Mag-log inShare
Chapter 55
Kaugnay na kabanata
The Cherished Wife Chapter 56
"Deal!" Noelle felt a weight lift off her shoulders; she was not keen on visiting the Shaw family anyway. "If I want to catch up with you, Grandpa, we’ll just meet up somewhere!"After hanging up, Noelle looked up to see Charles returning after a long absence, a gift box in hand as he strolled up to her.Her phone was still in her hand, her heartbeat erratic with anticipation.Charles offered the gift box to Noelle, "Your clothes haven't dried yet. I picked this up for you to wear in the meantime. I hope it works for now!""Thanks!" Noelle snatched the package and eagerly tore it open to find a long, flowy dress that seemed to shimmer with magic. She inspected it, noticing the tag was missing. However, the faint outline of a logo and the feel of the fabric gave it away. It was a Saint Di creation, a brand famed for their exclusive designs."You don't like it?" Charles inquired, catching Noelle off guard. She shook her head. "No, it's gorgeous. But how did you guess my size?"Th
The Cherished Wife Chapter 57
Noelle watched her phone disappear into Charles's hand, let out a little sigh without even realizing it, then caught his teasing look. "Having second thoughts?"Noelle bit her lip, her face a shade paler than usual. Charles's words had thrown her for a loop. Deep down, she knew the truth, though. Ever since Xavier's betrayal with Winter, her heart had checked out. "No way!""Is that so?" Charles let out a skeptical chuckle, clearly not buying it.Noelle caught the disbelief in Charles's eyes and sighed inwardly. What was she expecting? Charles was a tough nut to crack, and their relationship had taken a turn into uncharted territory. "Believe it or not, Xavier and I are done," she declared, pausing for emphasis. Since she was his wife now, she would not step out of line. "You have my word."Charles quirked an eyebrow, his eyes revealing a flicker of surprise before he gave a half-smile. "Good to hear. Let's get you home.""Okay."Noelle knew better than to argue. Charles was set
The Cherished Wife Chapter 58
Noelle's hands relaxed, and she settled back into her seat. Her fidgety movements gave away her inner turmoil.Feeling anxious, her palms started to sweat. She gripped her hands tightly, then let go a little, "I... I'm sorry. I'm just not ready yet!"Even though they were married, Charles was practically a stranger to her.She knew he was the big boss of Collosus Group, one of the infamous Four Young Masters of Brookville, Mr. Hoffman, and that he was not someone people in Brookville crossed lightly. However, that was the extent of her knowledge. She was clueless about his likes, his family, or who he hung out with.It was only now that Noelle was facing these facts, realizing she had been pretty bold to marry a guy she barely knew. Rubbing her forehead to ease the headache, she gently tapped it and asked, "Mr. Hoffman, is it too late to back out of this marriage?"Charles arched an eyebrow and turned to give Noelle a look.In just a couple of minutes, he had seen every emotion p
The Cherished Wife Chapter 59
Charles' slender hand picked at the seatbelt on Noelle, then he smiled and said, "I hope you were joking."Noelle gazed at Charles, her breath catching in her throat. She could not read him, he was way too close for comfort. His presence and unique scent were overwhelming. A crisp blend of passionfruit and lemon lingered in the air, light yet impossible to ignore.She turned away, her heart racing. "I get it," she said with a quick nod.She knew she was no match for Charles in this game they were playing.Charles noticed her unease and softened his expression. "Hey, I didn't mean to freak you out. Look, stuff happens, right? Why run from it? Face it head-on, accept it, and who knows? You might see things in a new light."Noelle inhaled deeply, trying to steady her nerves. "Fine. I'll give it a shot. Three days, right? You promised me three days."A hint of a smile played on Charles's lips. He found Noelle's mix of fear and feistiness amusing, not the usual reaction he got. "I'm a
The Cherished Wife Chapter 60
Xavier's face turned red with fury as the car sped off into the distance. "Some hero you are, hiding behind tinted windows! Come out and face me if you dare!" he yelled, though his challenge fell on deaf ears.Charles was long gone, the car a mere speck in the sprawling suburb. Xavier was left with nothing but the smoke of the car's trail and a firestorm of anger in his chest that he could not quell.It was maddening. Noelle had been with him for ages, yet she had never stayed the night. Now, some random guy showed up, and she did not come home? Unbelievable.Xavier clenched his fists. If only that guy had stepped out of the car, he would have shown him what a real man looked like.Little did Xavier know that his outburst might spell disaster for his family’s company.It was only after the car had vanished that Xavier calmed his anger. He could not believe Noelle would run around with some guy, not coming home all night. He had not even stopped to think about what he had done the
The Cherished Wife Chapter 61
The more Noelle thought about last night—how Julian had drugged her and Xavier had been in on it—the more she felt sick to her stomach, as if she had swallowed a fly. It was disgusting.Even with Xavier and Winter together, she had not thought about getting back at them. However, they seemed obsessed with tearing her down, even willing to trade her to a guy like Simon for cash.Noelle could not bear to think about what might have happened if Simon had... or if Charles had not shown up just in time to get her out of there. What then?It was her Grandpa's birthday party, with the Shaw family hosting a ton of high-society types. If anyone had caught her in a room with a guy doing who-knows-what, she would have kissed her reputation and her whole life goodbye.What was Xavier even trying to say? Was he actually worried about himself? Could he be?"Noelle, please open the door and hear me out. I honestly have no clue what went down yesterday. Winter told me you were gone, and that your
The Cherished Wife Chapter 62
"What happened to me? Oh, please. I've always been this way. You never knew the real me, or maybe you just never bothered to!" Noelle's laugh was cold as she cut off Xavier's words. "We've had nothing to talk about for ages. I haven't forgotten what went down last night. I'm not some puppet you can play with. Go tell Winter to watch her back. If she slips up, I'll make her wish she'd never crossed me."Noelle was not the type to be cold and unfeeling; she would not have turned this way if they had not pushed her to the limit.After her outburst, Noelle rubbed at her eyes, her head hung low, and she forced a bitter smile. No matter how much her parents played favorites, she used to just get over it. She was great at making her own fun, or she would just hang out with her Grandpa, playing chess. Her Grandpa always said chess was a great way to calm down the mind.Noelle tried to tell herself that her parents just wanted her to learn to stand on her own two feet. Then she saw how they
The Cherished Wife Chapter 63
"What's so great about him, huh? Do you even know him, Noelle? You've barely met the guy. I know you're trying to tick me off because of the whole thing with your sister, but this isn't the way to do it, Noelle.""That's it, Xavier. Leave now, or I'm calling the cops."Noelle was fed up with Xavier's rant. She might not know Charles inside and out, but at least he was honest and would not hurt her.She was done with Xavier's drama. Dragging this out would help no one. Xavier could be as stubborn as a mule, refusing to back down. Even after Noelle told him off, he would not budge, just kept shouting her name outside. Some nosy neighbors even threw in their two cents.Feeling trapped, Noelle decided to ignore him.Meanwhile, Xavier, getting no response from Noelle, grew even more furious. "Noelle, open up! We need to talk. You think running away will fix things?""Sir, do you live here?"After what felt like an eternity, two cops showed up and eyed Xavier. "We have received compla
Pinakabagong kabanata
The Cherished Wife Chapter 1492
"Gosh!"Julian was stunned, completely unprepared for the revelation that Winter was involved.Noelle, too, was unaware of the footage, and her fists clenched tightly as she watched. "It was Winter? She caused Grandpa to be hospitalized, and now, she's the reason he's dead?""Mrs. Hoffman, please keep watching," Ronald urged, signaling Noelle to stay calm. But her whole body was trembling with anger—she was livid.Even Grant, seated beside Noelle, could sense her fury. He reached out, gently holding her hand, and shook his head slightly.Feeling the warmth of his hand, Noelle glanced up at Grant. Her expression was conflicted, and her eyes were red and teary."Uncle Joshua…" she blurted out.In her heart, Grant was Joshua at that moment—the one she had clung to as a child. She was at her most vulnerable, and all decorum fell away.Grant sighed. "The dead can't come back to life.""But Grandpa didn't die naturally. This was murder!" Noelle could not suppress her anguish, and he
The Cherished Wife Chapter 1491
When Noelle said this, the room fell silent. Though her words carried a tone of warning, they also carried undeniable truth.Handing City Ring Corp. back to Julian would likely result in the same mismanagement—or worse.City Ring Corp. had already been drained to the point of near collapse. For the shareholders, most of whom had merely been holding their titles, it seemed almost inevitable that the company would soon face bankruptcy.However, with Noelle at the helm, the prospects were entirely different. Behind Noelle stood the Hoffmans, the Smith family, and the Anderson family. Any single one of these entities stepping in would be enough to pull City Ring Corp. out of its dire straits.While it might not guarantee the company would surpass its former glory, it would certainly ensure survival and safeguard its investments.Smart individuals knew how to choose wisely. Moreover, it was clear that Samuel had long foreseen this outcome. His decision to allocate shares in his will no
The Cherished Wife Chapter 1490
Everyone was handed a copy, including Julian. As soon as he glanced at the first page, his face underwent a subtle but noticeable change.His fingers trembled as he turned the pages, and the further he read, the more his heart raced with fear.Suddenly, Julian slammed the documents onto the table, his face pale as he struggled to maintain composure. "What's this? You expect us to believe this nonsense? Did you fabricate all this to mislead everyone?""Fabricated?" Ronald countered, calm and unflustered in contrast to Julian's agitation. His cold gaze was fixed on Julian."Mr. Shaw, this data is solid and verifiable. Take the Foyer Project from three years ago, for instance. City Ring Corp. invested a hundred million dollars. So, where's the return?""You're lying! This is confidential internal data. How did you even get your hands on it? You've stolen proprietary information!""Stolen?" Ronald scoffed at the accusation, his confidence unshaken."Mr. Cook, would you say that Ms.
The Cherished Wife Chapter 1489
Noelle clenched her fists tightly. She had initially thought Jade simply disliked her, transferring her resentment toward Madison onto her. She also thought Jade was merely sharp-tongued and would take petty jabs from time to time.However, she never imagined Jade would escalate matters by accusing her of framing and even murdering someone. If she did not take a stand now, Jade might escalate further in the future."Jade Jones, I've been speaking to you respectfully because you're my grandfather's adopted daughter and my so-called aunt. But if you insist on rejecting a kind gesture and demanding a harsh response, don't blame me for being impolite.""Do you all hear this? Listen to her!" Jade screamed, her voice shrill as she pointed an accusatory finger at Noelle."This Noelle is completely unbridled now, relying on her backers to destroy me and my daughter, to ruin the Shaws! The old man—she killed him! She really killed him!"Jade's behavior in the conference room bordered on hy
The Cherished Wife Chapter 1488
Jade no longer cared about the consequences. All she could think about was how something that should have belonged to them was now being taken by an outsider like Noelle.Jade had never liked Noelle, and given the current situation, she was determined to oppose her.When she heard Noelle suggest she should leave, Jade refused. Pointing her finger at Noelle, she unleashed a tirade. "You ungrateful wretch! City Ring Corp. belongs to the Shaws. Who do you think you are? You think you can make me leave? I'm Jule's wife, I am—"Noelle's cold glare cut her off. She turned to Julian, her icy eyes devoid of any warmth.Caught in her piercing gaze, Julian felt an unexpected jolt of intimidation.Noelle narrowed her eyes, and said, "Mr. Shaw, is this how the Shaws handle things? Or has City Ring Corp become a place where anyone can walk in freely?"Noelle had originally harbored no ill will toward Julian. Out of respect for her grandfather, she had planned to approach things amicably. Ho
The Cherished Wife Chapter 1487
As Ronald's questioning continued, the shareholders grew increasingly suspicious. It became apparent that Julian had withheld much of this information from them.Hearing the escalating accusations, Julian started to fidget uneasily. His mind swirled with thoughts of the projects earlier in the year and the... complications that followed.Ronald's sharp and calculating gaze seemed to pierce through Julian, creating an overwhelming sense of pressure. Though Ronald was merely an assistant, his demeanor exuded an authority that left Julian struggling to breathe."Yes, Mr. Shaw," one of the shareholders spoke up, addressing Julian directly."What Mr. Wells just mentioned has raised questions for all of us. We should have been receiving regular reports—weren't we supposed to?""That's right!" another shareholder chimed in. "And wasn't it recently mentioned that our dividends this year were lower than expected?""Yes!" someone else agreed. "Mr. Shaw explained it was because the company
The Cherished Wife Chapter 1486
Ronald's statement immediately confirmed everyone's speculation about Noelle."Mr. Wells, so Noelle is…" someone asked, hesitating."Mr. Hoffman's wife," Ronald replied with a faint smile. "She's the future matriarch of the Hoffman family."The room immediately shifted. The shareholders exchanged glances, their expressions a mix of astonishment and the beginnings of flattery.She was Charles' wife—Charles Hoffman, the renowned figure of Brookville, future leader of Collosus Group, and head of the Hoffmans family. Forming ties with Charles could mean limitless opportunities.They turned their attention to Julian, bewildered. How could Julian possess such valuable connections yet oppose Noelle? Even Julian's close associates began to find his decisions questionable.They initially assumed Noelle was just an orphan, but now, realizing her true identity—and that Joshua was actually Grant Anderson—they wondered how Julian managed to squander such an advantageous position.While some
The Cherished Wife Chapter 1485
After watching the video Samuel had recorded before his passing, the crowd began to piece things together in their minds. Their gazes toward Noelle and Grant shifted subtly, reflecting new perceptions.Meanwhile, a glance at Julian revealed a different story. Many could not help but wonder—why had Samuel specifically asked Noelle to safeguard City Ring Corp.? What did he mean by that?Julian was clearly frustrated by the situation, and he was fuming. He glanced at Noelle and Grant, his displeasure intensifying. He slammed his hand on the table."You claim this video is authentic, but how do we know it's not something Noelle and Grant came up with together to steal the Shaws' assets? I'm Samuel's son. Why would the Shaws' shares be given entirely to two outsiders? Doesn't that strike anyone as suspicious?"Julian had initially thought Noelle might hand over the shares if she had any sense of propriety. But seeing her resolve to keep them only made him angrier.He could not fathom w
The Cherished Wife Chapter 1484
Kent finished speaking and cast a glance at his assistant, who immediately stepped forward and asked, "Is there a DVD player or projector available here?"Holding a USB drive, the assistant continued, "This contains a video recorded by Sir Shaw before his passing. It documents the entire process of drafting his will, along with Mr. Cook's involvement. If anyone has any doubts, you can watch it for yourself."The assistant located a DVD player and started the video. The room fell into an uneasy silence as everyone focused on the large screen.On the screen, Samuel appeared vibrant and full of life. His demeanor seemed spirited, indicating that the will was drafted some time ago.The video showed that Samuel's mind was clear, and even Kent interrupted him several times during the process to confirm his decisions. Samuel firmly stated his intent to allocate the shares to Noelle and Grant without any hesitation.As for other assets like properties and savings, Samuel casually mentione
