Noelle practically flew into his arms, dropping everything she was holding as she threw herself against Charles.It was only when she felt his warm body that her racing heart finally settled. She clung to him like he was the most precious thing in the world, refusing to let go. She was afraid that if she did, he might vanish like a dream.Sensing her anxiety, Charles wrapped his arms around her, gently patting her back in a soothing rhythm. "It's okay, I'm here," he whispered."I'm not a dream. I'm right here by your side."Hearing his words, Noelle tightened her hold even more. "I know... I know it's really you. I can feel your warmth. But Charlie, why did you come?"She had assumed he was either asleep or busy with work at this hour. She never expected him to drive all the way from Phoenix Tree Residence in the middle of the night.The drive from Phoenix Tree Residence to her place took at least an hour, which meant Charles had left a while ago. There was not even a hint of chi
Noelle gazed into Charles' eyes, feeling completely captivated and unable to move.Charles smirked when he saw her in this dazed state. He leaned in close, his warm breath brushing against her ear as he whispered, "Naturally, I came here to… do you."A shiver ran down Noelle's spine, her eyes widening in surprise. She pushed Charles away, blinking several times and swallowing hard.Seeing her reaction, Charles found it both amusing and exasperating. He reached out while playfully stroking Noelle's neck. "What are you doing? Normally, you'd be throwing yourself into my arms by now.""No way! You're so improper!" Noelle protested, her face turning a shade of red as vibrant as a boiled shrimp."You're usually somewhat of a gentleman. Maybe not exactly a refined gentleman, but at least not so—mmmph!"Before Noelle could finish her sentence, Charles silenced her with a kiss. She stared at him in shock as he claimed her lips, his tongue tracing the outline of her mouth.Noelle slowly
"Yeah." Charles's eyes flickered with determination. "Don't worry, I won't let myself down, and I definitely won't let you down either."This matter was something that had to be resolved sooner or later. Before, he was not in a hurry because Noelle was not by his side. However, now that she was here and had become his wife, this obstacle needed to be cleared away.He intended to give her a life free of hindrances, a world without worries. He wanted to offer her a life of pure bliss, one that was filled with only him."I know, and I believe in you," Noelle said. She started feeling a bit tired and yawned.Charles looked down at her, then glanced at the time. "It's late. Let's sleep.""Okay." Noelle nodded but leaned in to kiss him softly on the lips before closing her eyes. "Goodnight, Charlie.""Goodnight, Nelly," Charles replied, watching as Noelle quickly drifted into a peaceful sleep.His gaze softened, and he gently lay her down, tucking the blanket around her.Just as he w
Janet's people had been following Noelle, but they had not found anything suspicious about her. Every time, Noelle either went straight home after work or spent time with colleagues shopping or dining.She had absolutely no contact with Charles.The people tailing Noelle were assigned to Janet by the Bakers. Janet was aware of their capabilities and did not question their findings. As a result, over time, Janet's vigilance toward Noelle eased somewhat.However, every time she thought about Noelle's face, Janet still felt a pang of discomfort.Janet contemplated whether to find an opportunity to get Noelle out of Collosus Group, but now was not the right moment. Charles did not think highly of her, and if she made an issue over Noelle, who resembled Kelly, it might create a backlash.The more she tried to keep Charles away from Noelle, the more likely he would be drawn to her.After considering this, Janet decided to leave Noelle alone for the time being. However, when it came to
Charles' attitude that day had said it all. He mentioned that he only came because of Samuel, but that old man meant nothing to Jade.He had been out of the picture for so many years that Jade barely thought of Samuel. Little did she know, Samuel actually knew someone as significant as Charles.As Jade thought about it, she felt increasingly resentful about this marriage. It was not Joseph's Frotconn that had elevated them. Rather, it was Joseph's family who had latched onto the Shaws.The Shaws might have seen better days under Samuel's leadership. Although Julian was not as capable as Samuel, the Shaws were still a wealthy family. They were unlike Joseph's family, which had only recently risen to wealth.Thinking about Winter's scandal with Charles, an idea suddenly popped into Jade's head, and it startled even her. Lost in her thoughts, she failed to notice Julian standing up, staring at her suspiciously. "What are you thinking about?" he asked.Startled, Jade's shoulders jer
"Is that true?" Julian had been in the dark, so he was pretty shocked to hear about it. "How did you find out?"Jade let out a sigh. "It's all because of the recent drama." She knew something was up, so after overhearing Winter and Suzy that day, she did a little digging on Janet. Boy, did she get the surprise of her life! "Janet's had a crush on Charles since they were kids, but Charles has never given her a second glance.""Go on!" Julian leaned in, hooked. "I want to hear if it all ties together.""Okay, here goes!" Jade gathered her thoughts and laid out the whole saga for Julian. "And then there's Clarisse, who’s a real piece of work. I get why her brother likes Janet. She's his first love's daughter, but Clarisse is way too nice to Janet for no good reason. She even plotted against her own son for Janet’s sake! Years ago, when Charles visited Capiton, Clarisse slipped him a drug and then... she actually put Janet in Charles's bed. Can you believe it?"Julian's eyebrow shot up
"They've crossed the line now. This mess is between the Bakers and the Hoffmans. What's it got to do with us?" Jade was fuming after piecing everything together. She could not believe how low the Bakers would stoop.Janet might not be a Baker by blood, but she was Milo's daughter and Charles's cousin, at least on paper. A cousin crushing on her cousin and pushing him into marriage was ridiculous. Now, they were dragging Winter into this mess!"No way. I can't let this slide. I won't let the Bakers get away with this. So what if they're from some fancy Capiton lineage? Anyone who messes with my Winter is going down.""Easy there. Don't rush into anything. We're not at the point of no return yet. It's probably best not to tick off the Bakers. Even Charles hasn't made a move on them, which means he's still playing nice for the sake of their reputation. If you go after them now, you're asking for a feud."What's the plan? Are we just going to let Winter keep getting slammed online? Tho
Jade had always tried to win Samuel's affection, but no matter what she did, Samuel's responses were tepid at best. She would bend over backward to make him happy back in her youth, but she stopped caring so much with age.Julian left Jade and headed straight for Samuel's room. Samuel was engrossed in a book but looked up and set it aside when Julian walked in. "Something on your mind?" he asked."Father, I wanted to talk to you about Winter," Julian said."Winter?" Samuel nodded in recognition. "I've kept up with what she's been up to lately. I may be old, but I'm not out of the loop. She...""Father, Winter might be a little spoiled, but she's not a bad person. She's married to Xavier now, so there's no way she'd have anything going on with Charles!" Julian interjected, eager to clear her name.Samuel watched Julian's frantic defense and shook his head gently. "I haven't even finished, and you're already jumping to her defense. Jule, did you ever stop to wonder why I show Noelle
"Wow, even when you insult me, you're adorable!" Linda exclaimed.Tania, Peter, and even Brandon were utterly speechless.The collective thought of the three was, 'This girl must have a few screws loose!'Tania was the first to recover, coughing lightly to break the awkwardness. "Um, the food is ready. Everyone must be hungry. Let's eat!"She asked Zara to clear the chessboard. At that moment, Jeremy came downstairs, saying, "Mr. Lennon, if there's nothing else, I'll take my leave now.""Wait!" Tania called out, stopping him. "Sit down and eat with us!"Jeremy looked startled, glancing between Tania and Peter. "That doesn't seem appropriate, Mrs. Lennon.""If she said sit, just sit," Peter interjected.With Peter's approval, Jeremy stopped hesitating. Zara quickly added another set of cutlery, and Jeremy joined them at the table."This is so delicious!" Linda exclaimed loudly. She had a habit of reacting in an exaggerated manner, something the family initially struggled to get
While Linda and Zara went upstairs, Peter headed into the kitchen to finish preparing the meal. Zara had already cooked most of it, so Peter only tidied up and added two more dishes. Meanwhile, Tania stayed in the living room, playing chess with Brandon.Even though Brandon was still young, his intelligence was remarkable—likely inherited from Peter. From a young age, Brandon had demonstrated abilities far beyond his peers. However, he rarely liked to show off and often concealed his talents at school.After playing a few rounds with Brandon, Tania looked up to see Peter walking out of the kitchen. He removed his apron, smiling lightly as he approached the two.Noticing how evenly matched Tania and Brandon were, Peter seemed surprised. "Brandon, your chess skills have improved a lot recently."His eyes narrowed slightly as he observed Brandon's moves. Suddenly, his gaze sharpened. "Who taught you this strategy?""Steven," Tania replied, lifting her head with a helpless smile. "W
Though Peter had voiced his concerns, he allowed Zara to proceed as she insisted.Zara carried Brandon inside, but seeing her strain slightly, Brandon spoke up, "Zara, I can walk by myself!""Brandon is such a good boy!" Zara praised him warmly, gently setting him down. "Mr. Peter, Ms. Tania, would you like to rest for a while? I'm in the middle of cooking, and the meal will be ready soon.""Wow, it's so big!"A crisp, youthful voice echoed through the villa, carrying a playful tone. "Mr. Jeremy, could you help bring in my luggage?"'Luggage' was a bit of an exaggeration. It was just a small bag Linda had impulsively bought before boarding the plane.Linda strolled into the villa as though she owned the place, casually wandering around with her bright eyes scrutinizing everything. She nodded approvingly. "Not bad, not bad at all. This is so much better than my house.""Mr. Peter, who is this?"Zara looked curiously at the young girl, especially surprised by how at ease Linda se
"It happened several years ago when I was handling a situation in Saint Angel. I just happened to save a little beggar," Peter explained casually, clearly never giving much thought to Linda.If Linda had not mentioned it, he would have long forgotten the incident.Tania nodded in understanding. "I see. That little girl seems to admire you quite a bit," she remarked with a smile.Peter's sharp, piercing eyes softened the moment they met Tania's. Hearing her words, he could not help but reach out and gently ruffle her hair. "What's this? Are you jealous?""Jealous? What even is that?" Tania huffed, feigning indignation."You think I'd get jealous over a teenage girl? Peter, you must be mistaken." She slapped his hand away with a playful glare. "That little girl looks like she's only 15 or 16! She's still a minor!"Peter glanced at the spot on his hand where she had swatted him, and a faint smile tugged at the corners of his lips.He sighed theatrically, "So, this is where I stand
Brandon wiggled in Peter's arms, pouting as he protested, "No way, Daddy! I missed you so much that I couldn't even eat properly. Daddy, feel my cheeks—they've lost all their chubby cuteness!"Peter smirked coldly and pinched Brandon's cheek. "You've gotten chubbier.""Daddy, if you keep saying that, I'm going to be mad!" Brandon huffed, crossing his arms in a dramatic show of anger."Alright, Daddy's had a long flight and must be tired," Tania interjected with a sigh. "Come here, sweetie. I'll carry you!"She reached out to take Brandon, but Peter shook his head. "I'll carry him."Though Brandon pretended to be upset, he was clearly delighted to be held by Peter. He grinned and asked, "Daddy, you've been away for so many days. Did you miss Mommy and me?""I did.""Oh my gosh!" Outside the car, Linda's jaw dropped as she stared through the window at the family. Jeremy held her by the collar like she was a disobedient puppy."Oh, my idol! How could you be so gentle? Is that your
"To save someone.""Save someone? I can do that too! My medical skills are exceptional, way better than my brother's!" Linda puffed up her chest confidently. "Leave it to me!""You?" Jeremy raised an eyebrow in disbelief. Looking at Linda, who seemed no older than 16. She hardly looked like someone with any medical expertise.Peter, however, took her words seriously and gave Linda a closer look. "You're saying you know medicine?""Of course, I do! Didn't you see what I was doing yesterday? I was extracting viruses from those people. Don't think the Holts only have my brother, Saxon, as their star! I'm great too!""Fine. If that's the case, you'll come back to the country with me," Peter replied without a trace of doubt.Peter did not question Linda's claims. After all, the Holts were a family of renowned medical practitioners. It was not surprising that Linda would possess such skills.Since Saxon could not be located, bringing Linda back seemed like a sensible plan. Her skills
Linda's wide eyes sparkled with admiration as she stared at Peter, her face full of awe. "Peter, you're amazing! You're even better than my brother!"Peter frowned, his expression as cold as ice as he looked at Linda.Jeremy slapped his forehead, thinking to himself, 'This girl must be an idiot!'Of course, he did not dare say it out loud. Instead, he held back his laughter and glanced at Peter.He had wanted to warn Peter earlier that this Linda girl was not normal. Ever since she learned Peter's identity the day before, she had been acting completely out of the ordinary."Ms. Holt, I'll need you to come back to the country with me," Peter said flatly."Okay, sure!" Linda immediately jumped to her feet. "Peter, wherever you go, I'll follow. You don't have to worry. If you tell me to do something, I won't even have other thoughts!"Peter was utterly baffled."You really must be an idiot." Peter's words were sharp and unfiltered.Tania had experienced Peter's sharp tongue first
Now that they had Linda as leverage, Saxon would undoubtedly come. Even if Saxon did not show up, someone from the Holts certainly would.As the only girl among the Holts' younger generation, Linda was extraordinarily pampered. It was said that the Holts spoiled her to the heavens. Otherwise, how could Linda have dared to come to a war-torn place like Francoria on her own?Peter truly had no qualms. Despite Linda being just a girl, he had gone so far as to tie her up.…The next day, when Jeremy went to check on Linda, he found her with her hands still tied behind her back.Surprisingly, she was not struggling. Instead, she lay on the bed like a log, completely motionless. She did not even notice Jeremy entering the room.The truth was that Linda had been utterly exhausted. Since arriving in Francoria, she had been constantly on edge and was unable to relax. While she might be a member of the Holts, no one cared about your family name in a war zone.Linda valued her life and had
Linda's big, sparkling eyes glimmered with mischief as she smiled at Jeremy.Jeremy suddenly felt a chill run down his spine. His gut told him this little girl was full of schemes. "No way. Mr. Lennon specifically said I can't untie you!""But I'm still a minor! I'm just a little kid! You've tied me up too tightly. Look at my wrists, they're red and bruised!" Linda blinked her eyes pitifully. Her expression was almost heartbreakingly innocent as she stared at Jeremy.Jeremy, however, was completely unfazed. He was like a blind man ignoring her performance. "Nope. Without Mr. Lennon's orders, you're staying tied up like this."Linda quickly changed her approach. "Oh, big guy, don't be like that!"Seeing Jeremy about to leave, she tried to lunge at him. However, with her hands tied, she could not grab onto him. Jeremy instinctively stepped aside, and Linda ended up falling flat onto the ground with a loud thud."Oh, my chest! My flat chest is going to cave in!" Linda shouted, glari