling Noelle to head down early and wait for him. Today was no different.On the call, Charles asked what Noelle was in the mood to eat tonight, a conversation they seemed to have every d
Janet's voice was dripping with sweetness, the kind that could melt a guy's resolve. Even Noelle, tucked away in her hiding spot, shuddered, feeling her skin crawl under her thick clothes.Noelle's throat felt dry as she debated: should she slip away now to find Arya, or should she boldly step out and claim her ground?As she mulled it over, Noelle's ears caught the icy edge in Charles's voice. "Call my mom yourself and ask her to send a car for you!"A wave of relief washed over Noelle. She had been secretly dreading Charles might offer to escort Janet. For some reason, Noelle just could not warm up to Janet—maybe it was that lunchtime drama in the dining area that soured her mood.Noelle admitted to herself that she was not one to hold grudges or blur the lines between right and wrong, but she could not shake off the unease sitting heavy in her chest—and she was not about to lie to herself about it."Charles, how could you? I'm your sister, for crying out loud, and the Hoffmans'
Noelle snapped her seatbelt into place and shot back, "Scared? As if! What's there to be scared of?" She arched an eyebrow. "But you owe me an explanation, don't you think?"Charles quirked an eyebrow, smoothed Noelle's tousled hair, swung the car around, and zoomed out of the parking lot."I figured with the way things are between us, you’d get it," Charles said, one hand on the wheel while the other playfully reached for Noelle's hand.Noelle bit her lip, pretending to be miffed as she pouted and swatted Charles's hand away with a huff. "Get what? I don't get any of it. The only thing I know is that at lunch today, everyone was buzzing about the Colossus Group's big-shot president scoring a hot new secretary who's not just a looker but super capable too." She kept an eye on Charles's face as she spoke.Charles glanced at his rejected hand and, hearing the tart edge in Noelle's voice, his eyebrows lifted, and a sly grin spread across his face. "Sounds like someone's got a case of
"So, I was right with my guess?" Noelle had felt it in her gut, but hearing it from Charles hit differently. She felt a twinge of sadness and glanced at him. "Your mom doesn't like me, does she?"Charles's brow creased ever so slightly when he heard Noelle's words, a wave of annoyance washing over him for no clear reason. "I like you, and that's all that matters," he declared firmly.Noelle gave a half-smile, her unease showing. "It's not that I'm trying to imply anything else. I'm just worried your mom might not take to me because of the whole Janet situation." They had been married for quite a while now, and even though it was Noelle who had initially been hesitant about meeting the Hoffmans, she could not shake the fear that they might not think highly of her.Charles could easily read the concern in Noelle's eyes. With a sigh, he reassured her, "Forget about all that. I'm the one who married you, and I'm the one who's going to be with you for the rest of our lives, not them. You
Fury bubbling up inside her, Janet drew back her leg and delivered a solid kick to the door. The kick set off the anti-theft alarm, and within moments, the shrill sound filled the floor. Security guards were on her in an instant, their expressions wary as they recognized her. "Ms. Baker, what are you doing at Mr. Hoffman's office?""I... I..." Janet's words faltered as panic set in. The alarm's blare had already sent her heartbeat into overdrive, and now her feet felt like they were encased in concrete, refusing to move."It wasn't me, Charles sent me up here for a document, he...""Ms. Baker, you're saying Mr. Hoffman sent you for a document? Where is Mr. Hoffman now?" The guards were on high alert, their last encounter with Charles' warnings still fresh in their minds. "If Mr. Hoffman sent you, would you mind giving him a call?""You, you... Charles really did tell me to get the documents. If you don't believe me, just call Charles!""Look, we don't have the big boss's number. S
"You've gone too far this time, Clarisse. You're pushing the limit. Getting Janet a spot at the company was already bending the rules, and Charles isn't happy with me. And now you want to fire people? Do you acknowledge Charles' position? He's the big boss of Collosus Group, you know.""Of course I do! Janet is his sister, his secretary, and she gets pushed around by the security guards? What I'm doing is totally fair!" Clarisse would not hear any of Mateo's reasoning. "If we don't stand up for her now, who knows what they might do to her next time?""And did you even bother to ask Janet what she was up to?" Mateo massaged his temples in frustration. "Charles's office is full of top-secret stuff, and he wasn't even there. So why was Janet sneaking in? The guards were just doing their job. Anyone who breaks into Charles's office is asking for trouble. How can you blame them?" Mateo's sharp eyes fixed on Janet. "So, Janet, what were you doing in there after hours without Charles?""I.
The kid shivered when he saw Peter's piercing eyes. "I don't know where he is!""You're lying!" Peter said, spinning a scalpel in his hand with a smile that did not reach his cold eyes. "If you don't take me, let's see if you can run faster than my knife can fly!"Peter pretended to throw the knife at the kid, who shook with fear and quickly gave in. "I'll take you!"Peter raised an eyebrow and put the knife away. "Move it!"The kid did not know who Peter was, but after seeing what he could do, he did not dare say no. "Not just anyone can meet Mr. Holt!""Oh, really?""Yes!""Where are you from, sir?" the kid asked Peter in Spanyric."Zyphonia!" Peter answered, then looked at the kid and said, "You've been hiding behind that mask for a long time. Isn't it time to take it off?"Surprised, the kid did not react fast enough, and Peter quickly pulled off the mask, revealing a young and innocent face underneath.She had a soft and detailed face, like that of a girl around fifteen
Peter covered his mouth with a handkerchief, crouched down, and with his trusty military knife, he flipped over a body to take a closer look. To his surprise, he found some strange marks on the body, like a secret code.He squinted his eyes and checked the other bodies. They all had the same mysterious marks.With a chill in his gaze, Peter stood up, cleaned off his knife, and hopped into his car. He followed the path the kid had taken just moments before.Bodies were everywhere, and only a few people were still alive. Most were in shock, and some were rescue workers.However, Peter's sharp eyes quickly spotted a group of people and zeroed in on the kid. Something told Peter that the kid was in trouble. He got out of the car fast and followed the kid's tracks.That kid was no regular Joe. He knew he was being followed after just a few hundred feet and started dodging through the town littered with bodies.Peter's smile grew. He was getting more and more curious about that little
"I know, but Noelle, I had no other way. He put a virus in you. Do you understand what that means?" Charles's piercing eyes softened a bit. "You know I couldn't just do nothing. I couldn't stand to see you in pain!""But my sister is innocent too!" Noelle inhaled deeply. "What if that man didn't care about my sister? Isn't doing this like throwing her into a fire?" Noelle could barely imagine what had become of Kelly then.Noelle had seen that man before, and she knew just how harsh and mean he could be. They had only talked for a little bit, and she did not really get to know him, but she could tell he was the type of person who would do anything to get what he wanted.He was the kind of guy who would put a virus in people like Tania and Bran, and even in women and kids like her. Noelle was scared to think about what he might do to her sister, Kelly."Noelle, you've got to believe me!" Charles pleaded.However, Noelle shook her head. "It's not that I don't believe you. It's just.
Kelly was gone. The day after she vanished, little Seth cried his heart out because he could not see her. Tania and Nancy tried everything to calm him down, but nothing worked. They had no choice but to tell Charles about the situation.Noelle and Kelly could have been twins. They were so alike. That was why everyone thought it would be a good idea for Seth to meet Noelle. However, Charles was dead set against it, and nobody had ever seen him so stubborn.Nancy and Clarisse were in the dark about the whole thing, but Tania knew the score. There had not been a peep from Peter lately, and Tania was getting worried that something bad had happened.That day, Tania and Bran headed to the hospital. Charles had moved all his work there, and Ronald was dealing with everything, big and small, right in the hospital.Charles kept Noelle out of the loop, though. She figured she was just there because they had not gotten her sickness under control yet. She knew she had a virus, so she went alon
"What's the matter? Is looking at me enough to fill you up?"Yves turned to Kelly, pulling out a chair and sitting beside her. His long fingers picked up the silverware and served her the meal. "Eat up. Isn't this your favorite?"Her favorite?Kelly stared back at Yves, her gaze frosty. "Do you even know what I like?"Yves put his hands down and gazed at Kelly. "What's wrong? Don't you like the food?" Without waiting for her answer, he quickly summoned the two servants from earlier. "Madam doesn't like the food. You know I don't keep anything around that isn't useful.""Please, madam, have mercy! Sir, have mercy!" The servants' faces turned ghostly white as they stood stiffly on the marble floor, apologizing repeatedly. Kelly's heart raced with fear. "Stop, please. I'll eat, okay? Isn't that enough?"She bowed her head and started gobbling up the food, scared that Yves, who she thought was crazy, might do something unpredictable if he got upset.Kelly could not see the slight
Kelly felt a chill run through her. "Yves, you're just too scary."Kelly did not know much about the Lennon family, but she remembered how Peter had single-handedly brought down Lennon Group six months ago. What if they had not fallen? What about Peter's uncle..."Scary? What I've done is nothing compared to the Hoffman family. They're the real filth. Once you get involved with them, you're tainted too. Don't you think so?" Yves's eyes burned with undisguised hatred as he mentioned the Hoffman family."It's getting late, and you must be hungry by now!"Yves ignored Kelly's protests, bent down, and scooped her up in his arms.Kelly tried to wriggle free, but Yves held her tight. "Unless you fancy going hungry!"Realizing she was getting nowhere, Kelly stopped struggling. She had used up a lot of energy arguing and messing around with Yves, and then she felt drained.Once Kelly was calm, Yves carried her down to the restaurant on the ground floor.Several people stood guard in th
"What did you say?"Just a second ago, Yves might have looked totally calm and unbothered, but then he was like a scary fighter from the darkest night. He grabbed Kelly's hand, his frosty stare locking onto her. When he squeezed just a little, Kelly was trapped, unable to move at all.It hurt so much, like her heart was being drilled into.Kelly's face went white as she looked at Yves, whose face was hidden behind a mask.Somehow, even though she could not see his face, she could tell from his icy, sharp eyes that he was surprised, shocked, and hurting.He held onto Kelly's wrist so tight. His eyes looked like they could eat her up. "Say that again!" he said through clenched teeth, like he was so mad he could gobble her up.Kelly had never seen Yves look so ruthless and fierce, like a messenger from the underworld. She shivered, totally scared, but Yves kept his gaze right on her. "How could you, how dare you!"Was this woman out of her mind? She actually dared to inject herself
Yves just laughed when he heard her. "You've lost respect for me?" He towered over Kelly, who was sitting on the bed. He reached out and gently lifted her chin with his finger, gazing intently into her eyes. "There's no such thing as an innocent person in this world, right?""Let me go!" Kelly jerked her head away. "That's just your dark heart talking. Noelle never hurt you, and neither did Tania or Bran. I can't figure out why you're after them. Sure, you have issues with Charles and the Hoffmans, but go after them, not innocent people!"Yves squinted, then let go of her chin and looked at his finger. "Going after the Hoffmans, huh? Just wait and see what happens.""Yves, are you out of your mind? What did the Hoffmans ever do to you? Aren't you a Hoffman too?"Kelly was confused about Yves's motives, so she tried to get him to spill the beans. However, Yves took her words the wrong way, thinking she meant something else."Do you feel bad for Charles?" "I don't know what you're
Kelly trembled from head to toe when she heard Yves's words. She tried to push him away, but Yves was too strong, and she could not get free. "Let me go, Yves! You're crazy, a creep, let me go!" Kelly kept struggling. She tried to slap him, but Yves caught her other hand.Yves pulled Kelly close, and his chilly breath wrapped around her. She shivered, but Yves just hugged her tighter. "After all these years, you haven't changed a bit!"Kelly felt a chill all over her body. She wanted to push him away, but she could not muster the strength.Yves held Kelly in his arms. His firm chin was visible outside his mask, and his cool lips brushed against Kelly's cheek as he softly laughed. "Kelly, I've missed you too!"Kelly suddenly looked up, her surprised eyes meeting Yves's deep ones.His eyes were different from Charles's. Charles's gaze was icy and emotionless, like chunks of ice.However, Yves's eyes were different. They were just as deep but had a touch of warmth. His eyes were lik