Noelle watched Janet from the audience, appreciating her beauty from a purely aesthetic perspective.Arya, who was seated beside her, was equally mesmerized. "I didn't expect her to be this pretty," Arya remarked."Yeah." Noelle nodded. She then noticed that Brian, who was sitting next to her, did not seem to be paying attention to Janet at all. Curious, she asked, "Don't you think she's beautiful, Mr. Parker?""Just another pretty face," Brian replied, barely glancing up. "Compared to her, I think you're much better looking." He said this while seemingly engrossed in a conversation on his phone.Noelle could not help but smile at his compliment. "Thank you for the praise," she said. Out of the corners of her eyes, she caught a glimpse of Brian's phone screen and realized he was chatting with Teresa on WhatsApp.She was surprised.Noticing Noelle's glance, Brian calmly placed his phone face down, cutting off her view. He smirked slightly. "Peeking isn't exactly polite, you know."
As soon as Becky finished speaking, the entire venue erupted in cheers. Everyone knew what kind of person Charles was, and the chance to dance with him was an incredible honor."Of course, every lady present has an equal chance. Even the celebrities from Royal Star have their own number cards," Becky continued as her assistant handed out the number cards to the Royal Star artistes.Brielle, Winter, and the others were taken aback, surprised by Collosus Group's unique approach this year. Brielle, who had been with Royal Star for some time, rarely had the opportunity to meet someone as prominent as Charles. Naturally, she was filled with excitement.She glanced around at the others, noticing the same look of anticipation on their faces."Now, let's have my assistant bring the box up," Becky announced.The assistant promptly brought the box to the stage and stood respectfully beside Charles. Becky approached and said, "Mr. Hoffman, please draw the first lucky employee of the evening.
Janet's face lit up with a smile, and she was just about to step forward when she suddenly froze. When she registered Charles' words, her expression shifted to disbelief. She stared intently at the number card in Charles' hand as he playfully asked, "Who's the lady with number 520?"Everyone began to look down at their own number cards, but no one responded.Charles glanced around. "No one?"Winter and Brielle also checked their numbers, only to find they did not match. Disappointment spread across their faces."This can't be happening! It's impossible!" Janet could no longer hold back and rushed forward, snatching the card from Charles' hand.Upon seeing the number on it, she shouted, "This can't be real! How is this possible?"Charles turned slightly. "Why not? What's so strange about the number I picked?" His cold voice rang out as his dark eyes fixed on Janet.Realizing her behavior, Janet quickly clenched the card in her hand and shook her head. "No, Charles. I didn't mea
Janet pointed at Noelle and stammered, "C-Charles, s-she's…"A hint of displeasure flashed in Charles' eyes as he glanced sideways at Janet. He then shifted his gaze toward Clarisse in the audience. Clarisse wore an expression of shock. If it had not been for Mateo holding her down, she might have lost her composure."Mother, I think Janet is tired from hosting. Why don't you take her to rest?" Charles suggested.Clarisse snapped back to her senses and shot Noelle a sharp look. Noelle felt puzzled under Clarisse's piercing gaze.Moments later, Janet began shouting hysterically, shedding her earlier poised demeanor. "No, Charles. I won't leave! This woman is a vixen. Have you forgotten what she did to betray you back then? How can you—""Enough!" Clarisse rushed over and grabbed Janet's arm tightly. "What nonsense are you spouting?" she hissed.Leaning closer, she continued in a low voice, "Look carefully. This woman is not Kelly. Do you not understand the importance of this occas
The two of them became the focus of everyone's attention. Not just the women, but even the men could not help but admire the sight of them together.At first glance, Noelle's outfit seemed plain, almost disrespectful for such an important event as the year-end banquet. Yet when she stood next to Charles, there was an undeniable harmony.Both were dressed simply, yet somehow, they stood out remarkably.In the center of the dance floor, the music began to play. Charles placed his hand on Noelle's waist, gently guiding her. Noelle was wearing three-inch heels, which made her the perfect height beside Charles.They moved gracefully across the dance floor in perfect sync, as if they had been dance partners all their lives.Noelle smiled, initially worried that her dance steps were rusty, but she quickly found her rhythm. It was all thanks to Charles' confident lead.Charles gazed down at her, as though she was the only person in the room. "Nelly, what do you think of your husband's da
After the opening dance, Charles gracefully withdrew his hand, his smile polite but distant. Noelle also pulled back, nodding slightly before stepping away. As soon as Arya saw Noelle leave Charles' side, she eagerly waved her over."Noelle, over here!" Arya called out.Noelle nodded, smiled, and made her way through the crowd to Arya's side. Arya quickly grabbed Noelle's hand, brimming with excitement. "Oh my god, Noelle! I can't believe how lucky you are—it's unbelievable! So, how did it feel? Dancing with Mr. Hoffman, what was it like?"Noelle felt a bit overwhelmed by Arya's enthusiasm. Arya was clinging to her arm. Noelle gently pulled away as she felt slightly awkward. "It was... just like any other dance. Mr. Hoffman dances really well, and... that's about it.""That's it?" Arya exclaimed, her voice so loud that it attracted quite a few glances.Noelle hurriedly covered Arya's mouth. "Shh! Keep it down. Don't you realize I've probably become public enemy number one right
After Noelle danced with Charles, many people stopped paying attention to her, though that did not include Winter or Janet.Winter fumed with resentment, unable to understand how Noelle could have such good luck. She felt bitter, thinking how could Noelle always land on her feet?Winter recalled how Noelle had been fired by Frotconn, as well as how she had narrowly escaped danger multiple times.In Winter's mind, Noelle should have been ruined by those incidents. However, not only did Noelle avoid those pitfalls, but she was now working at Collosus Group, one of the top companies in Brookville.In comparison to Collosus, Frotconn was nothing. As much as Winter hated to admit it, this was the truth.Clenching her purse tightly, Winter's eyes glowed red with anger.On stage, Lara, a newcomer who specialized in dance, was performing an energetic dance routine that quickly captivated the audience.Meanwhile, Brielle was chatting with her manager, discussing how to perform their next
"You should be focusing on how to present yourself well right now. Don't forget, your performance is coming up, and this could be your shot at that endorsement. Didn't you see how well-prepared Brielle is today?"Suzy continued to speak as she handed Winter a glass of water, "If you can't endure minor issues, you'll ruin your bigger plans. You're smart enough to understand that, Winter."Hearing Suzy's words, Winter finally suppressed her anger. "Alright."…Backstage, Janet grew increasingly restless. She could not stop thinking about the things that had unfolded. However, with the two bodyguards that Charles had assigned watching her every move, she could not go anywhere.Clarisse, who was with her, also noticed Janet's escalating agitation and felt at a loss.Janet had many good qualities, but her temperament was peculiar—just like her mother's—which always troubled Clarisse.She originally thought that raising Janet by her side would help change her nature, but she forgot th
"Your mom is a homewrecker, a vixen who destroys other people's families.""You're the daughter of a mistress. My mom says you're an illegitimate child!""We don't want to play with you! My mom says no one wants you because you're just a bastard!""Go away! We don't want to play with someone as dirty as you!"…"Mommy, Mommy, why don't you want me?"Liliana felt so cold.It was her first winter in Brookville after coming from the misty waters of Jacksonville, and the chill seeped deep into her bones.The Hoffman residence was enormous, yet Liliana still felt cold—not just from the weather but from the people. Their gazes were cold and indifferent. Even at school, the way those elite students looked at her was filled with mockery.She was only five when her mother brought her to this bustling metropolis, leading her straight to this grand yet icy mansion.The people here were dressed elegantly, so dazzling that it was impossible to look away. However, when they looked at her a
Even though she loved him deeply now, Noelle still felt as if a part of her memory was missing. It seemed unfair to Charles.Charles simply smiled, lowering his head to place a gentle kiss on the corner of her lips."Alright. Whatever you want to know, I'll tell you." He agreed, his tone warm and unwavering. "But before that, I think we have something more important to do.""What is it?" Noelle looked up at him, her eyes shimmering with a misty glow that made Charles' heart ripple."Our wedding night, of course, Mrs. Hoffman."Noelle's face turned bright red in an instant. "But… we're in a hotel, not Phoenix Tree Residence!""It doesn't matter where we are. As long as I have you, that's all that matters."Tonight, every word Charles spoke was as if dipped in honey, making Noelle's heart race. She stole a shy glance at him. "But… my brother and the others are still outside—""Forget about them."Without another word, Charles scooped her up and carried her straight to the bed, b
"Charlie, I forgot about you. Tell me the truth—are you angry?"Charles sighed. "No, how could I ever be angry with you?"He reached out and gently tucked a strand of Noelle's hair behind her ear. Seeing the seriousness in her eyes, he let out a soft chuckle. "Even if you never remember me for the rest of your life, I still wouldn't be angry.""Really?"Charles nodded.Noelle hesitated for a moment, then mustered the courage to look straight at him. "Charlie… if—just hypothetically—if things between me and Xavier had never gone wrong… If Winter never came between us and I was still with Xavier… What would you have done? Would you have just watched me get engaged to him? Marry him? And then—"Before she could finish, Charles pressed a finger against her lips, silencing her.Noelle blinked and saw that his gaze had deepened. He wrapped his arms tightly around her waist."No. That would never happen," he said firmly. The very thought of her with someone else, marrying someone else
The moment Noelle finished speaking, the world seemed to fall silent.Charles' lips curved into a faint smile, his eyes glinting with amusement. Yet if one looked closely, there was a serious intensity in his gaze as he fixed it on Noelle. "Hmm? What did my wife just say?"Noelle shot him a sharp glare. "I don't care. Whatever it is, you're not allowed to read it. Give it back!"She pouted, her expression just as serious and determined.Charles raised an eyebrow, surprised by how adamant she was.Though curiosity tugged at him, he would not force her if she felt so strongly about it. "Alright, I won't read it."Hearing this, Noelle exhaled in relief and reached out her hand. "Then give it back."Charles' eyes glimmered with amusement. "I promise I won't read it now, but I'll wait for the day you show it to me yourself."After saying that, he placed the diary into Noelle's hand. Instead of letting her go, however, he pulled her into an embrace as if he wanted to merge her into h
So, that was why the name felt so familiar—because Noelle had known Charles since she was a child.No wonder, the first time she met him, his gaze had seemed to pierce right through her as if he were looking for someone else. Had he been looking at her all along?Noelle reached up and touched her own face, realization washing over her. The memories she had lost all this time… They were about Charles?Her emotions swelled uncontrollably. Moving carefully, she knelt before him, her gaze fixed intently on his face. She compared his features to the descriptions she had recorded in her diary.With a trembling hand, she reached out, stopping just shy of touching his cheek.She simply watched him, quietly, taking in his features. They were so similar to the ones she had once described in her diary. A sudden chuckle escaped her lips.Even though she still could not recall the details of how they had met, she could tell from her own words just how much she must have liked him back then. O
Noelle smiled softly. "It's nothing. He probably just drank too much."Tania handed her a cup. "Here's some honey water. Let my brother drink some later."She paused for a moment before adding, "Don't worry about Ice and Glitter. Peter and I will take care of them.""Thank you, Tania." Noelle had indeed been worrying about the babies.The adults could stay up celebrating, but Connor and Nora were only two months old. They needed rest."It's nothing," Tania reassured her. "This is such a big day for you two. Don't worry, we'll take good care of the kids. Most of the guests have already left, and Grandpa and the others have gone home too."Noelle nodded. "What about you?""Peter and I will take Bran home soon, but we'll stop by Phoenix Tree Residence first to check on the babies.""Alright.""Just stay here and rest for now. Sean and the others are still partying pretty hard. I doubt they'll be leaving anytime soon."After Tania left, Noelle tested the temperature of the honey
This wedding was nothing short of spectacular. Every moment was meticulously recorded by a dedicated team, with cameras set up throughout the venue to capture every detail of the ceremony from all angles.Charles and Noelle barely had a moment to rest as they moved from table to table, toasting guests with endless glasses of wine. The atmosphere remained lively and joyous deep into the night. It was not until the early hours of the morning that Noelle finally helped Charles to a private lounge on the second floor of the hotel.Though many had stepped in to shield them from excessive drinking, there was no avoiding the celebratory nature of the occasion. The alcohol had inevitably taken its toll. After settling Charles onto the couch, Noelle fetched some honey water and a warm towel before returning to his side.Charles lay slightly on his side, propping his chin up with one hand. Noelle sat beside him and handed him the towel, but he did not reach for it.Sighing, she called soft
Sean clicked his tongue, shaking his head in amusement. "Charles, your body is here, but your heart is clearly somewhere else."Then, as if making an even bigger discovery, he gestured toward a spot not far away. "Oh, I say, Charles, this is a real crisis. See that?"With the enthusiasm of someone who thrived on drama, Sean pointed at Noelle and Grant. "I don't know, man. That guy doesn't look like he's here with good intentions."Charles raised an eyebrow, his gaze darkening as it settled on Noelle and Grant. He gripped his glass a little tighter, but his eyes refused to move away from them. Still, his words were dismissive. "He's just another big brother-in-law. That's all.""Yeah, right. Just admit it—he's a strong rival."The second Sean finished speaking, he felt an icy stare pierce through him. Charles' glare was sharp enough to cut. "Hmm? What did you just say?""Nothing!" Sean swallowed hard, instantly backtracking. Dear god, a jealous man was terrifying!"You think he's
Grant's eyes carried too many emotions—too many things unspoken. Noelle could not fully understand, but she could sense that there was something significant behind his words.The diary in her hands had to hold something important that was possibly related to the past she had forgotten. Perhaps they were the lost pieces of her memory that she had always assumed were not crucial.She had assumed so because otherwise, she would have recalled them after all these years. Besides, they had not seemed to affect her life in any meaningful way.Over time, she had gradually let go of the idea of remembering.Yet now, with Grant handing her this diary, an unsettling feeling crept over her as if she had forgotten something incredibly important—something she could not afford to lose.Holding the diary tightly, Noelle felt a strange mix of emotions that she could not quite describe.She hesitated before murmuring, "Thank you."In the end, she did not ask Grant where he had gotten the diary. I