Noelle nodded. "I know that, but their company is small and not really in the scope of consideration. I didn't think you'd change anything because of them."Charles heard her and smiled slightly. He got up, walked behind Noelle, and placed his hands on her shoulders, gently massaging them.Noelle looked up, surprised by Charles' actions. She was about to pat his hand and ask him to sit down when Charles placed one hand over hers. "You seemed uncomfortable from working with your head down for so long," he noted.Noelle blinked, then smiled softly. "Alright. Thank you, Charlie."She realized she had indeed been hunched over for too long. Her shoulders and back were sore and numb. She had not expected Charles to notice such small details."I'm the kind of person who doesn't like anyone having control over my lifeline," Charles said as he continued to massage her shoulders with just the right amount of pressure, making her feel comfortable.She tilted her head to look into his eyes a
Charles thought for a moment before saying, "Alright, here's the plan."Tomorrow, I'll have Ronald find a place for George. Staying in a hotel for a year isn't ideal. As for the tea culture, don't you have a friend who runs a garden house? Take him there for a visit."I might not have much time this weekend. I need to meet with Peter.""Don't worry, leave it to me!" Noelle said.…Over the weekend, Charles went to meet Peter as planned while Noelle took Ronald to meet George. Ronald mentioned that they had already found a place—one of the standalone villas under Peter's name left over from when Lennon Group developed the area.Each of them had a few, though Charles rarely visited his.Noelle and Ronald picked up George, who seemed pleasantly surprised by the arrangements. "I didn't expect you to think of everything. I do need to stay in Brookville for about a year. Just yesterday, I was telling Dani that we should find a comfortable place since I'm not too fond of hotels.""The
"Parker?" George nodded. "He was my student, but he left Faris years ago. Do you know him, Ms. Shaw?"George's gaze shifted slightly as he looked at Noelle, especially when she nodded in response. "That's great! I haven't seen Parker in ages and have been wondering how he's doing!""He's doing well!" Noelle smiled. "Mr. Click, you probably haven't been to Westel for a few years, right? Mr. Parker is now at Collosus Group, and he's actually my boss! He was supposed to visit today, but Mr. Parker hasn't been feeling well these past few days, so he couldn't make it.""That's not an issue; there will be plenty of chances to meet later."As they spoke, Ronald drove the car into the villa area. Since a pass was required to enter, Noelle had one already prepared and handed it to the guard. "No. 1808.""Oh, is this visit for Mr. Hoffman's villa? He hasn't visited in a long time." The security guard knew Charles as anyone who passed through this villa area generally had to be verified.Af
"Mr. Smith, I think you may have misunderstood," Noelle could not help but interrupt Sean. "We don't plan to move in here.""Not moving in? Then why are you here today?"Noelle pointed upstairs. "Charlie brought in a chief engineer from abroad who needs to stay in Brookville for a year. I thought staying in a hotel for that long wouldn't be ideal, so we went looking for a place."Charlie said this villa was empty, and it would be a waste not to use it.""Tsk tsk, I bet this wasn't Charles's idea but yours!" Sean shook his head and gave her a thumbs-up. "Staying here not only makes the most of the property but also saves a lot on hotel expenses."Noelle squinted her eyes but did not argue back."Honestly, Charles is lucky to have married you," Sean commented, patting the couch. "You said the chief engineer is here? Where is he?""Ronald's showing them around upstairs, and I'm checking to see if we've missed anything," Noelle replied as she glanced around. "Would you like some tea
Noelle signaled to Ronald with a glance. George seemed very excited, but Dani appeared to be feeling unwell, so she stayed behind to rest.To accommodate her, Noelle had Ronald bring in a chef to serve George and his team.Noelle first took George to lunch, and afterward, they visited Homestyle Garden House. As soon as they reached the entrance, George was already full of praise. The garden house was established by Noelle and Teresa, who both managed it personally.The interior design and decor reflected their tastes, emphasizing tranquility and a traditional aesthetic that made the space feel incredibly comfortable.George admired the surroundings as he said, "Westel culture is truly profound." He switched to Westelian when saying the word 'profound', though his pronunciation was awkward. It sounded a bit odd but amusing, showcasing his genuine effort.Noelle nodded and walked ahead, introducing the place. "Mr. Click, you're too kind. My friend is inside, and you can have a good
"You're not late at all!" Noelle smiled when she saw Brian standing at the door, noticing a slight change in his demeanor. "Mr. Click is inside!"Brian nodded slightly, his face looking a bit pale. He then followed Noelle into the room.George spotted Brian immediately. He set down his teacup and stood up to greet him, "Brian, it's been a long time!""George, long time no see." The two men shook hands and exchanged pleasantries.Noticing that Brian still looked unwell, Noelle poured him a cup of warm water. "Mr. Parker, you didn't have to come if you weren't feeling well!""I'm fine." Brian accepted the cup politely but set it aside.He adjusted his coat with his slender fingers while Teresa served a cup of warm tea to George. She then stood up. "Mr. Parker, may I take your coat for you?"Teresa extended her hand politely. Brian paused, directing his gaze at Teresa for the first time. His dark eyes deepened as they lingered on her.Since Brian had arrived late, he did not kno
Peter smirked. "Didn't expect you to care about these things!" Then, he added, "It's the weekend. I thought you'd be busy.""I am busy, and I didn't really want to come," Charles replied bluntly. Peter narrowed his eyes, his piercing gaze landing on Charles. His long fingers tapped lightly on his knee. "About the West City project, are you sure you want Lennon Group involved?""What else?" Charles paused, rubbing his thumb against the base of his index finger. "I thought Lennon Group would be an ideal partner in Brookville.""But you should also know that I'm not the one in charge of Lennon Group anymore," Peter remarked casually, though his tone did not reveal much emotion. "The old man divided my power and gave part of it to Rex.""I trust you can handle it. Plus, that's an internal matter, and I won't interfere. But let's be real—are you seriously not planning to take full control of Lennon Group?" Charles asked, his sharp eyes flashing.For Charles, Lennon Group was like an un
Peter said he knew nothing about such feelings, but he knew better than anyone—he had waited a year—no, ten years—and he had endured it all.Charles reached out and patted Peter's shoulder. "In that case, hurry up and get the West City project done for me. After that, whatever you do with Lennon Group is none of my business."Peter smiled faintly. He brushed Charles' hand off his shoulder and stood up. The two equally formidable men faced each other, neither losing ground. "You've got it all planned out, haven't you? The West City project won't be finished in a year or two. Are you trying to delay Tania's return?"Charles narrowed his eyes. "Or maybe you've got a better plan? Do you even know where Tania is now?"Peter pressed his lips together. "Charles, if you ever fall into my hands, I'll make sure you experience what this feels like!"Charles smirked. "We'll see when that day comes." He then asked, "How's the investigation I asked you to do last time?"Peter raised an eyebr
Kelly's clothes were nearly torn apart by her own hands, and her arms and neck were covered in scratches. A small wound marred her forehead, likely from when she had hit the ground earlier.A dark glint flashed through Simon's eyes as a distant memory resurfaced. It was of a woman in a dimly lit alleyway years ago...His grip around Kelly tightened involuntarily. He closed his eyes briefly, pushing the emotions back down. When he opened them again, his expression had returned to its usual indifference.Without hesitation, Simon carried Kelly out of the dark, suffocating underground prison. The hidden dungeon was tucked away inside a rockery in the York family's back garden—a place no one would have suspected.Even after living in the York residence for over a decade, Simon had never known such a place existed.No wonder Peter's men had found nothing, despite exhausting all available resources. Who would have thought Elon had hidden Kelly right under the York family's nose?Simon
Elon ruthlessly threw Kelly to the ground. Her head slammed against the cold floor with a loud thud. A sticky, warm sensation spread across her forehead, and within seconds, she tasted the familiar metallic tang of blood in her mouth.Dazed, Kelly blinked a few times, her vision wavering. She swayed as she tried to push herself up, but before she could stand, Elon kicked her back down.A sharp pain exploded in her chest, and she could not hold it in anymore. She spat out a mouthful of blood. She now lay there, completely unable to move."You—"Elon raised his hand, ready to strike again. However, before his blow could land, a sudden force struck him from behind. A powerful kick sent him flying."Mr. Simon!"Elon looked up in shock at the newcomer. "This is Mr. Jacob's business. I suggest you stay out of it!"He showed no fear toward Simon. In Elon's mind, Simon was nothing compared to Jacob. Among the three York grandsons, Jacob was the only one truly capable of inheriting the f
Overnight, Brookville's largest underground casino was completely wiped out. Almost no one knew who was behind it.By the time the casino staff realized what had happened, all their systems had been hacked, and financial records from across the world had been completely destroyed.By the time Elon received the news, it was already too late. The casino that Yves had been secretly managing for so long had been taken down in a single night. That casino had been involved in countless transactions, but now, everything was gone.Elon stared at the wreckage before him, his fury boiling over as he slammed his fist against the computer screen. "Where's Mr. Yves? When is he coming back?""I don't know!"The guard who had been following Elon barely got the words out before Elon kicked him aside. "Get in touch with him immediately!"Elon's expression was dark with rage. Everything they had built was crumbling in an instant.…Deep in the underground prison, Kelly had lost track of how long
Jeanette's sharp gaze remained fixed on Simon. "Simon, tell me, do you truly not understand the company's affairs?""Grandma, I'm only good at eating, drinking, and having fun. I'll leave the rest to Jacob and Matthias!" Simon remained steadfast in his refusal to take over York Group's affairs.Jeanette hesitated for a moment, her expression filled with doubt as she shifted her gaze toward Matthias.Among the three grandsons of the York family, Jacob was mature, steady, and methodical in handling matters. Simon, on the other hand, was carefree and had never accomplished anything significant—except for constantly getting involved in various messy situations.As a result, the most well-known figures in the York family were Jacob and Simon while Matthias had never truly been taken seriously by Jeanette."Alright then. Until Jacob returns, let Matthias handle it. But Simon, you should still help where you can—you're all cousins, after all.""Of course, Grandma!" Simon replied with a
Matthias had been waiting for this opportunity and was eager to seize full control over the family's power.The family meeting had been dragging on for hours, yet no conclusion had been reached.Simon sat with his head lowered and casually fiddled with his phone, appearing indifferent. However, in reality, he was actively manipulating York Group's stock movements.As he listened to the endless arguments among the York family's elders, he merely moved his fingers, effortlessly causing drastic fluctuations in York Group's stock prices.Finally, he lifted his head and saw Jeanette coming down the stairs. He immediately stood up."Grandma, why did you come downstairs?"Jeanette looked at Simon with a slight hint of confusion. However, the moment quickly passed as she reached out and patted the back of his hand."It's you, Simon. What's all this noise about? You've been arguing for hours. It's giving me a headache!"Despite her words, her eyes were sharp as she surveyed the room.S
Charles furrowed his brows tightly at Noelle's words. "Nelly, Kelly will be fine. You have to trust me."He reached out to gently rub her back, soothing her until she finally calmed down. However, once Noelle was settled, his expression darkened completely.Peter's people had been searching for three days, but there was still no sign of Kelly. The tracking chip Charles had implanted in her had long been removed by Yves, leaving them with no way to trace her location.Charles sat by Noelle's bedside, watching as she fell into a deep sleep under Linda's acupuncture treatment, yet his heart remained unsettled.Linda looked at Noelle and sighed helplessly. "Mr. Hoffman, while Noelle's condition is stable for now and the virus hasn't flared up, she's still pregnant. Any stress or anxiety could be dangerous for her. No matter how skilled I am, I won't be able to help if she keeps worrying like this."She handed Charles another prescription. He took it, and his brows were tightly knitted
"Ms. Anderson, you should worry about yourself instead! Even if Mr. Yves remembers you in the future, I'm afraid your situation will be far worse than this. I told you before—I won't let you die so easily. So, Ms. Anderson, just stay here and make yourself comfortable!" Elon spat."Elon, once Yves finds out, he'll kill you. He will."The only response Kelly received was the heavy clang of the cell door slamming shut.She used every ounce of strength to scream, but after Elon left, all that remained was pain—unbearable, all-consuming pain.She trembled violently, shivering as if she had been thrown into an ice cellar, yet moments later, it felt as if she were being scorched alive.Kelly writhed on the floor, the torment so excruciating that she nearly passed out.Tears slipped from the corners of her eyes as she closed them.She suddenly recalled the first time she had met Yves. She had infuriated him, and she had blurted out in a fit of defiance, "Only by falling in love with yo
Kelly let out a cold chuckle. "Is that so? Then why hasn't Yves killed me yet? Shouldn't he have killed me the moment I tore off his mask and discovered his identity?"She struggled to her feet, but the iron chains around her ankles were secured to the floor. She barely took a few steps before the chains yanked her back, causing her to fall heavily onto the ground.Pain radiated through her body, and a sharp sting shot through her palms as they scraped against the rough surface. She winced, sucking in a breath.Her ankle, caught in the unforgiving grip of the iron shackle, twisted painfully.Forcing herself up, Kelly looked at Elon. "Locking me up here… Is that truly Yves' decision?"Elon remained silent. He knelt before her, gripping her jaw forcefully before she could react. In one swift motion, he shoved a small pill into her mouth.Kelly clamped her lips shut, struggling against him. However, Elon's grip was ruthless. He squeezed her cheeks hard to force her mouth open and pu
Peter's men immediately sprang into action. Since Kelly had disappeared from the villa, they started their search from there.While they were looking for Kelly, Elon had already moved her to another location. Kelly had no idea where she was.She only remembered that after Yves left, the man who had always been by his side appeared, striking her across the face. She blacked out instantly.When she woke up again, she found herself lying on an icy, damp surface. The air was cold, and she had no clue where she was.She struggled to sit up, only to realize that heavy iron chains shackled her wrists and ankles. The room was pitch-black without a single trace of light.Kelly groped around in the darkness, but she could not make out anything. In such a void, her hearing became especially sensitive. She caught the sound of approaching footsteps.Moments later, the door creaked open, allowing a sliver of light to pierce through the darkness. The sudden brightness momentarily blinded her. W